The Next life

A huge jolt knocked me clean off the table and onto the carpet. I was awake. I checked the position of the hands on my face; twelve midnight. Peering through the dark room I could tell the bed had not been slept in. My master and mistress would be dancing somewhere. They loved music and laughter. If the music and comradery kept them laughing, time meant nothing. How well I knew this.

There would be nights, after being removed from my place in the wardrobe and set on a table, I would pace the width and breadth of the cabinet waiting for their return. The minutes and hours ticked on my face. I almost worried the numbers off the dial until I heard the rasp of the key in the lock. Immediately I returned to my place in relief. They'd talk of the fine food prepared for each meal. I'd seen it when they ordered breakfast on their portion of the deck.

When we arrived at this room I smelled new wood, paint and fresh linen. The carpet had not been walked on. There were no stains on the small table next to a chair. We were on an adventure of epic proportion, I'd heard the master say. Once I heard them talking of the maiden voyage of this ship. I felt their excitement at being on a ship.

Still as a travel clock, I'd seen a lot of places. This would be the top of my list for all the years I'd accompanied the couple. After a time, I returned to my place near the bed. I couldn't climb. They'd return soon.

The floor beneath me listed, I almost slid away scrabbling for a foothold. The master and mistress entered teasing as the maid handed them strange collars. I almost laughed as they didn't match anything they wore for the evening.

"We'll be back before you know it." They waved at the girl who's white face and large eyes shown with fear. She tiptoed to the mistress' wardrobe and put on her fur coat and hat over her own collar. She opened a drawer and removed a number of boxes holding jewelry the mistress wore on special occasions, and sipped them into the pockets of the coat. With a quick look around the room, she stepped out on the deck and strode out of view. They all left without seeing me.

I scratched my head, banging the bells, but no one heard me. The floor tipped again and I slid back losing my balance and hit my head on the corner of the dresser. Everything went black.

Something cold woke me. I shivered. Ice cold water seeped into my casing. I tried to get up. Water covered me and seeped through the cracks around my face. I waited. Waited in the cold water for what seemed an eternity. Creepy crawlies tried to enter my case but I fought them off. Where was my Master and Mistress. Why was this awful tasting cold water filling the room? The wardrobe door opened and water filled it, ruining the contents, shoes floated out the door.

No one came to rescue me. I felt the room falling and a hard bang caused everything in the room to fall or slide to the floor. It was dark. No one came.

Hours passed then days and years. My timer ground to a halt. My hands grew blisters from rust and my bells didn't move. I saw nothing in the room and I would have cried for my Master and Mistress if I had tears.

A light enters the darkness. A hand lifts me. "Master?" no words came out, my parts too rusted. To my relief I'm taken to a room with light. This time I'm cleaned and dried. I sit in a glass case, but no longer tell the time. I see the faces of many people as they pass by. I must be something special. as they peer at me surrounded by other items belonging to my room. All around me are many glass cases filled with items just like me. A little card lies in front of me. Traveling clock in found in the room of Mr. & Mrs. John Jacob Astor