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The first thing that you had heard when you woke up was the noise. It’s the usual noises that from from Karl’s workshop. It’s not the grinding, and clanking, it’s different enough that it has you climbing out of bed wrapping your arms around you.
It’s an almost rhythmic sound. Buzzing, and a thick thunking sound. It’s coming from some place from behind the factory. So you follow the noise out of curiosity. When you round the corner of the factory, you’re frozen dead in your stop.
Beside Karl is a mass of what you could only describe as a ‘mechanical monstrosity’ It’s enormous, bigger then even Karl. The machine is made out a skeletal figure that is nearly nine feet tall standing on the metal platform. It’s got arms that are made out of different pipes and scraps from all over the factory.
Some of the parts are rusted like the ones that are inside it’s ribcage. There are also a collection of the old lightbulbs from around the factory that you can only assume are wired into its skull. The lights make the creation have glowing eyes that are an eerie orange.
Along with a welded Jack-O-Lantern that had been placed on it’s chest. You stared with wide eyes at it.
Karl looked over his shoulder to find you, “Don’t even think about it.” Your raised your hands up in protest. “I didn’t even say anything.” You mumbled out, “Yeah, but you forget I know that face.” You rolled your eyes.
“I was just going to ask what it is.” Karl stares at you for a while, “It’s a project.” Is what he finally comes up with. You looked from Karl to the machine, then back Karl. “It looks like a glorified halloween decoration.” Karl huffs, “Obviously.”
The machine turned its head at that point suddenly, and directly towards you. It’s mechanical jaw opening wide. A trail of fog shooting out from its mouth. You jump from the sheer suddenness, and the loud noise that came along with its movement.
Karl laughed so hard that he was doubled over himself. “Jesus H. Christ, Karl!” You shouted, “Oh buttercup you should have seen your face.” He continued to laugh. “You built a haunted fucking robot!” You scoffed, Karl held his hand up, “It’s a mechanical Halloween Decoration.” He corrected.
“No it’s a robot.” You argued, “It’s art.” He argued back. Then the machines arms started to lifted, decorated on one of its hands were a set of long sharp, metal claws. You rolled your lips together and slowly pointed towards the arm. “Can you explain that?”
“It’s for ambiance, buttercup.” He said simply, as if he had already come up with the answer long before you asked the question. “Ambiance?” He nodded, “It’s adding something to his character.” You stared dumbfounded at Karl and the machine, halloween decorations.
Narrowing your eyes at Karl did nothing, not when he was turning back around towards his workbench. Pretending that he hadn’t completely noticed your heightened suspicion. “You are not allowed to ask anymore questions, buttercup.” He said with that tone that meant to everyone else it was finale, but you weren’t apart of everyone else now were you.
“Why?” You asked immediately, Karl groaned. “Because you’re gonna end up ruin it.” He answered quickly. “For who?” You asked another question, pushing the buttons that almost always seemed to be pushed their extent. He gave you a long pause, “Me?” You smiled wide.
“Sure.” His voice gruff, as he continued to look at his plans on his workbench.
Over the next several days, the machine had sort of just become the centerpiece of your little halloween decorations. And Karl refused to let another living soul touch it.
He would works hours on it, adjusting the gears every single morning, and in the afternoon you could catch him at the back of the machine rewiring the lights. Adding speakers to the machine that made the distant sounds of creaking every time someone, or anyone had the chance to walk past it.
One point even you found Karl laying underneath the large machine with a wrench in between his teeth. “You know that normal people just use those little plastic skeletons.” You said, Karl looked up at you with pinched brows, and took the wrench from out of his mouth.
“Buttercup, we aren’t normal people now are we. Normal people are boring anyways” You narrowed your eyes at him, “Normal people doing go building some eight foot metal machines for a single holiday.” You say with a tilt of your head. “You say that like it’s some kind of murder machine.”
At the sound of Karls voice, one of the machines large claws snap shut. “Usually it’s not…” Karl says as he looks up towards the machine. You don’t try to hold back your laughter, and he tries not to smile at the sound bouncing around the walls of his workshop.
It’s that evening when you catch Karl standing just a few feet away from the machine watching the way it operates. The eyes lighting up with an orange hue, sweeping across the junkyard like a lighthouse of the water. The gears inside were rotating, the metal claws flexed with a metallic and eerie sound.
You walked the short distance, and stood besides Karl. “It does kind of look a little cool.” You noticed that way that Karls shoulders seemed to relax, “Yeah?” He asked with the distant sound of hope in his voice, “Yeah.” You echoed.
The two of you stood there for a moment in the silence. His hands shoved deep into his pockets, “I figured you’d like it.” You tilt your heard, because there’s something strangely quiet about his voice all of the sudden. You look up at him, “You made this? For me, didn’t you?” You ask, a mixture of shock and teasing in your voice.
Karl scoffs, and rolls his eyes at you immediately. “No.” He answers quickly. “Karl.” You say dragging his name out, “It’s just a fuckin’ project.” He claims, “One that you’ve spent the past three days working on, all day long.” Karl face drops, “It wasn’t like I had anything better to do.” He mumbles.
“Did you give the machine orange lights for eyes because I off handily mentioned that my favorite color was orange.” You tease Karl, “That’s just happenstance.” You nod, not at all convinced, “You even put a little witchy had on top of it’s metal head.” You point out. “It’s better for the aerodynamics.” Even as Karl says the words they don’t sound as great as they did in his head.
“Sounds like bullshit to me, Karl.” You laugh, Karl grumbles as your side. Then, Karl reaches out to the brim of the hat adjusting it reluctantly like he isn’t sure what he’s supposed to be doing. “Besides.” Karl mutters under his breath, “It needed something else.” Your smile grows wide.
Then suddenly the metal machine makes this horrible loud mechanical clang sound. You jumped from the sheer sound, but Karl was solid in his stance. Instead Karl had his eyes on where the machines was turning its head over towards the trees line.
The glowing of the machines eyes narrowed and the gears inside of it started to spin around faster. You frowned at Karl. “Um… Karl?” You squeaked out, “I want you to stay here, buttercup.” Karl entires demeanor had changed, the jokes had morphed into a serious expression and something hard covered his once warm face.
Karl stepped towards the tree line, and the machine moved in perfect unison with him. The metallic arm of the machine swung outward. It had positioned itself between you and the darkness of the junk yard, and tree line. You stared at everything in surprise.
“Karl?” You muttered his name quietly, he glanced over his shoulder at you. “Don’t worry, buttercup.” He told you. The machines claws locked into place with a distinct sound, one of those heavy clicks that means something has fallen into place.
Karl looks at you with a crooked smile, “Like I said.” He says tapping the metal frame of the eight foot tall machine. “It’s just a project.” With that he’s winking at you. You cross your arms over your chest, “A projects, that also happens to protect me?” You questioned, Karl looks away.
“Never said that, buttercup.” You grin, “Oh you did, just not in so many words.” You tease the older man, “No. I did not.” You jut your hip out, “You built little ole’ me a bodyguard.” You smile, “It’s just a halloween decoration, buttercup.” He say begrudgingly. “That’s got motion detectors in it.”
“There are no rules saying that decorations can’t have motion detectors.” Karl says trying to dig himself of the hole. “So that means other decorations have weapons in them too?” Karl sighs, “It’s a decorative weapon.” He tries, but you just laugh at him.
Karl rolls his eyes at you, but can’t help but reach over and give your hand a good squeeze. “Just… promise me that you won’t go wandering off by yourself, please.” Your smile goes soft, “Okay, Karl.” You say with a simple nod.
Karl looks back to the machine with narrow eyes, “Good.” The moment passing by, before you’re leaning into his warm shoulder. “You know that you can be a real sweetheart.” Karl groans, and his shoulders drop on an instant. “Don’t go spreadin’ that around the village.” He pleads with you, “Oh, no. Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.” You promise him.
“Damn, fuckin’ right it is.” He throws a wink towards you. Behind you the metal machine starts to slowly rise one of its arms, and then it’s claw starts to open. Karl glances over at it with a raised brow. “See? It’s completely harmless.” Cocky as ever you think.
The claw fully opens now, and a long metal spike slides out. You stare at it, and Karl lets out a long sigh of defeat. “Mostly harmless.” He groans, “I’ll get it perfect for ya, buttercup. Don’t you worry.” You melt back into his shoulder with a smile on your face.