Like Clockwork (For Stuffy)

Mo squinted at him.

"You're old."

Mr. Pemberly laughed slightly before carrying him into the back room.

 

"Aspen, can you work on the books, please?" he called.

 

(Zoop!)

 

As she slipped a few books onto the shelf, her fingers would graze something leatherbound behind the books.

 

It was an ancient notebook, the pages delicate and torn.

 

The writing was almost undecipherable, looking like it was written in an unintelligible language. There was a piece of paper that slipped out, however, looking like a series of lines.

 

It was hard to tell what it was. It looked like a series of intercrossing lines.

 

It was not something she would necessarily be able to understand.

At that moment, Mr. Pemberly exited the workshop, closing his door behind him.

 

He looked up with a frown.

"The mouse was-" He paused, looking at the book in her hands. "What are you doing?"

 

"Did I give you permission to look through my things?" he asked, sounding furious. He hobbled over to her, snatching the book from her hands. "I gave you one simple job! What gives you the right?"