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

CHAPTER 19 BRIDGING MEMORIES:TERABITHIA RECLAIMED

SANGEETHA KAMATH
        This is a reimagined version of the classic tale--- The Bridge To Terabithia . This Fanfic is a part of my NaNoWriMo 2025 or Novel Writing November Exercise.            THE THANKSGIVING DINNER The Aaron family was gathered in the kitchen, discussing their plans for Thanksgiving. Elaine was busy preparing the menu, while Jesse and May Belle sat at the table, arguing over whose turn it was to do the dishes. "We should invite Leonie over for the Thanksgiving dinner ," Elaine said, wiping her flour-covered hands on her apron. Jesse's face lit up. "That's a great idea, Mom. I'm sure she'd love to come." May Belle scowled. "Why do we have to invite her? Hasn't she already distanced herself from us? Just when I thought it was a good riddance, you have to let her into our lives all over again !" "May Belle, that's not very nice," Elaine said gently. "She's our neighbor, and she's new in town. All alone ...
Post a Comment
Read more

🪔DIWALIs OF DECEMBER 🪔

SANGEETHA KAMATH
   There used to be a golden age of annual vacations once upon a long forgotten time. These school holidays would invariably arrive after the first mid-week of November until school reopened on the first Monday of January in the coming year. Diwali that would have just gone by would be only a cozy affair with family and a few good friends at whose homes invitations would be extended for lunch or dinner with potluck themes.  But the real deal was the treat that was waiting for us back home. My parents, empty nesters would eagerly await the arrival of Babylou as soon as November arrived.  “There's a surprise for you later,” my father would chime as soon as she crossed the threshold. He thoughtfully bought a packet each of the various firecrackers available during the festive season and kept those aside.  These would be spread out in the morning sun until high noon everyday for a week before our arrival until they were fried to a crisp-- ready to crackle and spa...
Post a Comment
Read more

CHAPTER 8 BRIDGING MEMORIES: TERABITHIA RECLAIMED

SANGEETHA KAMATH
  This is a reimagined version of the classic tale The Bridge To Terabithia . This is a part of my NaNoWriMo or the Novel Writing November Exercise .                 PATCHES AND PETALS   Leonie walked up the path to the Aarons' house , a sense of trepidation mingling with her curiosity. She had met Jesse , and the encounter had left her feeling unsettled. His parents, on the other hand, had been warm and welcoming when they spoke to her over the common fence separating the houses. Mrs. Aaron –Elaine had offered Leonie to come by every afternoon for lunch before she left for work at Page & Paige. Leonie was so delighted at this offer that would save her the time to cook a meal and then rush to the bookshop. As she knocked on the door, it swung open to reveal Elaine, beaming with a warm smile. "Leonie, dear, come on in! We're so glad you could join us for lunch." Leonie stepped inside, her eyes adjusting to the bright interior. The h...
Post a Comment
Read more

FIRSTS AND SECONDS

SANGEETHA KAMATH
The day began like any other August morning in Singapore but the nip in the air embraced me a bit tenderly today and I just wanted that extra dose of coziness.  August 21st ! Today marks a significant milestone in my life - the anniversary of my open heart surgery . It's a day I'll never forget, a day that gave me a second chance at life. As I look back on the past year, I'm filled with gratitude and awe at the journey I've been on. An Open Heart Surgery and a collateral damage of a minor stroke that had left my limbs immobilized on the left side whilst in the ICU right after shifting from the OT .  A gruesome 7 hrs must have gone by before I regained consciousness and informed them about it. I was hurriedly wheeled in for an MRI which revealed a tiny clot which must have occurred when I was plugged into the heart-lung machine during the surgery. A 3% chance of freak accident I signed a disclaimer for.  With swift action from the team of cardiologists and neurolo...
Post a Comment
Read more

GUARDIAN OF THE WOODS

SANGEETHA KAMATH
The mists rolled, blurring the peaks yonder until they were only a faded outline on the dusking horizon.  The crisp autumn breeze rustled the leaves of the Sycamore and Birch trees, lulling me to sleep. I woke up with a start under twilight skies. The full moon was in all her glory bathing the woods in an ethereal silver shine. Fully alert, I listened hard to what seemed like muffled sounds of distress. Up on my feet in a jiffy, I raced along with lightning speed in the direction of the unusual sounds which weren't heard in these serene woods for ages. There he was, with a menacing look, pinning a hapless young girl on the ground, choking her to death. It was clearly a losing battle with her strength failing her. His eyes widened and he let go of her as he heard my sinister growls. My eyes glowed like embers in the darkness.  On this night, I was sinewy and thrice my normal size, with jaws that could rip pounds of human flesh with one crunch.  He met his end in this manne...
3 comments
Read more