February 22, 2011 - The Clock

Prompt: Use an unconventional symbol in your piece.

Source: None

Response:

Her skin had shriveled, coming off the bones in deep furrows and wrinkles. Her bones were almost revealed by the tissue paper-thin covering. The skin was so far pulled away that the long white bone lines could be clearly distinguished if not clearly seen.

She could almost see them reflected in the glass face of the grandfather clock. The apparition in the glass was all lines and gathered, ribbed, puckered skin that was one sharp movement away from sliding off the bones. The clock had not yet been wound. Its pendulum hung still, poised.

The clock needed to be wound, perhaps she could get her daughter's husband to do it. If they ever arrived. They were supposed to be there at five.

She looked at the clock and her deep-set eyes, pushed back into her face by a flood of wrinkled skin. It looked about to fall off her skull. She wondered what time it was and if it was anywhere near five.

Her reflection glared at her. Perhaps five had already passed, maybe years before. Or maybe five had not yet come. Yes, that had to be right, because if five had come her son-in-law would have come and wound the clock.

Notes: So I guess I used a conventional symbol (the clock) with an unconventional significance. My bad.