keith's ramblings

'
This weeks prompt on Sunday Scribblings is Tattoo, and it fits in perfectly with part three of my story Tick Tock. You may read it as a stand-alone piece, but it would be better enjoyed if read after the first two parts which you can find directly below this post.
.

The next morning Mitch stood a way back from the crowd which looked in shocked amazement at the smouldering remains of his house. All that stood were the four walls. Blackened timbers stuck out here and there like giant children's pic-a-sticks and shards of glass covered the garden glinting in the sun.

The fire officers had done all they could. They’d worked all night bringing the inferno under control and were packing away their hoses and equipment. Suddenly someone shouted for everyone to be silent. ‘Something’s ticking' she yelled. ‘Listen’

There was indeed a loud ticking coming from within the crippled structure. A strange echoing sound. Tick tock tick tock it went. It sounded artificial as if it were being amplified. ‘It’s a bomb' shouted an elderly gentleman as he turned and started a rapid retreat. The others followed him. The fire officers went into a huddle then one of them took a few cautious steps toward the house.

Mitch ran forward. ‘Don’t worry ‘he shouted ‘it’s just an old clock. It is, I promise you’.

But the officers carried on as if he wasn’t there. One was having a conversation on his cell phone. Mitch heard the word bomb, and again he tried to assure the firemen that there was nothing to worry about. But they ignored him. They didn’t even acknowledge him.

‘I should know it’s my house’ yelled Mitch. ‘It’s my clock’. But still they ignored his pleas.

The instruction came for everyone to stand well back. Mitch however remained where he was un noticed.

The explosion was enormous. Windows in houses the length of the road were blown in. Squawking birds spiralled up into the sky as the trees shook and the ground shuddered. Mitch just stood there, unmoved, unshaken.

The army arrived soon after. A search of the remains gave no reason to suspect that another explosion was likely.

Suddenly a soldier shouted ‘There’s someone under here, look, I can see an arm just below these bricks’. They started throwing the bricks away from the scene and there it was, exposed for all to see. An arm which would hopefully be attached to a body. It was clearly the arm of a man, and on the arm was a tattoo in the form of a snake.

As Mitch looked on a feeling of terror rushed though his body. He pulled up his sleeve and stared at his shaking arm for on his arm was a tattoo of a slithering snake.

And then once again he heard that awful haunting sound. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.