Clockwork: A Story
Posted: 2002-10-10 08:47pm
This one isn't SW or ST related, but I hope you all enjoy it anyway. Keep in mind that it's a first draft -- you may spot errors. I hope they don't detract from your enjoyment. As always, the following is copyrighted intellectual property, and you all know what that means.
C L O C K W O R K
Dear Maggie,
The first thing you should know, before anything else, is that this was not a suicide. I didn’t kill myself, despite the mess your going to find in here. They’ll look for a gun, or a bomb or God knows what trying to explain... never mind that. It was the truck that did it, Maggie, and better you hear that than wonder how I could have done this to myself.
Now I can almost hear you saying, “What in God’s name is he on about now?” Sure, I’ll tell you. I learned something, Maggie; I learned I had a gift. I think I’ve awhile before the truck catches up to me; let’s see how far I’ll get.
Last Christmas, when we were hanging the ornaments on the tree, that’s the first time I think I did it . Remember when you lost your grip on that silver-and-gold ball of yours, the one with the check-pattern in it? I do. You lost your grip on the damned thing and it hit the floor with a bang. Not a shatter, mind you, a bang.
Now don’t stand there looking confused and saying you don’t remember that -- I know you don’t remember it. You didn’t see it happen, and I’m thinking that for you, it didn’t.
You thought I caught the ornament, when what really happened is...
But wait, as the Americans say, there’s more.
When I caught the ball, it was weightless. I didn’t even think about it, because with the adrenaline gushing through my brain, those missing two ounces didn’t catch my attention right away. At least, not until I felt the ball drop into my hand again. I looked down, looked up at you, and that’s when you thanked me for catching the ornament for you.
I discovered then that I had somehow cheated. That ball was meant to fall and shatter and cause mischief and be lost, but I cheated. It isn’t until now that I realize the full penalty for that kind of cheating...
Not yet. You’re still not really listening to me, I know you.
Do you remember the fire in your mother’s kitchen? Of course you do. I remember it well. I remember, as we went running in from the back landing at the sound of the fire alarm, that I could see the cupboard above her head beginning to smoulder. I vividly recall how, paralyzed with fear, she didn’t see the dry wood cabinetry burst into flame behind her. But do you remember how the two of you got out of the kitchen, Maggie?
It’s possible that’s slipped your mind.
Like those missing two ounces did mine.
I did it for the second time that day, Maggie. With your mother frozen like that, standing so close to the cabinets, just standing there shaking, I knew when they went up they would probably reach out and take her with them. I couldn’t let that happen, love.
I ran into the kitchen, and this time I saw what happened. The flames slowed down.
I see that look on your face, Maggie, and you can put it away.
When everything’s done here, go home and look in my safe. The key’s on the lip of the door frame just inside the water closet. You’ll find three things inside it: the bill and the medical report from a Dr. Alvin Schlemann. -- he’s a burn doctor, Maggie -- and you’ll find the compress I wore over the burn I got from a falling piece of the cabinet ... a burn I got three hours later. It wasn’t to Raftery’s for a kegger I went that evening, Maggie. It was the hospital. I’m sorry I lied to you about it; but would you have believed the truth?
I was very careful of cheating after that. I found that if I tried, I could do it at will; like the time you didn’t burn the eggs when you thought you saw smoke... I choked ‘em right down, now didn’t I, even thought I knew the sick was coming.
Or the time you were feeling a touch randy... well, we didn’t get far before you had your fun, did we, love? Sorry, that was cold of me to think of the ball game first... but I very much enjoyed the latter half of the first inning., and not for what was happening on the television.
But every time I thought to use my gift after that, Maggie, every time, I thought of that burning kitchen, and you and your mother, and then the scar would start to itch, and O God did that scare the hell out of me. So with the exception of those few small experiments, I didn’t even want to think about cheating -- until yesterday.
Yesterday, when I came home from work, walked out of the parking garage across the street from our flat. Yesterday, when I watched you walking Holmes, watched him spot me and make a mad dash for his master, as any loyal but not terribly bright dog is apt to do, watched his leash jerk free. Watched you charge after him. Heard the truck.
He saw you, you know; the driver, I mean. He saw you, but he was just going much too fast and he hadn’t space to brake in time.
I saw you,. I saw the truck. There was only one choice, and I made it.
I’m sorry I couldn’t save Holmes for you, love. I’m sure he’s in whatever heaven God has set aside for Scottish terriers. I think I’ve nearly reached my deadline.
I love you, Maggie Sullivan, and
She set down the memo book.
“What d’ye make of it, mum?” Sargeant McAllister squinted at her.
She wiped at her eyes, dropped the slim book in her purse. Finally, she loked back at him and smiled faintly. “As much as I ought to, Sergeant. Do you have the time?”
He reached into his pocket, pulled out an antique pocket watch, undoubtedly quite expensive.
The chain snapped.
The watch fell.
Bang.
Maggie froze. She reached down, picked it up. It was dead. Then,
Tick
Tick
Tick
C L O C K W O R K
Dear Maggie,
The first thing you should know, before anything else, is that this was not a suicide. I didn’t kill myself, despite the mess your going to find in here. They’ll look for a gun, or a bomb or God knows what trying to explain... never mind that. It was the truck that did it, Maggie, and better you hear that than wonder how I could have done this to myself.
Now I can almost hear you saying, “What in God’s name is he on about now?” Sure, I’ll tell you. I learned something, Maggie; I learned I had a gift. I think I’ve awhile before the truck catches up to me; let’s see how far I’ll get.
Last Christmas, when we were hanging the ornaments on the tree, that’s the first time I think I did it . Remember when you lost your grip on that silver-and-gold ball of yours, the one with the check-pattern in it? I do. You lost your grip on the damned thing and it hit the floor with a bang. Not a shatter, mind you, a bang.
Now don’t stand there looking confused and saying you don’t remember that -- I know you don’t remember it. You didn’t see it happen, and I’m thinking that for you, it didn’t.
You thought I caught the ornament, when what really happened is...
But wait, as the Americans say, there’s more.
When I caught the ball, it was weightless. I didn’t even think about it, because with the adrenaline gushing through my brain, those missing two ounces didn’t catch my attention right away. At least, not until I felt the ball drop into my hand again. I looked down, looked up at you, and that’s when you thanked me for catching the ornament for you.
I discovered then that I had somehow cheated. That ball was meant to fall and shatter and cause mischief and be lost, but I cheated. It isn’t until now that I realize the full penalty for that kind of cheating...
Not yet. You’re still not really listening to me, I know you.
Do you remember the fire in your mother’s kitchen? Of course you do. I remember it well. I remember, as we went running in from the back landing at the sound of the fire alarm, that I could see the cupboard above her head beginning to smoulder. I vividly recall how, paralyzed with fear, she didn’t see the dry wood cabinetry burst into flame behind her. But do you remember how the two of you got out of the kitchen, Maggie?
It’s possible that’s slipped your mind.
Like those missing two ounces did mine.
I did it for the second time that day, Maggie. With your mother frozen like that, standing so close to the cabinets, just standing there shaking, I knew when they went up they would probably reach out and take her with them. I couldn’t let that happen, love.
I ran into the kitchen, and this time I saw what happened. The flames slowed down.
I see that look on your face, Maggie, and you can put it away.
When everything’s done here, go home and look in my safe. The key’s on the lip of the door frame just inside the water closet. You’ll find three things inside it: the bill and the medical report from a Dr. Alvin Schlemann. -- he’s a burn doctor, Maggie -- and you’ll find the compress I wore over the burn I got from a falling piece of the cabinet ... a burn I got three hours later. It wasn’t to Raftery’s for a kegger I went that evening, Maggie. It was the hospital. I’m sorry I lied to you about it; but would you have believed the truth?
I was very careful of cheating after that. I found that if I tried, I could do it at will; like the time you didn’t burn the eggs when you thought you saw smoke... I choked ‘em right down, now didn’t I, even thought I knew the sick was coming.
Or the time you were feeling a touch randy... well, we didn’t get far before you had your fun, did we, love? Sorry, that was cold of me to think of the ball game first... but I very much enjoyed the latter half of the first inning., and not for what was happening on the television.
But every time I thought to use my gift after that, Maggie, every time, I thought of that burning kitchen, and you and your mother, and then the scar would start to itch, and O God did that scare the hell out of me. So with the exception of those few small experiments, I didn’t even want to think about cheating -- until yesterday.
Yesterday, when I came home from work, walked out of the parking garage across the street from our flat. Yesterday, when I watched you walking Holmes, watched him spot me and make a mad dash for his master, as any loyal but not terribly bright dog is apt to do, watched his leash jerk free. Watched you charge after him. Heard the truck.
He saw you, you know; the driver, I mean. He saw you, but he was just going much too fast and he hadn’t space to brake in time.
I saw you,. I saw the truck. There was only one choice, and I made it.
I’m sorry I couldn’t save Holmes for you, love. I’m sure he’s in whatever heaven God has set aside for Scottish terriers. I think I’ve nearly reached my deadline.
I love you, Maggie Sullivan, and
She set down the memo book.
“What d’ye make of it, mum?” Sargeant McAllister squinted at her.
She wiped at her eyes, dropped the slim book in her purse. Finally, she loked back at him and smiled faintly. “As much as I ought to, Sergeant. Do you have the time?”
He reached into his pocket, pulled out an antique pocket watch, undoubtedly quite expensive.
The chain snapped.
The watch fell.
Bang.
Maggie froze. She reached down, picked it up. It was dead. Then,
Tick
Tick
Tick
