The Man Who Could See The Clocks

LATER THAT NIGHT

Grayson sat on his bed trying to do his homework, but Luke's words kept repeating over and over again in his head I don't should I? Maria walked by the door holding a basket of laundry.

"Hey Mom. Can you come in for a second?" Maria came in, set the basket on the floor and sat on the foot of mis bed. " Okay so I have a confession to make. Ever since I can remember I have seen clocks floating above people's heads..."

"They say the time and a bunch of years, days, hours, minutes, and seconds. All counting down. Right?" Maria interupted.

"Yes! You see them too! I'm not crazy!" Grayson yelled jumping up.

"No, no. I don't see the clocks. Although your grandfather, Grayson, saw them." She answered settling on the bed for a long story.

"But, isn't grandpa dead? I never met him"

"Yes. 13 years ago he commited suicide after going insane from always seeing the clocks."

"Yeah but but what do the clocks mean?"

"counting down. Counting down to the very second of someone's death. Your grandfather went insane from knowing the death time of every person he saw. He told me, my Mother, even strangers on the street. No one would listen, no one would believe him. Except for me. When my mom announced she was going to admit her to the mental hospital he went and threw himself off the Brooklyn Bridge. The most important thing for you is to live with your gift, or curse depending how you see it, and not to tell anyone." Maria stood up, picked up the laundry basket and walked out before Grayson could ask any questions

His thoughts shifted to Luke. It didn't count. Right? Because he hadn't known yet. Yeah it was fine.

Suddenly his thoughts shifted to when he was seven: 3...2...1 and then that man got shot. And old Mr. Higgins dieing in that car crash. He had known it was going to happen. And he had done nothing about it.

Grayson's life went on normally. Every morning he would look into the mirror but everytime he wouldn't be able to see his own clock. According to his mother, this was part of the curse (gift). Throughout high school Grayson tracked down every family document that was still viable. He searched for a phenomenon such as floating death clocks. And in every generation of his family no one had ticked of a witch or made a deal with the Devil or even was exposed to some sort of radio active chemicals. He decided that his family tree was planted with a sour apple.

He never asked Luke about about the clocks ever again. Although his mother always shot him a dirty look when ever he was obviously studying the space right about people's heads.