The Watch – Part 131:

A purple glow ignited all around him. Something was fading into view all over his body. Behind him, a circle consisting of a complex pattern appeared, growing brighter and brighter as more of the pattern connected together. Eventually, the circle stopped growing, but the purple glow surrounding him persisted.

Strong pins and needles spread throughout my body, gradually making me numb, and it was because of that, I didn’t realise that I was being lifted up off the ground. I tried to react, to break free from this connection he has on me, but I can barely move my fingers, arms, legs, toes, head, and soon I can’t even do that. The numbness builds, and develops; parts of me start to hurt from psychological pain.

‘I’m sorry I have to do this,’ he said right in front of me. I didn’t notice that he had walked towards me. The complex circle was still behind him. The closer he gets, the stronger the unrelenting unresponsiveness all throughout my body becomes. I felt tears stream down my cheek as my body tries to get rid of this deadness, but it just wasn’t enough.

‘You fought valiantly,’ he said genuinely sympathetically. ‘I must admit, I wasn’t expecting you to be as good as you were. You’ve learnt so much over the six days. Sure, you made most of it up as you go along and hoped for the best, but I’ll let you in on a little secret of mine,’ and he leaned in closer. The numbness intensified as his face got closer to mine. ‘So did I.’ And he started to laugh.

‘But now,’ he continued, ‘it’s time to say goodbye to that watch. And after so soon as well. But no matter, I’m sure you’ll see me about soon enough. There is so much that I want to do with it. In fact, I have a list.’ He is now just stalling for time, letting me suffer for no reason other than because he can. I want to channel some of the magic through my body via control from my mind, but I just couldn’t concentrate on anything due to the now coldness running through my body.

I just want this over with. I don’t care anymore. He can do what he wants. I just want this numbness to stop now.

‘There we are,’ he smiled. ‘That’s exactly what I wanted. You to give up. That makes my taking your watch that much easier.’ This was his plan all along? I don’t care.

He pointed the red crystal toward my chest, muttering some indistinguishable words that must have been a different language. Then, as strange as it felt, pain shot through my body. Now, I have incredible numbness, and pain all through my body, increasing the uncomfortableness tenfold. I was starting to pass out. I could feel my body giving up, but whatever he is doing is keeping me awake. Then, to add to everything else, that same strange sensation that filled my senses the first time I came across the watch reactivated. Now, I have three incredible feelings running through my body: Numbness, pain, and strangeness. These three feelings are perfectly complimenting each other. My brain just cannot handle that, but it just isn’t allowed to shut down.

I could feel the magic inside me drain away. I was returning to my normal-self. And as that was happening, the pain increased. I might not have been able to look and see what was happening, nor feel anything other than those three things, but I knew that my watch was slowly becoming loose. The straps started to unravel. My skin started to peel away from its underside. The connection that I had with Interface slowly faded away, leaving me alone. This was it, I was going to say goodbye to the watch. I haven’t had it for long, yet I’ve done so much, and I know I can do so much more.

I was wrong. I do care. I can’t let him take this watch. Why have I suddenly changed my mind? Something inside is willing me to act, but I can’t. At this moment, my ability to not care has switched from him taking the watch, to my trying everything to keep it. I don’t care why I have suddenly stared to care. I just want this over and done with as soon as possible.

He had his eyes closed, still chanting something that I still cannot understand. I try with everything that I have to move even a fingertip. Nothing happens. I try again. Slight movement. How? I don’t care, just pleased that I can. My ability to move my fingertip ever so slightly allowed my brain to feel its fourth, fifth, and sixth feeling. Free will, determination, care.

I could still detect some connection between me and the watch. He could sense something was wrong. His eyes were rolling behind their lids, as if they were trying to figure that out, but he continued nevertheless. The watch was nearly off my wrist. The process was nearly complete. And that means I have to act quickly. Using every ounce of brainpower I had left, and channeling all the feelings I had to every corner of my body, I unleashed every bit of magic I had. My entire vision was engulfed with white light. It grew brighter and brighter, second after second, growing in power and density. I heard screaming before I learned that it was coming from the both of us. The numbness, pain, strangeness, all went away in seconds. Even though I couldn’t see it, I knew the circle behind him was disintegrating. For one last hurrah, I brought my arms around as fast as they could swing. The palms of my hands collided together, expelling the rest of the energy outwards, spreading it in every direction, before disintegrating quickly in the distance.

My vision cleared. The world reappeared in front of me. I couldn’t be anymore grateful to feel relieved, free, exhausted, anything. When I had regained my focus, I checked my watch. It was still there, sitting comfortably, almost proudly on my wrist. I then noticed that he had disappeared. Somehow, during my breakout from his connection, he escaped.

My legs gave way from underneath me and I fell onto the ground. I sat there, breathing hard, and contemplating. I stared at the sun as it neared the horizon. I just sat there, watching the sunset, feeling free. The salt planes look so empty now that he’s gone. He disappeared without a trace, and as a result, I was nervous. I have to make sure I’m fully recovered for when he does make his unwanted appearance, but for the meantime, this sunset is worth sitting down and forgetting about my problems.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)