Interview (5) – Waiting Room

(New subsection of paragraphs)

Jim felt restless. He paced around the room. The view from the window looked across a narrow mews to a non-descript wall opposite. The steep angle prevented him seeing much below the window, but he thought there might be a tiny yard.

Turning inwards, above the fireplace hung a large picture in a narrow plain black frame. The picture showed a view, apparently from a high vantage point across a stretch of sea towards what were probably islands in the distance. The grass was green, the sea was grey and the islands in the distance were a hazy blue. It might be a scene from the Scottish or Irish coast. The picture was attractive, but the frame did not suit the room. Something heavier and more ornate would have been more appropriate. He wasn’t sure whether the picture was a painting or a photograph and he decided to take a closer look.

He walked to the fireplace and guiltily placed his cup and saucer on the mantelpiece. As he put it down, he brushed the surface with his finger-tips. The surface felt odd and he withdrew his hand quickly. Cautiously, he trailed his fingers along the surface. It was slick, like ice, but not at all cold. In the centre of the mantle sat a rather large carriage clock. It wasn’t showing the correct time. “It’s probably stopped” he thought and went to pick it up and inspect it more closely. To his surprise he found that either it was extraordinarily heavy, or it was stuck to the mantle. Its brass case felt strange and slick and there was something peculiar about the face but he couldn’t decide quite what it was.

Suddenly he heard a sound and, picking up his cup, he turned to face the door.

(Part of the “Tyson” project: 13th January 2017 – 298 words)