Tic. Toc. Tic. Toc.
The clock had never felt so loud. And yet there it was, ticcing, second after second, minute after minute.
It was midnight, when he started feeling like their head was going to explode.
Tic. Toc. Tic. Toc.
Another hour passed. The headache was bearable, but he couldn't sleep because of it. And not sleeping only meant that it would get more and more painful.
Tic. Toc. Tic. Toc.
He could feel the blankets shift with them, they could hear them. These were the softest and warmest blankets in the house, and usually anyone would fall asleep with them, in a matter of minutes.
Yet here he is, listening to that damn old clock in the hallway.
Tic. Toc. Tic. Toc.
Why was it so loud? It was never like that.
It was always easy to ignore the ticcing noise, to ignore the time passing by.
He decided to drink some of the water they kept on his nightstand, maybe they were just dehydrated.
Tic. Toc. Tic. Toc.
Now, what the hell was wrong with that clock? And why did it seem so impossible to ignore?
Tic. Toc. Tic. Toc.
Weird. It sounded... Closer now. As if it got taken near their room.
Tic. Toc. Tic. Toc.
He could see the hallway from his bed- nothing looked out of place. So why was that noise so goddamn loud?
They closed their eyes, maybe they could trick themself into sleeping.
...
...
...
Tic. Toc. Tic. Toc.
He opened his eyes, exhausted. Why did it feel like the clock was under his bed? And why was it slower?
Tic. Toc. Tic. Toc.
He could swear he heard something move- something was under the bed.
Tic. Toc. Tic-
Jamie opened their eyes.
Nothing was there.
Only the clock grandpa put in the hallway seven years ago.
Jamie was falling asleep, finally, when they saw something with the tail of the eye.
Tic. Toc. Tic. Toc.
...
Tic. Toc. Tic. Toc.
...
Tic. Toc. Tic. Toc.
Jamie couldn't wake up. He could only hear a ticcing sound, and he could swear it was inside their head.
I guess grandpa really did put a special surprise in the clock.
