The Watch
I have had this idea brimming in my brain ever since I had the idea for Adventures in Fantasy. I hope you enjoy.
The Watch
The man lifts the watch to eye level. There is still an hour left.
Tick, tock.
“Are you ready?” a voice asks. He turns, finding his right hand man standing next to him.
“Is anyone ever ready?” the man asks. He looks away, back at the watch.
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
He lifts his eyes around the room. His closest compatriots joined him in this last long wait. The bond of brothers ran between them, and had never been felt stronger than today.
“No,” his right hand man says, “I suppose no one is.” He puts his hand on the man’s shoulder. “But we’ll be with you every step of the way.” An adventurous smile plays at his lips – he knows that after today, nothing would be the same.
“Time to suit up!” someone calls. There was always someone calling out what to do, the man had found. It didn’t matter the setting; that was a position someone always found a way to fill. They were usually the men and women who had checklists in their minds, constantly checking and unchecking tasks in various stages of completion.
The suits are a necessity for the day’s duties. It would be a long walk with them, and even longer one without. The man wonders if he would even make it, were he not dressed properly.
He looks at the watch. The hands are climbing up the face, inching toward midnight, when both hands would point the same direction. It did not keep time, this watch, should anyone have asked for it. No, instead, this watch followed an invisible timetable, ticking down until an intangible moment that, while expected, could only be predicted precisely by the watchface.
It would tell the wait time, any wait time, with complete and uncanny accuracy. Once, the man had gotten in his car, expecting a half-hour drive, but the watch had told him it would be forty-five minutes. Seconds after he had gotten on the road, he had been caught in traffic.
But today’s wait was far more important than a drive to a friend’s house. Today was the start of a much longer journey.
Tick, tock.
The suits had been made specifically for this day, in full preparation of the walk and actions to come. His right hand man helps him into his, tugging on the sleeves to make sure they sit correctly. The watch peeks out of one of them, the corner just barely visible. The man pulls it free, checking it again.
“Betcha you wish it would run fast, just once,” one of the men says, noticing the motion, laughing as he fastens his suit. He rolled his shoulder, so that it settled down a bit. It was a little blocky, but the design was expected.
Though the man agrees, he says nothing. He knows he outwardly exudes confidence, but inside, he feels the butterflies of nervousness rise in his stomach.. It was a big day, bigger than anything they had ever done. If today went according to plan… Well, he only dreamed of the life he would live.
Even the footwear had been made special. “Can’t have you slipping on the way,” his right hand man says from where he took a seat next to him. Around the room, his men likewise make sure they were secured properly.
“That would be unfortunate,” the man says, looking at his watch. It is just a half-hour now.
He rises to his feet, feeling stiff in the tight suit. He knew they had made it as comfortable as possible. Still, it causes his back to straighten and shoulders to pull back in a way that he’s not used to. He knew, however, it would help portray that same confident and capable persona that was important for such a day as today.
The man casts his gaze over his men, who are likewise standing and moving their joints, laughing and joking among themselves. Their suits are a light gray, while his is jet black, signifying his importance and leadership. He takes a deep breath as his right hand man steps up to him.
“Time to go, sir,” he says, that same smile playing on his lips. “Let us follow you one last time, and this time to glory, shall we?”
The watch had counted down to countless scores, endless victories and losses, but this? Nothing had ever been as important as this.
Twenty-five minutes.
Tick, tock.
He leads them out of their hiding place, to an area where they could see the door. Here, now, he could envision what the watch was counting down to. Once the door opened, it would begin. A fire of excitement and the ice of fear began a mismatched tune in his spirit. He hadn’t expected this mix of emotions.
Then, with cold clarity, he realizes it has already begun. There is no turning back. He feels exposed, staring at the door. If twenty minutes remain, why were they already here?
“No running away,” his right hand man was whispering. “You made a deal, remember?”
Oh, yes. The man remembers the deal. He looks up at his watch again. Seventeen minutes. He takes another long, steadying breath.
“Remember the dive off Grafton Cliff?” the man asks. “This feels like that.”
“Wild?” his right hand man asks, “Exhilarating? More alive than you’ve ever felt?”
“Terrifying,” the man replies, a twist of a smile emerging on his lips.
His right hand man laughs. “You know this one is worth it. We’ve gotten a lot of scores over the years. But nothing is as big as this one.”
That was true, the man admits to himself. He turns forward again, his eyes narrowing on the door. Was it his imagination, or was there music playing?
The other team begins to arrive. Nothing this big could get away with just one side. The man smiles graciously at them as they pass, acknowledging the importance of their presence. He remains composed, even though he wants to hide again.
This other group wears uniform outfits, too. However, their suits were more streamlined and dark blue instead of the gray and black that his men wore.
He avoids the pressure to check his watch, a habit he’s picked up in the many years of ownership. The last thing he wants is to miss the door opening. But still, unconsciously, his eyes flicker down, causing his heart to race. The time has sped by, and the moment approaches with determined certainty. He stands straighter, preparing himself for the moment the door will spring wide.
“With you until the end of the line,” his right hand man says quietly, so soft that the other men, let alone the other team, could not hear.
Unseen, the watch hands click down.
Tick, tock.
The door handles and hands move in perfect unison. The man’s heart pounds, seeming to fall in line with the watch.
Tick, tock.
The doors open silently as the hands click into position and stopped moving.
Tick.
The man gasps a breath as he sees that which he has been waiting for. The fear erases from his body, replaced by pure excitement.
There she is, glowing in the long white dress as she walks through the door. A smile blossoms as their eyes meet, and the man blinks back tears.
And as the music swells, his bride takes the first steps – but also the last steps – toward him.
Happy February!
With February here, I wanted to take the time to share a story about love, expectation and all that comes with it. Both are feelings that I experience on a regular basis as I look forward to my own wedding in April. Happy Valentine’s Day, my dear! (If you read this)
Like I said before, I’ve had this story in my head for quite some time, so it was nice to bring it to fruition here. I hope you enjoyed it, and hope you come back for more Adventures as we move forward. Let me know if you want more! Maybe I’ll break and do two per month.
Happy February, everyone! Congratulations on making it through January. I’m proud of you! Let me know what you’ve done, and what you’re hoping to do, even if it’s just survive! That’s all we can do sometimes.
Regardless of where you are in life, know that I’m glad you’re here with us, and glad you’re joining in our fun.
Love y’all!
P.S. I didn’t realize until it was done that the featured image looked like a watch on a watermelon. Oh well. Live and learn.