I lay awake in bed, hoping, waiting, praying…

I am Alex Gregory. 20. A university freshman. 186cm tall, weighing 67KG. I have super powers. I have the power to stop time.

Jenny. My ex girlfriend ever since high school. First ever girl that I laid my eyes on, which is also sadly, the last. I remember her face so clearly, every single detail. The way her lips moved in such a civilized manner to get me out of her life. The blood shot eyes that screamed in anger. And the way her blond hairs stuck onto her wet cheeks. She said I was not enough for her. Then the lamp came flying at me.

It was over.

Ever since that day, I could not fall asleep. Jenny’s words invaded my mind all day long. I had insomnia. Staying awake in the middle of the night was a torture. Never knew that sleep was such a blessing. Other than that, I realized that I had an extra 8 hours everyday. An extra eight hours to read the books I couldn’t read before. An extra eight hours to do the things I haven’t had time for. That was the days when I took up a job. At a 24 hours Walmart. I give them my eight hours and they pay me. Cash back.

First day at work was dreadful. Time passed slowly. Silence bore into night. Boredom spread through the light. It was if time has stopped.

Tracey Turner. A cashier working for 3 years to make ends meet for her studies. Her secret to spending the night. “Don’t ever look at the clock” The more you peek, the slower time passes. Because of her golden rule, she never wears a watch to work. Ironically, she was never ever late.

Second night. Meet Greg and Brandon. They are a pair of clowns who thinks they are dare devils. With them, time zooms past as if it was never there. Much faster. Very much faster.

Third night. There was an incredible lot of customers. Time was still dreadful.

8PM

9PM

10PM

11PM

12PM

1AM

That’s it. Stop. And it did.

I walked down the rows of shelves. Time stopped. Everyone did, except me. Then I remembered the moments when time passed so quickly and wanted time to stop so badly so I could processed the information. When break time could stop forever. When the lamp Jenny threw stop halfway in the air. When I could stop the second before Jenny was upset with me. However it was of no use. If only I could stop time like a remote control. Rewind and play it again. If only there were second chances for life. Maybe I would not make mistakes. Maybe I would never get a broken heart.

It is a pity how time passes so fast. Too fast for you to admire beauty in this world. If time would freeze. Then I would see every detail in this world. As long as I want to. And when I snap my fingers again, time would flow again. All that passed, was just in one second.

My guilty pleasure. Stopping time.

I continued to walk through the aisle. Stopping at every face. Observing them. Drawing them into my mind. Then I came to her. Tracey Turner.

“Pretty eyes.” I commented and leaned in to steal a kiss. I like her.

Then she moved. Ran and never came back.

It has been a week since I last slept. Five days since I last saw Tracey. Incredible. She wasn’t affected by time. Her watch.

Pretty eyes. Really pretty eyes, so blue and wild. If only I could stop her.

Two weeks. It’s snowing outside. Beautiful. If only they wouldn’t melt when it touches your hand. I walked outside, onto the streets. I haven’t stopped time ever since the last time Tracey ran away. This time will do.

Snap. Time stopped.

Not really. Someone snapped a tree branch that was on the floor. It was Tracey.

I walked towards her.

“Why did you run away?”

She shrugged.

“Why did you come back?”

I shrugged.

“For pretty eyes that keep me  alive.”

Time stopped. We kissed under the suspended snow flakes.

-

Hi, I’m Alex Gregory. I don’t have insomnia. I don’t stop time now.

For I have that second forever.

Tracey pretty eyes.

-The end-