Short Stories

---

Tick Tock, Tick Tock…

Simon pulled the loud, heavy stopwatch from his pocket and flipped it open. “Time to go.” he thought, as he tucked the watch back in its resting place. He took a lot of ribbing about that old watch. It didn’t matter. In a somewhat quirky kind of way he thought of that old watch as a mirror of himself. What did the commercial use to say? Takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’. The century old watch had been through a lot but it was still in perfect working condition, just like him. Nothing phased him anymore. He could take the lickin’. That’s not all… he could give as well as take. That thought sent waves of chilling anger up and down his spine. He was about to take the law into his own hands but, with God as witness, he saw no other way. Casey had to pay for what he had done. Yep, he thought, there’s just no other way.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock…

Oh, yeah. Time to leave. Simon pulled the seatbelt across his chest and reached for the key. That watch was sure loud, he thought. Loud but reliable. He turned the key and revved the motor slightly. Casey wouldn’t know what hit him. But there was no other way.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

Funny, wasn’t it? That watch almost seemed to be talking to him. What would it be saying, Simon wondered. Tick Tock, you can do it? Or maybe Tick Tock, they’ll understand? Simon found himself musing over the silly watch more than he thought was sane. Now there’s a thought. Tick Tock, you need a Doc. That must be what the watch was saying, probably along with the rest of the world. Well, except for his mother. That old woman had a one track mind. She would say the watch is telling him “Tick Tock, you need Jesus.” That’s all she had been saying for years. He had time though. He had more important things on his mind right now. Jesus could come later.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock…

He was starting to wish the watch would just shut up. It seemed to be getting louder. What was worse, the only words in his mind right now was “You need Jesus, You need Jesus.” No, not until he had taken care of Casey. Casey had to pay for what he had done. There was no other way.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock…

That did it. Simon pulled the stupid preaching watch from his pocket and threw it against the passenger door.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock…

Great. It keeps on tickin’. Well, he wasn’t ready to accept Jesus yet. He would, someday, but not now.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock…

No. Nothing was going to keep him from ending Casey’s life. He had it coming. Nothing would stop Simon. Not his mother, not that stupid watch, not even God himself could stop him.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock…

Simon saw the sudden flash of light. He heard the incredibly loud blast of the train’s horn. And he sensed, (strange, he didn’t feel it) he sensed the car crushing all around him. But the last thing Simon heard was:

Tick Tock, Ti…

No one would ever fully understand.

God could stop him.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE