I remember it like it was yesterday – the clock stopped at quarter til the hour.
I was on an outbound train going where I couldn’t remember
That was the crazy part – no one remembered what they were supposed to do next.
Looking back I’m not sure if we stopped when time stopped or if a frozen state ensued from not knowing what to do when time stood still.
Some people stood as if in denial.
I think they were willing time to do something different.
Others, I am sure, were afraid to move as if the clock would crack and the “sameness” of life with it.
My life course changed profoundly that night.
I was bound for University. You know settle into a routine, surrounded by fellow students and books, go the requisite number of parties and games.
Each student predictably going the same general direction that was pre-ordained for us by our professors.
For me, at the moment when time stood still, something clicked like the second hand of life rebelled.
I grabbed up my things and started walking. There were a few others who independently decided to do the same thing.
We walked into the night and haven’t stopped. A few people with the same mindset have joined us along the way.
It’s curious, even after years, we notice in every town we come to there is a group of people staring at a clock with the large hand on the 9.
Today’s Daily Post (writing) prompt: For a moment today, time stands still — but you can tweak one thing while it’s stopped. What do you do?
And the photo prompt: Stillness
I guess my tweak was to break the rules when the time stopped and write a short sci-fi interpretation of the prompt.
Here you will find excellent responses to today’s prompt:
- Tomorrow | shame
- Donna has the doggy zoomies | We Live In A Flat
- The Calm Before The Storm | The Magic Black Book
- My Yahoo! Updated but I can’t switch back if it’s not for me | DCMontreal
- All sort of radio signals piercing human body | Inside My Glitching Mind
- Daily Prompts – Stand Still | Lux
- Waters with a Taste of Mountains. | The Life NomadikThe Life Nomadik
- Daily Prompt: Stillness | Charles Ray’s Ramblings
- A Hat Full Of Light. | The Ambitious Drifter
- Daily Prompt: Standstill « Mama Bear Musings
- 12 April 1982: Daily Prompt | alienorajt
- White Pine (Stillness) | photo potpourri
- The stillness is here. The silence is ringing in my ears. | mostlytrueramblings
- Wibble Wobble Timey Wimey stuff « RPMAS
- Stillness | Motherhood and Beyond
- Daily Prompt: Standstill 24|9 | Family, Photos, Food & Craft
- When I Think of 2… | gorgeous little thieves
- ✾⌚-if time stood still-⌚✾ | mët•aRVhëë•n✪ia
- I Wish I Were… | Hotel Goddess
- Barefoot In The Park | Just Visiting This Planet
- Standstill | Kate Murray
- Daily prompt: Stillness | Life as a country bumpkin…not a city girl
- Chad Ties-Up Time (short fiction) | The Jittery Goat
- Escape [Daily Prompt: Standstill] | unknowinglee
- Stillness | Travel with Intent
- Stillness | The Rider
- Daily Prompt; Standstill | terry1954
- Standstill | It’s My Box
- Daily Prompt: Standstill, stay alive | littlegirlstory
- Kids Ears Clogged? | Parents Are People Too
- Daily Prompt: Standstill – A Deep Stillness | SERENDIPITY
- One Tiny Change | Tony’s Texts
- Before The Storm Breaks | Flowers and Breezes
- Freeze Frame | Cowgirl Up!
- In the still of the night | Random Encounters of an Inquisitive Mind
- “Stillness” | Relax
- I Miss Home | Eikons
- In the future, don’t stash your freeze ray with me | sayanything
- Time Stands Still | Kansa Muse on Micro Farming and More
- Bloom and Wither | The Gallas Daily News
- Standstill. | A Ripple In Culture
- Daily Prompt – Short story: Standstill | I Hope You’re Taking Notes
- Stillness | Lori’s Life and Other Stuff
- Stand Still, O Beautiful End | crookedeyebrows
- Still… | Haiku By Ku
- S. Thomas Summers | Daily Prompt: Stand Still
- Stillness, Joshua Tree | The RunningFather Blog
- Still standing | Le Drake Noir
- A nice chat | Life is great
- It’s a Pterodactyl! – Daily Prompt: Time Stands Still, Sunday Stills and Cee’s Black and White Photo Challenge: Animal’s | Babsje Heron
- Standstill | The Nameless One
- Daily Prompt: Standstill | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss
- To Tweak or Not to Tweak: That is the Question | Iam Who Iam
- Daily Prompt: Standstill | Jasper Smits
- A Moment of Peace | the curious traveler
- Stillness is Wasting time | ayimas
- Daily Post: Stillness | Finding Magic
- Stillness | Chatoyancy Underground
- One Last Salam | mardmood
- road curves | Her Broken Nibs
- Daily Prompt: Standstill | Let There be Peace on Earth
- Stillness | Daily Observations
- Daily Prompt: Standstill | The Land Slide Photography
- I don’t like Tuesdays, but if I had to have a slightly longer one… | thoughtsofrkh
- Time Is Just An Illusion! | The Political and Social Chaos Blog
- The Tweak Fairy | JC Bride ~
- One Starving Activist
- Daily Prompt: Sit Stay! The Gift of Stillness | Slam on the Brakes, Pull Over, Take the Picture
- Bye bye Bashar | djgarcia94
- The Otter in my Jotter
- If time stands still. | prettypinkpebbles
- Daily Prompt- Stand Still | jansideas
- NOBODY MOVE! ~ I’ve Dropped Me Brain… | Random Thoughts Of A Mad Music Fan
- The loud Silence | tokʞaali’s blog/site/ɹǝʌǝʇɐɥʍ