Nine looked at the clock. He looked down and sighed again, there were still a few weeks to go, the clock wasn’t exactly relevant. But it was the ever-present reminder of the passage of time, and therefore of the end.
That thought made his heart race and his mouth dry. Walking through that door and knowing how much time you have doesn’t make it any easier when your last day is in sight. A year is never long enough.
He had made some big mistakes, but surely he had tried as well. What would history say, what would his successor say?
There was maybe still time to swing it, one way or the other in fact, given the way things have a habit of turning out. Would his parting gift to the world be smiles or a feeling of relief that he was gone?
He drummed the arm of his chair with calloused fingertips. He was tired. Maybe tomorrow he’d think about a plan, it was too late now to do it today anyway. He breathed out deeply and sat back looking for distraction.
Nine looked at the clock.
Aye.. clocks.. go too quickly AND too slowly all at the same, er, time.
It’s never too late for a plan though…
Yep, that time of year again where you do a little bit of a story and I think you should do a lot more.
I was in the shower thinking about the holidays and the New Year story from last year came to mind for soem reason, so I got down a mini sequel while my hair was drying (?!) while I remembered!
I’m gonna go back and look for the prequal, or is it part 1? cos I think I came along to visit here after that and have missed it.
You’re not missing much!
All my stuff is basically the same :o)
Oh well then I might no bother. But on the other hand I’m nosey so I likely will.
And come on… you’re pretty good at story telling. I sometimes wonder if all the disciples are waiting by their ‘puters with baited breath for your next posting. I mean who else could muster up 20 comments with a couple of paragraphs and 1 photie! No me! :o)
Either I’m getting slower or time’s passing quicker – I mean, can it really be the end of October since I pointed my ‘puter in your purple worlds direction – who stole November?
Aye you’re right – it’s me – I really must start going to bed the same day I get up
Ange, it’s not the content folk are looking for, it’s the orange stripe at the top. It looks a bit like the bar on an electric fire and is therefore very soothing.
Das I’m the same, I wasted so much time on that bloody West Highland Way thing. It was July then it was winter.
Ah, found Part 1!
https://petesy.co.uk/?p=1103
Of course, I’d forgotten the psychotic confetti, brilliant, sounds like something a ninja would wield – and look which sad git was first to blog you a HNY – well at least it reminds me where I was for the bells, at home.
Memo to self, must do better for ’10
Home for the bells? Me too, with the doorbell unplugged :o)
Part 1 is good but very… dark. Like a scene from a Kevin Nolan movie. I’m wondering how Ten can make an entrance better than Nine…
Sneakily I’m thinking. From behind…
I’m likin you’re thinking. :o)
I was about to make a predictable “bah humbug” type comment about the fact that Ten wouldn’t have to sneak up, because Nine would be waiting at the door, watching, hoping Ten would turn up early, so it could bugger off early before folk realise it’s gone, when I became aware of a sound…
It was a familiar sound but I couldn’t quite figure out what. It wasn’t on the telly, because I could here that as well, mixed in with singing, yes that’s it, singing and it’s outside? So, I went outside and almost right across the street there it was – a bus. A Glasgow Sightseeing open top bus – there was a banner draped over the side which I think read “St Margaret’s Hospice” – I could just make it out under the Christmas lights flashing in every window; santa’s, snowmen and holy figures smiling from every vantage point and taking in the night air on the top deck; and blaring out in the night were Slade singing Merry Christmas.
Absolutely bonkers brilliant!!
I tried taking a photo but my puny flash and shaking hand meant I ended up with a silent fuzzy bus like box on fire.
Nine, you left it late, but it was worth it.
Hold on, I can hear singing again, but further away… it’s Aled walking in the air, I’m off to gawp oot the windaes
Fantastic :o)
Least fuzzy photo:
http://www.photobox.co.uk/my/photo?photo_id=617665177&album_id=75745724
Aye, that’s the one that went by heer as well.
I least now I know it wasn’t a hallucination.