Hi everyone! I’ve the pleasure of hosting Friday Fiction this week. To join in the fun, just add your name and link to the Simply Linked Widget below. You don’t need a blog to participate, just a story and a place where folks can comment. Feel free to write, read and share! To learn more about this blog meme, visit on facebook.
Author’s Ramblings: To all my USA readers, happy holiday weekend. I am looking forward to it as the fall semester has begun and my life flip-flops until I hammer down a solid routine. Due to that, it’s prompt fiction again this week. *ducking* I know, I know, but since everyone enjoyed last week’s snippet, I thought I’d slip away with it again. ~_^ I’m thrilled that everyone enjoyed Madrisa’s story, there’s definitely more to her stowed away in my head. Perhaps I’ll have a chance to write her out sometime soon. This week features Chimey, a mysterious FMC with issues–such as, she won’t stop singing in my head. (which wouldn’t be a problem, but it’s the theme for that old western show, Rawhide) anyway, enjoy the read and happy weekend!
Tick-Tock : Snapshot : Light Fantasy
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| Found on Google Images |
Tick-tock.
Tick-tock.
The sound echoed in the empty bedroom. It rattled
along the walls and spilled over at the windows.
along the walls and spilled over at the windows.
Chimey bristled at the whisper of the wind that danced
through her precious bedroom. She chewed on the end of her fat pencil and then
stuck it into her messy braid of hair. “I can hear you, you know!” She glared at the ornate wooden clock hanging
on the wall before her.
through her precious bedroom. She chewed on the end of her fat pencil and then
stuck it into her messy braid of hair. “I can hear you, you know!” She glared at the ornate wooden clock hanging
on the wall before her.
Tick-tock.
Tick-tock.
She sighed and crumpled the half-written sheet of
parchment before her. The pointlessness of the act mystified her. A realization
made clear as the magical sheet dissolved to dust in her hands. Picking up the
newly dusted sheet, she blew off the dust to the ground.
parchment before her. The pointlessness of the act mystified her. A realization
made clear as the magical sheet dissolved to dust in her hands. Picking up the
newly dusted sheet, she blew off the dust to the ground.
In wisps of sparkling gold they fluttered to the
ground, disappearing almost at once. Chimey rose from the desk, replacing the
paper. She walked to the bowl and washbasin at the far end of the room,
snagging her clean shawl from the bed on her way.
ground, disappearing almost at once. Chimey rose from the desk, replacing the
paper. She walked to the bowl and washbasin at the far end of the room,
snagging her clean shawl from the bed on her way.
Washing her face in slow, deliberate movements,
Chimey straightened, cool water dripping down her neck. She breathed for a
count of five, then reached for the shawl and swabbed her face.
Chimey straightened, cool water dripping down her neck. She breathed for a
count of five, then reached for the shawl and swabbed her face.
“Windows, open” she murmured.
The bronzed fasteners on the foggy window clicked
open, swinging out into the night air with a faint sparkle of pink-gold.
open, swinging out into the night air with a faint sparkle of pink-gold.
Tick-tock.
Tick-tock.
Tick-Tick…Tock.
Chimey moved to stand by the window. She stuck her
head through the opening, breathing in the night air in great, big gulps. The
coolness soothed her at once and she withdrew to the room’s warmth when a few
shivers became known.
head through the opening, breathing in the night air in great, big gulps. The
coolness soothed her at once and she withdrew to the room’s warmth when a few
shivers became known.
Tick-tock.
Tick-tock.
“Yes, yes, I know!” She scowled, returning to the
desk and beginning to scribble once more, the half-damp shawl wrapped around
her thin shoulders. In a matter of minutes, she finished the document, folding
it neatly before stamping her seal on the front.
desk and beginning to scribble once more, the half-damp shawl wrapped around
her thin shoulders. In a matter of minutes, she finished the document, folding
it neatly before stamping her seal on the front.
Trembling hands held the official missive for a few
silent moments before she tucked it inside her blouse. This was one message
that required hand-delivery. There was no way she’d let it fall into any other
hands.
silent moments before she tucked it inside her blouse. This was one message
that required hand-delivery. There was no way she’d let it fall into any other
hands.
Delivering it herself would also allow no room for
error. If the Empress chose to accept her offer, then she’d be right there.
error. If the Empress chose to accept her offer, then she’d be right there.
“It’s quite logical, you know.”
Tock-Tick.
Tock-Tick.
“No, I don’t agree.” She swept from the desk to her
closet in a huff. “Stop talking in riddles.”
closet in a huff. “Stop talking in riddles.”
Tocker-Tick.
Tocker-Tick.
Tick…Tick…Tick.
“Oh be quiet!” Chimey fished out her rich,
fur-collared traveling coat from the musty depths of her wardrobe. From the
stiff sleeves and thick fluffiness that rose up around her face, she took a few
cautious breaths. The wardrobe hadn’t done much for it, but then again, neither
had she.
fur-collared traveling coat from the musty depths of her wardrobe. From the
stiff sleeves and thick fluffiness that rose up around her face, she took a few
cautious breaths. The wardrobe hadn’t done much for it, but then again, neither
had she.
Her traveling boots awaited to the left of her bed
and her traveling pack appeared shortly afterwards in a poof of pink sparkles. Chimey
grinned. “Thank you, much appreciated.”
and her traveling pack appeared shortly afterwards in a poof of pink sparkles. Chimey
grinned. “Thank you, much appreciated.”
She bustled about shoving her feet into boots and
checking the pack for all of her usual reading and writing materials. The
well-stocked result was hefted over one arm. A cursory glance swept over the
room and Chimey finished with a raised eyebrow at the accusing clock.
checking the pack for all of her usual reading and writing materials. The
well-stocked result was hefted over one arm. A cursory glance swept over the
room and Chimey finished with a raised eyebrow at the accusing clock.
“Well?”
Tock-tocker-tock!
“That’s not the right answer.”
Tocker-tock!
“I’m well aware of that, but I don’t have a choice.
You do. I would never make you-”
You do. I would never make you-”
Tick-tock.
Tocker-tick-tocker.
“I know that, but if I’m going to be used, I’d
rather chose who uses me.” She sniffed. “Don’t you think that’s a better way to
look at it?”
rather chose who uses me.” She sniffed. “Don’t you think that’s a better way to
look at it?”
Ticker-tocker.
“I know.”
Tocker-ticker.
“I know that too. Look, are you going to stay up
there all night?”
there all night?”
Tick-tock.
“Then I’ll leave you behind.”
Tick-tick-tick-tock.
“That went out the window the moment you said-”
A swirl of pink-golden sparkles guided the clock
from its place on the wall to waist-level before Chimey. It danced about before
the lights grew bright and she closed her eyes. When it faded, she opened her
eyes to stare down at a short, redheaded little boy with accusing green eyes.
from its place on the wall to waist-level before Chimey. It danced about before
the lights grew bright and she closed her eyes. When it faded, she opened her
eyes to stare down at a short, redheaded little boy with accusing green eyes.
He opened his mouth to speak and she clapped a hand
over it.
over it.
“I know, I know…tocker-tick. Do you want another
time-out? I don’t have all day here. I’d like to get going as soon as possible
and I really don’t want to leave you behind, you have a habit of cleaning the
wrong things.”
time-out? I don’t have all day here. I’d like to get going as soon as possible
and I really don’t want to leave you behind, you have a habit of cleaning the
wrong things.”
He bit her hand.
She jumped back, wiping the hand on the rich
material of her travel coat. He glared at her. She glared back. He sniffed. She
held the coat open.
material of her travel coat. He glared at her. She glared back. He sniffed. She
held the coat open.
He rushed forward, throwing skinny arms around her
waist. She smiled. “You’re adorable—and you’re the best assistant I’ve ever had.” She ruffled his curly red hair. “We’ll be off now, okay? Hold on tight.”
waist. She smiled. “You’re adorable—and you’re the best assistant I’ve ever had.” She ruffled his curly red hair. “We’ll be off now, okay? Hold on tight.”
In a wisp of golden sparkles, she blew through the
bedroom window. Floating in the air above the castle courtyard, she watched the
guards on duty playing cards by candlelight. Her smile wavered as she thought
of the king and his selfish demands.
bedroom window. Floating in the air above the castle courtyard, she watched the
guards on duty playing cards by candlelight. Her smile wavered as she thought
of the king and his selfish demands.
Bequeathing her services to the enemy Empress was a
risky move at best, betrayal at least.
risky move at best, betrayal at least.
“Tocker-tick” the voice from around her waist mumbled.
Chimey smiled. “Yes, I’m fine. We’ll be fine. We
always are. It’s illegal to kill timekeepers, remember?”
always are. It’s illegal to kill timekeepers, remember?”
“Tocker-tick-tick.”
“Ha. If they forget, then we’ll just time-freeze
them too.”
them too.”
© Sara Harricharan
A/N: And the prompt was….Tick-Tock! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed the story. Comment if you feel so inclined. ^_^