Chapter Twenty Five

“You snore like a fog horn” were the first words I heard from Steamer as I woke up, jerking up at once and looking around. My belly didn’t hurt so much and I could move freely now. I got up and looked around; there was no difference to my cell and the food was still there. That was the thing about imprisonment you rarely got any surprises.
“I said you snore like a fog horn” Steamer said louder, the iron making his voice bounce around me.
“I HEARD!” I yelled, then wished I hadn’t as my own voice echoed back. It made my lungs ache to yell like that and the echoes somehow burnt my injured ear.
“No need to shout” Steamer said, somehow sounding hurt about my tone of voice “I’m the only one here to talk to you and you don’t want me to go all pouty do you?” What I found most disturbing was that this sounded like an actual question; then again Steamer had very little contact so something along these lines would be expected.
“Alright; I’m sorry. Lay off me I’m still part scrambled lizard.”
There was a moment of silence “You’re a lizard?” Steamer finally said.
“I know I don’t sound like it but yeah” I sighed, resting my head on my clawed hand “I look like a lizard; white exoskeleton and all.”
“Well I never knew” Steamer said, there was another moment then “You’re messing with me aren’t you?”
“Well you’ll soon see” I said as I remembered my half baked plan of yesterday. It was a half crazed thought that was inspired by hunger and boredom; it was worth a try though.

Arching my back to free myself of the knots and calcium deposits that had built up in my back I stared at the wall separating me and Steamer. He’d been my companion for days and I’d never seen him; I knew him by his voice and his voice only. It would be nice to see his face. I gripped onto the wall as firmly as I could, there were little to no hand holds but the surface was rough iron and my gripping fingers stuck to the surface like glue.
“It’s not going to work” Steamer said from behind the iron wall “Guys have tried before but they can’t get a good grip.”
“Lucky me” I groaned as I began to heave backwards. The metal began to creak at once, a few small pops coming from it as my fingers took the strain. I grit my teeth as I began to pull with all my might; the metal was bending slightly but the rust was acting like a metal truss, trying to keep it in shape with sheer tension. The brown red cover was cracking however, large splits in the rough surface spewed slithers and somehow hotter air at me. Wafts of steam blew under the wall as Steamer began to get nervous.

“Look, won’t they realise that the entire wall is missing anyway? The moment you take it down the longer you’ll stay in here.” Steamer pointed out. I needed a rest anyway so I relaxed and let the metal go back into semi misshapen form “You’re right... I guess I should just take the top away slightly so they don’t notice so much.” The silence that followed was filled with the heavy fog of defeated Steamer. I pulled my fingers off the metal wall, flexed them slightly and winced at their soreness. I placed them at the top of the wall and began to pull again; the metal didn’t put up as much resistance as last time but now my fingers were aching as well. There was a deep pop and I stayed very still; I wasn’t sure if a finger was out of joint or if the metal had given away. I pulled again and sighed in relief, a piece of the wall was out of joint and not a knuckle. I began to heave like it was my only hope; the only thought in my mind was that I hadn’t finished all the food but that wouldn’t last long. Another pop came from the wall as the top of the sheet of metal snapped from the wall; the right side was starting to peel away.

I pulled back harder, throwing my entire body weight into the tug. There was another pop; this one was different though, this one came with a shot of pain shooting through my body. I let out a loud yell and began to thrash in pain in an attempt to release my fingers but it wasn’t working! In my blind panic I couldn’t release my hand. With each thrash and violent yank my finger gave a cry of pain.
“What’s wrong!” Steamer cried out as he placed his hands on the wall that separated us. I screamed louder as his hot hands began to heat the wall under my fingers. I lunged backwards and finally my fingers were ripped from the wall. It wasn’t over yet though; when I landed my finger slammed back into place with a jolt of pain that almost blacked me out. I wanted to black out. My finger tips were coated with semi molten rust, glowing red with pain. Desperately I tried to wipe my glowing fingertips on the floor. Most of the metal scraped off but my fingertips still burnt. Tears were rolling down my face now as I cried out in pain. I had to fight against shoving my fingers in my mouth; the heat would burn my tongue and it would probably poison me. I did the only thing that made sense; my fingers began to trace over the lines of tears trailing on my cheeks. It burnt my face but not as much as my fingers. When my tears had dried up I began to spit onto my burning hands.

My hands shook like leaves in a high wind as I stared down at them; a thin layer of dry rust coated my fingers. I began to pull at the coatings with the other hand; they fell to the floor as little shells. They were exact copies of my finger prints.
“Are you alright?” Steamer asked again, letting out a small whimper as the bit I pulled off began to bend inwards.
“Y-you b-b-burnt m-my hands” I stuttered out as steam rolled through the gap. I looked up at the gap, a bright red eye stared back at me. It looked bloodshot and burning; it was like it was on fire from within. It looked like a demon’s eye if he’d stayed awake for two months.
“Jeese, you look like you’ve been put through a mangle” Steamer said blandly as the red eye rolled over me “You want me to call for help?”
I shook my head frantically “A-and have them f-find the hole? Just l-let me suffer in peace alright?” I pulled more metal from my fingers and dropped it to the floor “At least I’ll get food when I need it.” Hunger was gnawing at my stomach already; one meal didn’t make up for four days of no food. I still had some left but I wouldn’t last another four days.

The eye had pulled back from the hole by now; there was a faint glow behind the gap. It looked as though there was something burning beyond the gap. Carefully I dragged myself over to the wall; the nearer I got the fiercer the heat that roared from the gap. It felt nothing like the molten rust that had coated me; this rolled over you and heated you to the core, the rust seared across the skin then left just as quickly. I still winced when the direct heat hit me in the eye however; one of the few things that were left uncovered by my exoskeleton. What waited beyond the wall was... strange to say the least. Steamer’s body glowed a cherry red; a haze around his body of boiling air. His skin looked rocky and there were vents all over his skin; gaping holes that puffed steam into the air every few seconds. He was hugging his chest tight, curled up in the middle of the cracked and hard cell floor.
“You don’t look to great yourself” I chuckled as I gazed at Steamer; I flinched back as he jumped and gave a blast of surprised steam. I put my eye back in place once the hot air rolled past me “Didn’t know you looked like that either.” He blinked as he shuffled back against the opposite wall and exposed that the man I thought I’d been sharing a cell with was in fact... a woman.
Steamer’s hands slammed over certain exposed places “Stop staring you pervert” her whistling voice said.

Disclaimer: JUst... don't. I really like this; it belongs to Lavalamp studios and me so don't steal.

Ebony and Ivory chapter twentysix