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HANDS OF TIME
By Melissa L. Webb
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The sound seemed to echo through the dark room like machinegun fire.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Opening his eyes, Drew glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Midnight. He had only been asleep for an hour.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Drew looked around the room. What was making that noise? Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he sat up and turned on the lamp next to his bed.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The sharp noise continued around him, even as light bathed the room. This was the fourth night in a row the sound had woke him. He was beginning to wonder if someone was playing a joke on him.
Rising from the bed, Drew looked around the room as he had done every night before, his eyes scanning over the things he surrounded himself with. Every time he thought he was close to finding the source of the ticking, the sound seemed to shift to another spot. Why didn’t it stay in the same place?
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The sound continued moving around the room, staying constant in its intensity.
Shuddering, Drew stood there helpless. The sound was driving him crazy. He was sure of it. Was this the purpose the ticking served? To turn him into a shell of a man, haunted by the night?
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Slowly he slipped back into bed. He had to ignore it. There was no other choice. Turning on the TV, he thumbed up the volume. The voices emitting from the flat screen coated the room, drowning out the horrible ticking sound.
Drew sighed in relief. The ticking might still be there, but if he couldn’t hear it, it didn’t matter. Closing his eyes, he let sleep claim him once more.
***
The Powers-That-Be stared at the clock before them. Time was winding down. The world had reached its end days. Something had to be done. Where was the Champion? Didn’t he hear the calling? Didn’t he know time was fleeting before them, ticking away until there was nothing left?
The Powers stood there silently, watching the hands of time move forward praying their Champion would answer the call before it was too late.
© 2011 Melissa L. Webb
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Ramblings from a Word Weaver 
Well told, loved the atmosphere of this. I must say I’m not crazy about the Label ‘powers-that-be’ it rather took me out of the story for a minute. But I still love the premise.
Well, you just knew it had to be something significant… and I have leave a comment before the world does end. That was brilliant. 🙂
At the end I kept thinking “Tell the world about the rapture, Drew”
I loved the decision of putting the tick tick tick in its own paragraph and in blod. That really worked well
Good flash!
I liked the ending! But I’ve always loved hero stories . . . if the world doesn’t end tomorrow, he’ll have done something about it, huh?
That was one cool twist Melissa! I was as anguished as your MC with the ticking and your ending created an amazing change of mood and interest in me. Well done!
That ending sure is a punch in the gut. I love it.
A “timely” piece Melissa. 🙂 Sorry, couldn’t help myself. Great pacing in this, making you reach for the edge of your seat.
TICK. TICK. TICK. <— loved that! Kept the story moving, kept the suspense building… kind of like a great score playing in the background of a movie right before something happens. 🙂
-jb
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