Prompt: A man with a watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure.
Word Count: 736. This was supposed to be a crunch of 500 words, but I let that go and just rolled with what came to me.
“Do you have the time?”
Michael sat motionless on a bench in Morris Park, only his eyes following the Spanish moss as it swayed beneath the live oak. In his mind, Michael replayed yesterday’s gut-wrenching scene over and over again. Trying to forget, he let his eyes drift to the Waving Girl statue of Savannah.
“Forever waiving,” he thought. “But no one’s coming.”
Yet someone was coming. An empty River Street gave clearance to every sound and Michael picked up the shuffle of dreary feet dragging the cobblestone to the west. It was him. Still carrying two watches.
Michael sat motionless on a bench at Morris Park. Only his eyes followed the Spanish moss as it swayed beneath the live oak.
“My good sir, may I have a seat?”
A bit startled Michael sat up straight, “Oh.. Sure. Go ahead...”
“Reverend Lyle Fishburn,” the stranger said, extending his hand.
Decidedly reserved, Michael shook the reverend’s hand and quipped, “Michael.”
“Michael, are you a man of faith?”
“I am.”
“Do you have a church?”
“Not right now. I’ve been in Savannah for a few months for work. I haven’t tried to find a new church just yet.”
“I understand… I understand… Well that’s just fine. I just want to go ahead and invite you to Deliverance Church this weekend. I’ll be preaching. Join us early for coffee and I know you’ll find some good people to talk to.”
Rev. Fishburn handed Michael an invitation and began to walk away when an elderly homeless man burst between the two from behind the bench. Raising two watches toward the face of the reverend, the nomad pleaded, “Sirs! Please! Please! Do you have the time? The hour is at hand!”
Michael started, “Woah.. Okay.. Let me check…”
Yet before Michael could finish his sentence the reverend scoured at the man, “Get those out of my face!” The reverend grabbed the wanderer’s wrists and slung him to the ground. “I don’t know the time and I don’t have the time. Now get away from me!”
Micheal and Rev. Fishburn locked eyes before the reverend turned his stare toward the ground, trotting away as quickly as his feet would carry him down East River Street.
As the homeless man meandered closer to Michael, a new shuffle invaded from the east. The same heavy footsteps that left Morris Park the day before.
“Michael!” Rev. Fishburn shouted, waving with an unearned smile clinging to his face to dear life, as any mask would.
Michel stood in disbelief of the scene playing out before him.
“God! What do I do?”
Before his eyes the sun fell into darkness. The waters of the Savannah River receded. Thunder pearled. The ground beneath Michael’s feet rumbled and as brilliant a light as had ever filled the earth tore the sky in two. Descending from the clouds was a man with eyes of fire and hair of snow.
“LORD!”
The next thing Michael knew, he was face down when a voice called to him, “Arise and be seen.”
Michael’s feet quaked as the earth seemed to churn beneath the surface. The city crumbled behind him, swallowed by the earth as an unquenchable fire refined the sky above. To his left stood Rev. Lyle Fishburn, his gaze fixed straight ahead.
Before Michael and Rev. Fishburn stood Jesus Christ, scars and all, holding the hand of the homeless man. The poor man stood firm, no longer yielding any watches.
“The hour has come,” Jesus roared, his voice sounding of rushing water. “It is the time. The Day. And what you have done to the least of these you have done to me. Michael….”
Michael locked eyes with Jesus. He then bowed his head, “Yes, Lord.”
“Michael, in your heart you longed to help this man but the power of this world came between you. You are forgiven of your sins.” Extending an open palm Jesus motioned Michael forward, “Walk with me into the New Jerusalem.”
Michael stepped forward. He, Jesus and the homeless man began to walk away when Rev. Fishburn burst between them.
With both hands raised, writhing in Jesus' face the reverend pleaded, “Jesus! Jesus! It’s me! Your son! Don’t forget me in this hour!”
Jesus turned. Facing the reverend Christ said, “You did not have time for my children nor do I have time for you.” Turning away, Jesus pulled the reverend’s hands from his face.
“Away from me. I never knew you1.”
Truly, what did you think? I’m trying to become a better writer. What works here? What does not work? I’m open to any and all criticism.
Loved this, Derek. Great way to illustrate that passage in Mt. The only thing that confused me was that it took me a moment to realize that before and after the break were 2 separate days . So, don't know if that could have been clarified a little more right there.
Was unsure where you were taking us, Derek-that's good! Had been with family in Savannah several years back, so it was a nice recollection. Was engaging to read and dramatic ending in a short space! I'm likin!