Stealing Time

It sounds odd to think that stealing time could really be a thing, but odd things do happen. Anyone remember Groundhog Day?

At first I didn't really notice the loss. An hour here, an hour there nothing overly noticeable. Especially when the lost hours were happening at night Each night I got one hour less to sleep.

It was the night I woke at my usual time and realized I felt exhausted. My Fitbit told me I'd had only 4 hours. Was that right? I was going to bed at eleven and getting up at seven, but where did my 8 hours of solid sleep go?

I began asking around since many of my collogues were suffering from the same sleep starved symptoms as me. Irritable and snappy. Not our best selves.

On the news there were more reports of traffic accidents. Incidents of all sorts of crimes from robbery to domestic abuse to murders were all on the rise.

Something needed to be done.

"We are losing an hour a day. Before the month is out...."

"Will we even exist?"

"That's a good question. I highly doubt it."

"I'll need you to fly to Greenwich, England. That is the source of time. I figure answers could be found there."

I lost no time getting there, or rather no more that I was already losing.

When I arrived several other ambassadors were there each one scratching their heads looking distinctly worried.

"Where is the time going?"

"Is it just lost or is someone stealing it?"

Both very plausible questions but no answers could be had.

"Anyone know if there's been a ransom?"

"Who would even think to do something like this?"

"A Time Lord." came the gruff reply from the far end of the conference table.

We all turned to look at the rather ruffled looking man who had just come into the room. He took off his hat and dragged his other over the heavy stubble on his face.

"A Time Lord... and how do you propose we contact this... person?'

"I expect he is displeased with how we waste the resource."

"Time; a resource?"

"Yes, it is. Used well it can be productive and rejuvinating. But wasted...." I could only shake my head.

"So how to we fix this?"

"Standing around talking about it isn't going to help." Came the gruff reply.

"Yes, this has been a waste of time."

"I suggest we each exicute a plan to be productive - in work and leisure. Use what time you have left wisely and maybe, just maybe we will be able to stop the loss of time or better yet reverse the effects."

The group was silent a moment. Each of us considering our alternatives.

"Only the Time Lord can determine if we humans deserve to get our time back. or if we parrish like the dinosaurs before us."

"So no big catastrophe, just loss of time?"

"Depends what you see as catastrophe. You life is ticking away. What are you going to do about it?"

Talking a calming breath I stood. All eyes swiveled to me.

"Well, I for one am going to let my superiors know so that we can alert the public. Tell the truth and let the people decide what is most important to them."

"That will cause mass hysteria --"

"Will it? Or will it bring a calm to the situation. People might surprise you. Rise to the occasion and do what they see as productive. Do what they deem as important to them. Either the Time Lord accepts our decisions or he doesn't. Either way each person has the power to control their destiny... and determine what is important enough to spend what limited time they have left doing."

"Connection." mused one beside me.

"What's that Conrad?'

"Connection, sir. Surround yourself with loved ones and ditch the devises."

"Now that sounds like a plan."

Within hours the world was informed of the situation. Each person was called to spend their time in productive, connected endeavours. Whatever was important to them.

Within a few days, time seemed to stand still, look around and smile. This was more like it. Slowly we got our time back, but the memory of the loss kept us all on our toes. remembering to make connection and productivity a priority in our choices. And put the devices on a time out at least for part of each day.


Word Count = 737.

Notes ▼

Writer's Cramp:
NEW PROMPT: There are 24 hours in a day. Write a story or poem about what happens when first one hour disappears from the day, and then the next day 2 hours, then the next day 3, etc. every day having one hour less than the last. How long does this go on? How did it happen? Who, if anyone, literally "saves the day?"

Use Mystery as one of your genres.