4It was a golden clock resting in a tall tower at the highest point in the entire town. It was elegant and beautiful, with ornamented golden hands on a golden face in pristine condition. It was the clock that gave the townspeople their time, and never enough. It was said that God gave every person two clocks. One that could be seen, the clock of Eternity, and one that couldn't, the clock of their life. The people looked at the giant clock and praised God for the special time they were given on this earth. They were constantly assured and assuaged by the comforting clock of Eternity. And I hated it.
It was this clock that loomed down from its place atop the tower the day my father's clock ran out. I still remember his smile as he pointed towards the golden clock. So innocent and accepting. So naïve. It was disgusting. The whole thing was disgusting. We live our lives constantly staring at what we can't have. And people are grateful for it. Glad for it.
It's taught in schools to be thankful to the God who granted us two great clocks. We should use the time we have and leave the passing of time of the eternity clock to future generations. We should not stretch beyond our limits.
We should be accepting. Placid. Peaceful.
Emily is peaceful now. She knows her clock is ticking faster than everyone else's. She knows and yet she still spends day after day sitting in front of that damn tower with that same peaceful smile on her face. That beautiful, angelic smile that I have grown up loving and envying along with everyone else in the town. There is no one that doesn't love her sweet, giving nature and her beautiful smile. And soon it will be gone. Taken. I want to shout at her, scream, hit and cry. Mostly I just don't want her to die. Mother says it is soon now. In a couple hours she will be just like Father and fade away smiling. All because of that clock. I haven't heard her cry once. All I can do is cry for her.
Cry and hate eternity.
It's these thoughts that bring me to the bottom of the shining tower. I can barely make out the hands of the clock from my swollen, tear stained eyes. I knew it was there though. Ticking as slow as eternity. I hate this clock. And I hate Emily for loving it, and I hate this clock for taking Emily. My body jolts as a wild thought springs into my head. What if…
If there was no eternity for comparison, would people still be subject to the limitations of their life's clock?
I wrench open the door to the tower. I knew there was no lock. The tower wasn't hidden. The townspeople were free to come and go as they please, but I have never seen anyone enter. I have always avoided it, but now I rush towards it. I scramble up the stairs on hands and knees. My chest is burning with the pressure as I mentally count down the minutes of Emily's life. The blood is rushing in my head louder and louder as I begin to cry with the exhaustion and emotion building up inside of me. I'm going higher than I've ever been, my ears popping with the pressure and I can't hold in my yells and sharp gasps for breath as my side burns and my legs threaten to give out. Almost there, almost there. I'm going to make it. I'm going to save Emily. I'm going to save everyone. I'll smash this clock from the inside and then no one's clock will run out. I can see the end of the stairway. I can barely stand. I am stumbling as I reach the last few stairs. I'm so close now. Wait, Emily. Wait. Please, God just wait. My chest is heaving and my breath is coming in harsh pants, drowning out any sound. This is it. The end of eternity. We can finally make our own. My eyes finally raise to the clock and-
I drop to my knees.
There is nothing.
No gears, no machinery, no small sounds of ticking. Only a hollow tower with a golden image of a clock.
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