SUMMARY: A short piece written for the Michael Landon Birthday Literary Challenge 2025.
RATING: G/K
WORD COUNT: 536 words
One hour.
Just.
One.
Hour.
The second hand agonizingly moved around the circle… touching each small mark on the clock’s face, each resounding tick!, each movement feeling like a stab in the heart.
Fifty-nine minutes.
That was all he had left.
Fifty-nine minutes.
Three thousand, five hundred and forty seconds.
Gosh, even Adam’d be proud of the arithmetic needed for that.
That’s all the time he had left.
Pain-filled, sorrowful emerald eyes stared soulfully at the clock; he swallowed hard as he continued to watch the second-hand crawl its way around the clock face.
He squeezed shut his eyes, so deeply regretting the actions that had put him here. Actions that had caused unnecessary pain. Actions that had robbed him of his freedom. Actions that had changed everything for him – everything! – in just a split second.
Adam always told him his temper would someday be the death of him. The youngster sniffed, blinking hard, firming his lips in grim resolve. He refused to allow the emotions that bubbled within him to surface. He’d be stalwart through this no matter what. He’d make his Pa and his brothers proud of him, right up to the end. No tears. His chin came up and his lips firmed… until he again remembered his brother, in a heap on the floor, bleeding.
Because of him.
Why?! What on earth had he hoped to gain?
It was supposed to be funny, a joke! he’d insisted. I never meant…
Even now, Joe Cartwright truly couldn’t answer that question of ‘why?’ with anything that made sense, beyond the thought that it had seemed a good idea at the time.
At the time…
Yeah, well… now time was running out.
Once again, he nervously glanced at the clock.
Thirty minutes left.
What could have been thirty minutes of good times. Thirty minutes of riding like the wind, wild and free. Of being with his friends… his brothers… his Pa.
Ten minutes.
The youngster squeezed shut his eyes, struggling to remember happier times, a more positive memory to hang onto as that blasted clock inched along.
“Joseph.”
He jumped, startled, and swiveled his head to look up at his father, standing beside him. Joe quickly glanced again at the clock.
The hour was done. Time was up.
The ten-year-old’s mournful face looked at his father in shame. “I really, really am sorry, Pa.”
Ben Cartwright struggled not to smile. “I imagine you are. Being forced to sit still for an hour is a stiff punishment for you.”
“It sure is,” Joe agreed, vehemently. “I promise, I won’t ever – “
But Ben held up a hand. “Joseph, don’t make a promise you can’t keep,” he warned. “I’ll be satisfied if you tell me that you promise to try not to devil your older brother any more… today, at least,” the man said, shaking his head in weary resignation. “Go on upstairs, now, and apologize to Adam. Hop Sing’s got him resting in bed with an ice pack to try to bring down the lump on his head.” Ben balefully gazed at his youngest son. “And do it quietly. He’s got one doozy of a headache thanks to you and your practical jokes.”
“Yes, Pa,” said the boy softly, and he trudged up the stairs as though walking the last mile to his execution.
What a great little story, so vividly depicted in so few words!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Daisy! This was a fun Brand challenge to write for. Best, Pat D. in PA
Great job! I read on in suspense, wondering will she, or won’t she? As a Joe fan, I love the twist at the end.
Oh, I’m so glad! Thanks so much for the kind words. 🙂 Pat D in PA
Nicely put together, with such a clever twist! You built the tension beautifully, then the pay-off is perfect.
Thank you so much. Truly, a fun story to craft, and Joe just whispered the whole thing in my ear… 🙂
Brilliant!
Thankee, kindly!
I had a totally different picture in my head….until the very end! Glad it wasn’t as I was originally thinking the story was about and I love that you could pull off a story twist like that in such a short piece!
Thank you so, so much! Really glad you liked it. It was fun to write!
I’m so glad your edits landed this story here for others to enjoy. You’ve handled the challenge masterfully with that many seconds for Joe to contemplate his doom. The ending was priceless. Well done.
🙂 Many thanks, Robin. It’s so funny; I rarely write Joe stories, and I think it’s because the few I’ve written, I actually didn’t… HE did! 🙂 LOL This one completely unfolded before me. Bless that fella’s heart… Many thanks again for your kind words, and for taking the time to comment. Happy Halloween!!!
You really built the tension with this one Pat! And then surprised us with that twist at the end! What a clever little story this is, and a wonderful look at what must truly have been an agonizing hour. Brava!
So glad you liked it, CareBear! As is always the case when Joe presents himself in my stories (not often!!), he writes himself. 🙂 And truly… it MUST have been an agonizing hour. 🙂 Many, many thanks for your kind words.
Absolutely love that last line! That would, indeed, be what it would feel like. Been there, done that! Well done. 😃
Thanks, Bonnie! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I felt for him, too.
Wow, you built that with amazing skill! I was holding my breath for most of those seconds! Wonderful story-telling!
Thank you so much for the kind words. Thanks so very much for taking the time to read and comment.
[edited]. This was a very serrious story. Thanks
I totally agree with your comments [that were edited], Hope ChinWah! Many, many thanks for your kind words!