Free Clockwork Twist : Dreamer by Emily Thompson

length from Tasha, as his mind began to supply him with horrible possibilities of uncontrolled tumbling.  Jonas wouldn't tell them to go below if there wasn't a chance that they would be thrown violently around by whatever he saw in the sky.  He could also guess that there might be lightning by what he'd said to Niko.  As his mind worked to unravel the few clues he had, Myra pulled silently closer to him.
    Her touch washed his Sight over with fear.  Twist had been fighting his own, trying to focus on the tasks at hand, but her added fears threatened to overrun his defenses.  For his own sake, he had to calm her down quickly.  A recent memory flashed to mind, giving him an idea of how he might.  There wasn't much room, so he turned Myra and then sat down just behind her, pulling her close and wrapping her in his arms.  She curled up against him, pulling her knees up as well, and her worries began to fade ever so gently as he held her.
    “It's going to be fine,” he said, speaking softly to her ear.  She moved slightly to one side until she could fit her head against the curve of his throat.
    “What's happening?” she asked softly.
    “I don't know,” Twist said. “But Jonas can see it.  He can keep us safe.  We're just in here to make sure.”  As he spoke, focusing on the few calm thoughts still in his mind, he felt her fear begin to ease a little more.
    Tasha leaned towards them to catch Myra's eye and gave her a smile. “Don't worry, dear.  You're surrounded by daring and capable people who care about you.  You couldn't possibly be safer.”
    Myra smiled back to her weakly, and her fear slipped just a bit farther away.  Up above, they all heard feet running quickly over the deck and the muffled call of voices.  The ship felt like it was falling slowly through the air and turning as well, but it was hard to tell in the darkness.  Then, suddenly, the ship lurched to one side as if struck by something.  Myra yelped in surprise and Twist clung tighter to her metal form as the scent of scorched wood filled the air.  He opened his mouth to say something calming to her, but the ship was struck again before he could, and almost threw him and Myra both into a nearby barrel.
    In a moment, all semblance of stillness was lost.  The ship was jolted, struck, thrown, and spun in a chaotic jumble while loud cracking, roaring, and explosive sounds filled the world.  They rose suddenly, then fell into momentary weightlessness, while spinning on and on.  It was all Twist could do to hold on to Myra as he and everyone else were thrown about wildly.  She clung to him just as tightly as she screamed.  And then Twist's world went black, empty, and silent.
     

 

     
    The scent of burning wood was the first thing to reach Twist's awareness.  Then, a general aching sensation that covered his body completely.  Last, he heard yelling voices.  Twist struggled to open his eyes, to look around him, but all he saw was fire and darkness.  A cold, metallic hand grabbed his wrist and pulled sharply, dragging him to the side.  Twist tried to move with it, but his limbs weren't responding the way they should.  The darkness fell away into a bright, fire-lit glow as he found himself being pulled out from under of a broken piece of decking that was already half consumed by the fire.
    Myra was pulling him out.  She saw his open eyes and reached down, hauling him to his feet with more strength than he knew she had.  She threw his arm over her shoulder and began to run, dragging him quickly away from the fire.  Twist stumbled as he tried to keep up and eventually fell into cold sand.  Myra dropped to her knees beside him and turned him over to look at his face.  Hers was awash with terror.
    “Twist!” she screamed, holding his head in her hands. “Can you hear me?”  He tried to respond, but his voice simply wouldn't make a sound.  He thought at first that Myra's fear was making a mess of his thoughts, but then his