Elissa hid behind Deniel. The Baron
brandished a pincer attached to a
cord on the machine. He moved
towards Joff. “Stop – the – CLOCK!”
Panic gripped Joff as he stared at the
wide-eyed Baron. He glanced at the
clock. The minute hand was almost
touching 12, almost. . . .
“Go!” Joff yelled, pointing at the
door. “Find Aileen! Find the others!”
The three children ran.
The Baron leapt at Joff, roaring.
“TICK! TOCK!” The pincer tips
sparked in front of Joff’s face.
“STOP – THE – ”
Bells rang. The Baron froze.
“The Watchers!” he screamed. “They
see him!”
The Baron’s pincers clattered to the
floor. Joff jumped at a loud grinding
noise. It was coming from a metal
panel that covered the outside of one
of the windows. Suddenly he saw it
fly backwards, attached to a kind of
steel concertina arm. The arm had
shot out of an airship. It sailed up to
the window, its four little propellers
whirring round. Captain Moran was
at the helm, the boy, Cavin, and the
girl, Skyla, were beside him.
“I’m saved!” shrieked the Baron, as he
dashed toward the window.
Joff hesitated for just a split-second
before clambering out of the window.
And as Joff’s feet touched the boat,
the clock began to chime. The Baron
covered his ears and sank to his
knees, wailing.
“Time waits for no man, Baron,” the
Captain said coldly, and with a
whirring noise the boat slowly moved
away.
“I – I don’t understand,” ventured
Joff.
“I was twelve when the Master sent
me here,” said the Captain. “I put
cockroaches in his bed. Ten years I
turned that key. I’d been strong but
my friends were frightened. I
couldn’t take the Baron down alone.
He thought he’d conquered me,
secured power over me. The
Machines . . .” The Captain touched
his scarred face. “But fear doesn’t buy
friends. It just breeds enemies. Over
the years, I let him give me
responsibility. I could wait.” He
looked at Joff. “Then the Master sent
you. He warned me of your defiance.
I saw it in your eyes. And I knew soon
the clock would chime, and then my
time would also come.”
The clock chimed on.
Air suddenly rushed around them.
Joff edged closer to the Captain.
“Time’s up,” murmured the Captain.
Above them a black cloak twisted
and spiralled chaotically through the
sky. Was it wrapped round a faceless
figure? Joff wasn’t sure. Then, on the
eleventh chime, the cloak shot
through the only open window in the
castle.
The twelfth chime struck.
There was silence.
Joff froze, wordless. The Captain
looked away, and steered the boat
towards a crenellated tower. He
scanned all the missing workhouse
children huddled at the top. Then he
saw.
“Aileen!” cried Joff. “She’s . . . not
hurt!”
“No,” said the Captain. “But you were
breaking. I needed whatever
ammunition I had. You love your
sister.” The coldness in his eyes
melted momentarily. “I know. I had
one. Once.”
The children clambered aboard and
Aileen rushed to hug Joff. Skyla
stood by the clockwork key. Joff
heard the Captain say, “Three turns,
Skyla. We’ve got one more visit to
make.”
And as the boat sailed towards the
workhouse, Joff smiled – for the first
time in ages.
~
T h e
E n d
~
“No,” said the Captain. A grim smile
split his scarred face. The Baron
stopped dead, confusion and fear on
his face. “Time’s running out, your
Lordship.” He looked at Joff. “Come
on, get in!”
19