twinkle 5

Tobe started upright from his bed. Something was wrong.

"Tobe? ... what's going on? ... Tobe? Tobe!"
"Something's wrong."
"What is it?"
"My machine. Something's wrong."
"There can't be anything wrong. Don't worry about it, you can fix it tomorrow."
"Lina, somebody's turned the machine on. Something's wrong."
"Oh, go to sleep, man."
"I have to go find out-"
"And who would be in there at this time? Who would bother to go into your stupid shed and touch your junk? Tell me that!"
"But somebody's in there..."
"Go back to sleep!"
"I have to go save them."
"You're just imagining things. Go to sleep."
"But-"
"Just go back to sleep. Come on... Look. There's no one in the shed. You closed it behind yourself, didn't you?"
"I never lock the shed."
"Because of your little elf that goes in every night and cleans the place up for you?"
"Yes, but... I have to make sure..."
"Can't you do that tomorrow?"
"But they're in danger now."
"Fine. Fine. I'm awake now. We'll go take a peek. And if nothing's happened, can we come straight back to bed?"
"Yes, yes."

The door was locked.
"I thought you said you never locked the shed."
"I don't."
"You must have forgotten. Here, let me try."
"I never forget. It's not locked from the outside."
"Probably some homeless person sleeping in there for the night."
"What? No! It's too dangerous. We have to open the door and get them out before something happens!"
"You mean before they touch your machine or steal your brilliant ideas on recycling old junk?"
"No, no. Nothing like that. We have to get them out before they get hurt."
"So... How do we open the door?"
"Shh! Wait."
"What is it now?"
"Did you hear that?"
"What?"
"Look, the windows. Someone's turned the machine on. Turn it off! Hey, turn it off!"
"Tobe, you'll wake the neighbours."
"We have to break in. We have to stop the machine."
"What sort of a machine is it that it's so dangerous?"
"Open the door! Open the door! Turn off the machine!"

A wisp of air escaped out the bottom of the shed door with a hiss. There was a click and a thud. The door swung open.
"Lina, you stay here. Don't come in."
"Tobe, what's going on?"
"Stay there. I'll go in and turn on the light. Keep the door open. Don't let it close. I'm serious."
"Ok, ok. I'll keep the door open."

Feeling his way with his hands and feet in the dark, Tobe made his way to the light and turned it on.