get your words out { 2022 } challenge tracking

[iluvroadrunner6]

Directory:

PERSONAL GOALS:

• Yearly Goals IN PROGRESS
• Clear the Queue IN PROGRESS

OFFICIAL CHALLENGES:

• 1/16/22 Five Minutes Challenge COMPLETE
• 1/31/22 January Challenge: Tarot Prompts COMPLETE
• 2/22-23/22 Roll the Dice Challenge COMPLETE
• February 2022 Lovely Word Stroll IN PROGRESS
• March-June 2022 GYWO Yahtzee COMPLETE
• 3/11-17/22 March Small Challenge COMPLETE
• 5/11-12/22 May Small Challenge COMPLETE
• 5/15-21/22 7 Days, 7 Stories COMPLETE
• July 2022 Mid-Year Marathon INCOMPLETE
• 7/1/2022 February Challenge: Five and Ten COMPLETE
• 7/5/2022 March Challenge: SuperWordAlicious COMPLETE
• 7/10-12/22 Time Management Challenge COMPLETE
• 7/14/22 Simile but Different Challenge COMPLETE
• 7/21/22 Blind Prompts Challenge COMPLETE
• August 2022 Mid-Year Marathon INCOMPLETE
• 7/28/22 Stop, Drop, Write COMPLETE
• 7/29/22 Green with Graffiti Challenge COMPLETE
• 8/17/22 Christmas in July COMPLETE
• 8/30/22 August Challenge: The Dump COMPLETE
• 9/12-13/22 Two-Day Challenge COMPLETE
• 10/14-18/22 Nano Prep Challenge COMPLETE
• 11/13-14/22 Roll the Dice Challenge COMPLETE
• 12/12/22 Time Management Challenge COMPLETE
• 12/16/22 September Challenge COMPLETE
• 12/19/22 Challenge: Choose Your Title COMPLETE
• 12/20/22 November Challenge: Dated COMPLETE
• 12/21/22 December Challenge: Stop Watch COMPLETE

Word Count: 10,115

Comments

12/21/22 | december challenge: stop watch | original | 692 | COMPLETE

[iluvroadrunner6]

One moment, the second hand on the clock is ticking along, and the next moment it stops, which is disconcerting enough on its own. This clock has been ticking for years, and at the top of the hour, summons peals of bells from a church nearby. The monument in honor of the Battle of Jamestown has never stopped, not once in all the years that I’ve been living here. They keep the clock meticulously wound so that no tourist ever sees them slipping.

Someone must be lying down on the job today.

I smirk, pleased that I seem to have caught something interesting, but when I look down at my watch to catch the time, my second hand isn’t moving either. My heart drops—this is my favorite watch, an expensive one given to me by my husband that I won’t be able to afford to replace soon. I just wound it this morning. There’s no reason it should be stopping.

As I look up to stave off the panic, I realize it isn’t the only thing that’s stopped. My eyes sweep the green, taking in the sight of frozen people all around me. The disorientation is dizzying, but when I see a shrouded figure approaching in the distance, I realize what this is.

I’m supposed to be retired. I don’t think anyone should shame me for being out of practice.

“Jennifer,” Kilborn begins as he moves to take the seat on the bench next to me.

“Is this all really necessary? I’m retired, you realize.”

“I’m aware. The Bureau would like to ask you to reconsider.”

The handlers all look the same, designed to be unassuming. Same boxy haircuts, same suits. I would even hazard to guess that they all come in the same color, just to make sure that you’re not able to distinguish one from the other. Kilborn, however, always seems to be the one that’s assigned to me, and as a result, I’ve gotten quite good at picking out all of his little quirks. He’s a smidge shorter than the rest, and he’s quite fond of a distinctive pocket square. And since she last saw him, has grayed around his temples.

Not uncommon. The job takes a toll on you.

“I may have been willing to risk my life for my country, but I’m not suicidal.” She tips her head to the side. “And according to medical, that’s what my continuing to work for the Bureau would be. Suicide.”

Stopping and starting time can have quite the profound effect on the one pushing the button. When harnessing a force like time, there are always repercussions, and the body can only withstand it for so long. It’s why there’s such a high turnover with agents. Eventually, all the minutes that you froze time pile up and release back onto you and, well … sometimes the human heart isn’t made to withstand it.

Hence, why I’m now retired at the ripe old age of forty.

Kilborn grits his teeth, not liking that answer. “You likely have several more good missions in you before that becomes a possibility. The improvements they’ve made in the technology—”

“The answer is no. I’m sure you have many bright young agents who would take this on. Give it to one of them.”

“None of them are you.”

“Unfortunately, I’m not even me anymore.” I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “I’m just a civilian. Take this to someone who can actually get the job done.”

Kilborn grits his teeth, clearly frustrated, but in the end, he walks away. He waits until he gets to the other end of the park and time resumes again, people snapping to life around me. I settle back against the bench with a sigh, and the peal of the bells that I had been waiting for chime through the air.

As much as I may miss my work, I love my life more—and I won’t do that to my husband. But as I rise from the bench and go to return home, I can’t help but feel like there’s something or someone watching me over my shoulder.