Skip to main content

TIMOTHY THE TIMEKEEPER

Image
SANGEETHA KAMATH

After the last guest had left the birthday party, Timothy, all of ten, dashed inside the house to unwrap all his gifts and presents. He squealed in delight as each package unraveled the objects of his heart’s desire. Just as he thought he was done with it, a slim rectangular box dropped onto the floor as a pile of scrap was being cleared. 

It was shoddily wrapped in brown paper. 

Gingerly, he picked it, turning it over but there was no name or gift tag. Upon unwrapping, the contents revealed a wristwatch with a tacky, plastic strap but the timepiece shone with a polished glow.

A single sprig of an aromatic herb was tucked into the cloth it was swaddled in. 

A handwritten note said, “From your well-wisher. Wear it.”

Timothy's parents were quite wary of gifts from anonymous sources but Timothy was quite adamant about discarding it. As soon as he wore it, a random number flashed on the display and…started counting down!

Aghast at this witchcraft, Timothy's parents swiftly yanked it off his wrist, but the countdown didn't stop! At their wits end and with Timothy's mother reduced to tears, none could make the timepiece stop. Seconds, minutes, hours passed and Timothy's destiny was sealed.

Resigning to his fate, Timothy decided to live his best life for the remainder of his years.

*****

Time ticked away and the number on the timepiece gradually reduced from five figures to four…three…two…

In the final week, Timothy arranged a grand get together of his children, grandchildren, relatives and friends. He had made the most of his life, abandoning every fear to achieve his dreams. 

Time flew like Timothy had never known before. 3…2…1

Timothy felt at peace and was ready to embrace the last day of his life with gratitude in his heart.

….0

Timothy closed his eyes and waited with bated breath for death to escort him home. Inhale…

Exhale…

Repeat…

Timothy's heart pumped with a steady rhythm as did his effortless breathing. Timothy opened his eyes and nothing had changed. Except for the timepiece. It had started counting forward. 

A tiny message flashed on the display—”Your time starts now”.

Timothy knew what it was to be afraid for the first time in his life!

©️ Sangeetha Kamath 

Pic Courtesy: Image by fancycrave1 from Pixabay

Labels:

Comments

  1. Timothy S. BrannanApril 23, 2024 at 10:53 PM

    Oh wow! That was a great twist! I say that while giving my own watch a side-eyed glance...
    --
    Tim Brannan, The Other Side blog
    2024 A to Z of Dungeons & Dragons, Celebrating 50 Years of D&D

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PURPLE CARNIVAL

SANGEETHA KAMATH
On a clear Autumn evening, I'm a whole lot differently in love with the splash of feeble purple on the dusking skies, a hybrid of Lavender laced with Heather.  It's a garden of blooms with streaks of Fuchsia and Mulberry, a medley of regalia. A pale Violet is the the vintage elegance of my timeless sundress as I twirl away to my heart's content, the cares of the world jettisoning away on the puffs of dandelions.  Plum is the zing of the freshness a wine ushers in on a barbeque evening. The seasonal blueberry ice cream bars with drizzles of Lilac are the cool respite I look forward to with a side of Grape sorbet ! Byzantine is a   powerful stance as I hold my audience captive.  An incandescent Mauve is soothing with a tone and forthcoming promises.  A lustrous Amethyst Rose Quartz dangling on my bracelet is the crystal of my choice dazzling my Crown Chakra.  Periwinkle is a   whisper of a charming desire of the heart. Iris, although dainty, exude...
2 comments
Read more

BOULEVARD

SANGEETHA KAMATH
A hush descended under pale blue iris skies  As I, a cobblestoned footpath threaded through rosemary and myrtle aisles Silhouettes of pewter clouds sailed over While I wended through glen, glade and lea of clover Down the moors sinking into the caverns and coves I wandered like a lost lambkin weaving my way into a sheltered grove I'm home and hearth to caravans and trailers The weary homeless, nomads and the downtrodden tent dwellers I drank the last limpid pools of honeyed sunbeam Whilst skirting the moon-bathed lakes and rocks laced with lichen Traveling with the pilgrims over crests of hills The ocean echoes are a melancholia spraying me with salty mists I stretch through the dim lamplit streets of hamlets and towns The bright city lights which upon me severely frowns A frigid and clammed up breeze rustles a jacaranda lined boulevard  Humming the glories of warm golden days abandoned miles behind The sky hanging low cleanses me with her downpour Under a starry night I spark...
Post a Comment
Read more

DAINTY PINK DREAMS (DAY 2 ARTOONSINN NAPOWRIMO

SANGEETHA KAMATH
          # DAY 2 #ARTOONSINN NAPOWRIMO              DAINTY PINK DREAMS Spring comes like the long awaited pink dream  The sun-kissed air spilled with a perfume of woody almond and vanilla ice cream… Cherry blossom bouquets in vivid contrast to the skies a deep cerulean, The glow of champagne blush, serenading the cotton-candy clouds with their wistful paean! It's the wedding of blooms of hue lilac, lavender, magenta, and white Silken petal confetti showering the earth with their gratitude and delight! In the moonlight they're incandescent pearls on a gnarled bough Lustre washed silver shimmer by a celestial artist through and through! The swelling buds are a candy-floss lollipop bunch Childhood memories drench me, I wish to indulge again in tall glasses of taffy punch… Pic Courtesy: Pixabay ©️ Sangeetha Kamath Prabhu
Post a Comment
Read more

A GIFT I GIVE MYSELF

SANGEETHA KAMATH
  Books and more books 📚! All I talk about are books and Babylou. And for good reason. One is my creative board and the piece of my heart is a wise Sounding Board. When I interact with either of them I get great eye openers and enlightenment. There's of course a story behind this with these two main star casts and in no way are disconnected at all with random mentions.  Yeah, so with all my Ring Binder Journals and the various diaries having been filled to the brim with my daily writing plus visual embellishments, they now look no less than chunky blocks--overfed and hard to shut close. Having almost run their course, it was time to get new ones to document the rest of the year.  Amazon showed me the Paperideas A5 Journals with a shipping price to Singapore that would buy me month's worth of groceries for the household! Heck, ah ?! What the...! Is it trimmed with gold and encrusted with precious gems ! Plus the aesthetic pastel colours were all SOLD OUT with only some ga...
Post a Comment
Read more

A~Z BLOGGING CHALLENGE THEME REVEAL 2026

SANGEETHA KAMATH
  Still indecisive 🤔  The commitment is intimidating, yet this will be my third year of participation that makes me want it to come full circle. Third time's a charm it's said. In 2024, I posted 26 blogs from A~Z--micro fiction, long stories, short stories, poems ( oh yes!) in a motley of genres Magic Realism, Surrealism, also a Creature Horror, a Sci Fi thriller *( in dedication to David Duchovny from X-files who was a crushing heartthrob back in my ancient days haha 😆)* all which can be concised into a broader group --FANTASY ! That was my debut year in the Bloggers world and I completed the event with a flourish. **** 2025 was a year. I had to suspend the event midway through it and fly urgently back home for the major part of April. The theme then was a Mixed Bag.  Reflections, Lifestyle, Wellness and Self Care principles were the topics I touched upon with A~Z titles all in foreign languages. That was the USP of my blogging challenge last year.  A mini fantas...
2 comments
Read more