Tick. Tick. Tick. She couldn't help but hear the clock tick. Out of all of the noises, the clock tick was the loudest.
Tick. Tick. Tick. The bird in the cage was chirping, singing a peaceful song.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
"Is there something wrong?" Beatrice asked. "You look upset."
"I'm fine." Corliss said.
Tick. Tick. Tick. The birdsong slowed. Beatrice did not notice.
"Why do you always seem so content?" Corliss asked. "It's strange."
Beatrice smiled more than she was and tried to tug on her dark hair before realizing it was already tied up. "Well, my life is pretty ordinary. But, living like life is good will make it good." She places down a card and smiled wider. "Uno."
Tick. Tick. Tick.
"Do you hear that ticking?" Corliss asked, leaning forward. "It's driving me insane!" Beatrice reached forward to push a piece of black hair from Corliss's tan face.
"You must be hearing things."
Tick. Tick. Tick. The bird song stopped.
"I don't think I'm hearing anything."
Tick. Tick. Tick. The bird swayed on its perch before falling.
"Whats with your bird?" Corliss stood. "I think it's dead."
Beatrice also stood and walked over to the cage, poking her fingers through the bars at the bird inside. "Oh. . ."
"Is it dead?"
"Yeah."
Tick. Tick. Tick. The ground slowly began to shake.
Tick. Tick. Tick. The speed of the shaking slowly began to increase.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
"Earthquake?" Beatrice guessed.
"I don't think so." Corliss sighed. "Something worse."
Tick. Tick. Tick. The ground began to shake more and more and more. Faster and faster and faster. Until books were falling off shelves and the cards were flying from the table.
Tick. Tick. Tick. The bird cage landed on the floor with a crash, it's skinny hook and stand barely holding on.
Tick. Tick. Tick. The once singing bird lied crushed on the floor in a pile of green and yellow feathers.
"We need to hold on to something!" Beatrice suggested.
"I don't think it will stay." Corliss feared.
Tick tick tick tick tick. The ticking was getting faster.
A crash came from outside and Beatrice screamed.
Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick.
The wind was blowing heavily outside, the windows were cracking, the door blew open.
Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick.
Corliss looked at Beatrice and almost cried. Her friend was bleeding on the side of her head, her glasses were broken and her face was cut up.
Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick.
Beatrice's glasses blew out a broken window.
Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick.
Something crashed into the house and Beatrice screamed one last time.
YOU ARE READING
The Loop
Adventure'"The Loop is just a way to keep things moving." Rome mumbled, the voices shouting his name slowly silencing, for valuable information was about to be released. "If I think something happens that deserves to be done, and done, and done. . ." He spre...
