Hourglass

He didn’t know whether to stay in or go out. Outside did not look good, it was like a dark rain, but he couldn’t be bothered to go to the window. He had a cup of tea and the television was on, full of infotainment and infoverts, which was enough to keep his braid occupied.

He turned the hourglass over and he watched the sand slowly drain through the narrow neck and start hitting the glass bottom. When the sand stopped flowing he would go to the door, see what was happening outside and maybe take a short walk.

Til then he watched the grains of sand hit the bottom of the hourglass like dry rain. It was unusual, in that there was a small house in either side of the hourglass as one was revealed the other was buried. He couldn't count the grains of sand, and once they were all in the bottom half, burying the cottage, he would decide what to do.

He became lost in the mindless noise of the television, sipping his tea and then getting up and getting some biscuits while the rain came down outside. Then sitting down watching the sand dripping through the hourglass wondering would he go outside or stay in like he usually did.

He was not very sociable and could not remember the last person whom he had a conversation with, but it didn't bother him because he had his television and that was all that he needed for company.

He had nowhere to go, and no reason to go out but boredom was getting to him, so maybe a walk to the park and chat with some of the people there might be a good diversion for the afternoon.

The long adverts on the television were trying to sell him things that nobody needed or wanted, and it was at times like these he believed he had made the right decision to be computerless and phoneless. He had his privacy and no one could contact him unless they came to his door.

The hourglass was finished and the bottom cottage buried and he decided he would go out, so he picked up an umbrella and coat.

He walked to the door and opened it, but his path was gone, all he could see was sand. He looked up, and he saw that it wasn't rain that was falling but sand in a steady stream hitting his cottage roof, and then further to the ground.

He saw that the sky was not blue but a shiny clear glass, but he could see no further.

He realised that somehow he was somewhere he shouldn't be, somewhere he couldn't be. He and his cottage were in a giant hourglass, a giant replica of the one that had run out and helped him decide to open the door and go outside.

He realised that if the sand kept falling he would be buried alive and there was no way out.