The Alcove - Chapter 4 -

# #twitterfiction The Alcove - Chapter 4 -
# Turning the unique time piece over in his hand a knot of tension rose within, he had never seen Gramps use this device, nor used it himself.
# Stephen's dad had gone ballistic and took the watch from him and hid it away. Gramps was just joking right? This was just a novelty watch.
# How could a novelty watch still be ticking after years? How had he resisted his obsession till the death of his father three days prior?
# Ever since he first saw that watch Stephen doubted it's godlike power to stop time. but the evidence was plain, his grandfather died young.
# Gramps did die young, he had all the vim and vigor of a man half his age, and wisdom beyond a man twice his years. And now his dad too.
# He was the only man in the family left, with one sister, no uncles or children the bloodline would end with him. The realization landed.
# Stephen felt anxious, but didn't want to put the world on hold to trudge through rain. What of visions of your life without stopping time?
# He felt scared to sleep with such a valued object not locked up safe, he had never felt more vulnerable, "No one even knows." he said aloud.
# In the darkness of the room he realized the irrational fear was stifling and he felt the paranoia rising. Not wanting to drown, he did it.
# Closing his eyes he gently pulled the winding knob on the watch, and waited...silence. The slits of his eyes slowly opened, he looked down.
# The hands ominously had snapped to high noon and were now rotating like a normal watch, he did a double take - it must be like a stopwatch.
# Looking around everything was just as it had been, catching the light of the moon he saw the droplets of rain hanging in the air outside.
# "Gramps! It Works!" He half expected to see his grandfather as the normal took on the surreal. He threw on his clothes and slicker and left.
# Running through the drops, he was a child going swimming for the first time, soaked to the bone and smiling, this is living in the moment!
# There were so many things he wanted to test and try, how did this world work? Were there other people here? He realized he should "get back"
# Returning to the room drenched for the second time that night, he collapsed into the chair at the table and slowly drew out his prize.
# He focused on the movement and pressed the winding knob, the hands paused, he froze, then they reversed to their usual yet, unnatural orbit.
# Stephen had enjoyed time and space all to himself for a full 25 minutes, and he felt back to normal, once the hands had switched direction.
# Ominously the hands counted down the moments till midnight and the rejoining of the others as Stephen would rejoin time itself once again.
# Everything jarred out of focus and Stephen struggled to regain the ability to discern what lay before him. He was unable to breathe. Panic.
# And as quickly as he realized his lack of breath, it returned, his eyes began adjusting to the brightness and skin felt electric.
# There was a beautiful sunset before him, his body was translucent, he was unable to move or touch anything, suspended, helpless, weightless.
# He was rushed forward, compelled by a force that moved quickly with instant acceleration. Rushing full speed closer and closer to a house.
# Full stop. He had traveled 20 miles from the top of a nearby peak to the porch of a humble sea side cabin in an instant. Time froze.
# Forced into his view was an old man he instantly recognized as an older version of himself, he was not alone. She was beside him in silence.
# Holding hands the two looked out over the water toward the receding sun as it danced on the horizon. Fixated on their faces he sensed peace.
# She had a face he did not know but instantly trusted, the older version of himself looked to be late seventies, she looked about the same.
# Desperately, he tried to speak to his older self, but could not break the silence, his voice was stricken from him. He was only a spectator.
# Stephen was watching the moments he would now never experience. These would have been the last 25 minutes of his life. They played out.
# Utter tranquility, a peace he had never experienced washed over them with each of the crashing waves on the shore. He tightened his grip.
# She tightened back. More tension, with force. She looked over concerned but resigned. He closed his eyes, opening them to meet her gaze.
# Stephen was watching himself die. Fighting the pain, his aged frame stiffened. Her loving look offered help, it was waved off. Heart attack.
# Gently brushing back his hair, their eyes locked in an embrace a lifetime long, He slowly let go of this life and she began to weep quietly.
# Stephen felt such a deep connection to this woman, he felt at ease. Then the question hit him - who was this woman? How did they meet? when?
# She wiped the sweat from his brow, he let go his final breath. Stephen was instantly pulling back to the perch on the hilltop. Focus lost.
# The choking sensation returned, as did the vague shapes of the room. Checking the watch it read midnight and kept counting down the hours.
# The future that was shown to him had been his future before he had used the watch. The price for using it:That was not his future anymore.
# His mind exhausted and invigorated, horrified and confused, Stephen tried to sleep. Overwhelmed, over stimulated he willed himself to sleep.