Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-25272701-20150211233536

"Tick Tock"

I can hear the cheerful ticking from that great grandfather clock that stands in my bed room. I'm twenty-six and temporarily paralyzed from the neck down. I was driving home from work one night when I was struck by a drunk truck driver. I don’t remember much of the actually accident itself. All I remember was a loud crash and feeling like the earth itself had shook. After that everything went black. At the hospital I could hear some people saying that I will never be able to walk again, but they’re wrong. I’ll show them. I’ll be walking again in no time. I can afford the best doctors in the country with everything my parents had left behind for me in their will. There should be no problem for me in getting a great doctor that will fix me right up. My caretaker is a quiet person who I think is named Marcus. We don’t really talk that much. Of course that’s really my fault. For some reason since the accident I’ve been unable to speak. I’ve tried to, but I just can’t get the words to come out. Just some temporary shock from the accident I suppose. But time will heal all that.

"Tick Tock"

For now the only parts of my body that can move are my eyes. With them I can see the door in front of my bed, the clock to my right and a great mirror that shows myself lying in my hospital style bed. I was hooked up to an IV stand and equipment checking my vital signs. Most people describe me as a handsome man, which I didn’t mind so much. When I was out there walking I knew how to get the hottest girls. They use to fall for me so easily. I could talk to them all day and they would just listen to me. Those where good times. No, what am I saying? I’m going to be with them again soon enough. Pretty soon I will find a doctor and I will be out on my feet in no time. My caretaker didn’t usually stay; he he often will wonder off and leave me here alone to listen to that peaceful rhythmic melody that the clock would play. I don't mind at all when he dose. Its such a lovely song of progression.

“Tick Tock, Tick Tock”

Its so cheerful, lively and upbeat. Its song must be a good sign for me.

“Tick Tock, Tick Tock”

Soon I’ll be walking and talking again. I can just see it now; people will be amazed by my recovery. Heck, I might even write an inspiring book about it. I could become an inspiring figure that will be interviewed by people like Time Magazine. I can envision my face on the cover of my bestselling self-help book. I do have the face for those covers. I mean just look at me in that mirror. Wait, that’s not right. Is it just me or do I look slightly older now? I seem to be pushing thirty now. Wow, I need to take better care of myself. When I’m out of here I got to remember to eat healthy and maybe spend a little more time at the gym. I can see Marcus from the door way. Maybe it’s just my imagination but he looks a bit older now too. No, what am I saying. I’m just over thinking it. He always looked old to me. All I need is a little fresh air. I wonder how much time has passed. The lovely ticking song is still playing, although it seems to have sped up just slightly. Well, I’ll take that as a sign that I’m even closer to walking.

“Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock,”

This melody is starting to become a bit repetitive and tedious for me. I allowed my mind to drift, choosing to ignore it and I thought back to when I could walk on the beaches. Oh, those were wonderful times. I used to sneak out of my house as a kid just so I could see the Ocean. My parents used to own a shore house on the Jersey coastline overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. I remember that I used to look at the endless body of water and wonder how much time it would take to sail across it. Well, I still have plenty of that to find out.

“Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock”

When I can walk again I’m going back to those beaches and the first thing I’m going to do is flirt with the college girls spending their breaks between semesters. Maybe I’ll even invite a few over to my place. Perhaps I’ll find a girl who’s willing to find out how long it takes to sail across the Atlantic. I should have no problem in convincing anyone to come with me. After all, I was a pretty good looking guy myself, I mean just look at me in the- Who is that?! That can’t be me! That man in the mirror must be past thirty-five. His hair is starting to thine, he has bagsss under his eyes. I’ve only been here for a short time, haven’t I? I can see Marcus though the door way. Wow, he’s aged quite a bit too. He was in his 40s just a moment ago, but now his hair is starting to get grey. Alright, where is the doctor? I need to get out of here already.

“Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock”.

The clock song has sped up again. The ticking seems a little louder now than before. Could it just pause for a moment? Give me a break from hearing the constant ticking. With the quickening pace of the ticking, my patience grows even thinner. Where is that doctor already? He needs to drag his ass up here now. I want to walk down the bored walks again. I want to meet new friends and visit new places. I still have some time. I know I do.

“Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock”

That ticking really is grinding my nerves now. I’ve only been here for a short time, but it feels like I’ve been listening to it forever. If I could only just leave this place for a moment. Perhaps go hang out at a bar or something. Oh God! Who’s that in the Mirror now? That man has got be in his late forties. Wait, he he looks familiar. No, not him! I quickly push that thought out of my mind and look to the doorway. Where is Marcus? I don’t see him anymore. Oh, apparently I got a new caretaker now named Jane. She’s beautiful, like the girls from the beaches I will be meeting soon. I think I could have a chance with her unlike that man in the mirror who looks old enough to be her father. Of course I still can’t talk anyway and if I could I would ask Jane to get rid of the mirror and Clock.

“Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock”

Oh will someone just smash that damn thing! I swear the ticking from that thing is getting louder and louder. Each tick is like a painful reminder that I’m a pensioner in this room. It seems that they are becoming more long and drawn out the longer I stay here. All I can hear is ticking, ticking and ticking. I can’t take it! Will someone please fix me up already! For the love of God! Get me out of here! I can’t even look at the mirror now. For some horrible reason my father is there staring back at me just. I can't explain it but he just appeared and he looks just as did before he died. Now I can't help but remember all the times when he used to hit and scream at me. I can still feel the impact of his fists and his beer bottles smashing into my face. Whenever he was in a drunken rage I would leave the house and run to the ocean. The next day I would have to hide my buries and think of a good excuses for my injuries. The beaches where one of the few places I could go to get away from it all. Now I’m stuck with that horrible bastard staring at me. How could he be here? That mirror, it’s a gateway to hell, isn’t it? My old man must be enjoying watching my torment. He would, that sick sadist! Go away! Leave me alone! Go back to rotting in hell you bastard!

“Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock”

Thank God, my father is gone now but the ticking is still getting faster. That song it playing has become a horrible booming drum beat with every tick clashing against each other in a violent frenzy! It’s not stopping or slowing as much as I desperately want it to. It fills my soul with a growing dread of doom. A doom that I know that is approaching me with the passing of each ear piercing tick! In the door way I could see Jane who now looks like she could be in her late thirties. If I could just talk to her I would tell her to smash the mirror. Smash that horrible man in his sixties who had replaced my father. I don’t want to look at his ugly wrinkled face. I would also shout out her to destroy that monstrous clock and give me some peace. I want this to stop, but that horrible dreadful ticking hasn’t slow yet.

“Tick Tock! Tick Tock! Tick Tock! Tick Tock!”

I feel so weak and beaten down. There's barely a beat to the ticking now. It's all just a blur of roaring screams assaulting my sanity. Jane is no longer here and I have a new caretaker now. Come to think of it I think I may have had a couple between this person and her, but I don’t remember any of their names. I don’t even know who that wrinkle old man is his seventy in the mirror is. Oh wait, I was wrong. Now he’s in his eighty. I don’t even hear ticks now. To me it’s nothing but an awful nightmarish roar of noise. My new caretaker has already left and has been replaced with other people who have come and gone.

“Tick Tock! Tick Tock! Tick Tock! Tick Tock! Tick Tock!”

Each tick is now screaming into my ears, reminding me of my unavoidable doom that’s creeping closer and closer as that clock sings its awful song of progression.

“Tick Tock! Tick Tock! Tick Tock! Tick Tock! Tick Tock! Tick Tock!”

All the while my fear of that same doom is slowly transformed into a desire for it. I find myself anxiously awaiting it. For some strange reason I no longer fear what is coming. In fact I invite it. Please let it come and end my time here! End this time for both myself and that poor sad man in his nineties that that sits in the mirror.

“Tick Tock, Tick Tock. Tick Tock”

Finally, finally I can hear the ticking slow down.

“Tick Tock, Tick Tock”

The song of progression is coming to an end and I find myself welcoming my own doom. For the first time since I was placed here the clock's song was starting to sound peaceful again.

“Tick Tock, Tick Tock”

The hundred year old man stares back at me and for the first time, as the clock song drew near its end, I pitied him. I can now see he wants to be free of this place too. The ticking is becoming softer, more gentle and comforting.

“Tick Tock”

Each tick is slow and steady now. The pause between each tick grows further and further apart from each other.

“Tick”

I can barely hear the clock's song now.

“Tock”

I close my eyes and think about the beaches.

“Tick”

I think of the ocean.

"Tock"

I think both me and the old man will be leaving soon.

“Tick”

The grandfather clock struck twelve, releasing a deep mellow song of lovely bells. I relaxes, becoming one with them as my world fades into merciful black. 