A random prompt? The passage of time? What was I thinking!? But there it was. A challenge. How could I pass it up. So I set my timer and started writing.

Tick…

Digital timers do not make tick tocking sounds, but I could still hear it in my mind.

Tock.

Talk about annoying.

Tick.

Then I realized…

Tick.

The tick tocking was real.

Tock.

And did I mention that it was annoying?

Tick.

I searched where it was coming from.

Tock.

Not in the den.

Tick.

Not in the study.

Tock.

Where could it be?

Tick.

I wondered if it might be under the floorboards.

Tock.

Like Poe’s Tell-Tale Heart.

Tick.

Was I too going mad?

Tock.

Then, much to my relief, I found it.

Tick.

A mechanical wind-up timer.

Tock.

In the kitchen, just tick tocking away.

Tick.

And then, my writing task was done.

Tock.