After a long night out on the town, midday rolls around catching them still fast asleep. Which made sense seeing as they’d drunkenly stumbled back to their flat at around 4 am. This was becoming an all too familiar occurrence.
In the same lonely corner that it’s been relegated to for the past who knows how long, the stopwatch ticked on. Quietly keeping watch. Patiently counting down. Where did it come from? What happens when it hits zero? What meaning does the word ‘VISITOR’ carelessly etched into its tarnished surface hold? Who knows?
In their eyes, its existence was arbitrary. Nothing about the watch piqued their curiosity. They were more annoyed by the incessant ticking than whatever mysterious fate awaited them at the end of the countdown.
One can only sleep for so long, so they reluctantly roll out of bed and head to the bathroom. After doing the essentials, they start digging around their closet for an outfit appropriate for the park. They stand in front of the mirror inspecting their choices more than they’d ever inspected the stopwatch.
The ticking continues. Just a smidgen louder than Mar had perceived it before. For the first time, its presence had become a topic of thought for them. They hop on their bike and head over to their favorite park. Taking in the scenery in a way they’d never done before.
The air was fresher. The sky was bluer. The trees were greener than they’d ever been. What seemed to be a mere negligible difference to them was actually the very nature of the stopwatch at work.
They come across a small bridge and the one thing on their mind is making the sticking stop.
The last few seconds tick away as the stopwatch plummets to its underwater resting place.
What awaits beyond the “00:00:00” is still unknown.
Extra Special Thanks to Prof. Shayla Lawz :)
