The Dancing Janus Clock
Microfiction on Looking Forward, and Looking Back
This is for Mikeydred’s January Prompt.
Stay in the present.- Michelle Liew
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Evelyn, a trained jazz dancer, grooved into an antique shop wearing flashy neon sneakers and her signature leopard print coat. She wasn't hunting antiques - she wanted trouble. And it came in the form of a Janus clock - one face looking forward, and the other looking back like a broken jazz record.
When she wound it, the laughter of her best friend from her childhood bubbled from the rearward face, warm and inviting. The forward face tempted: "But a standing ovation awaits, you, Evelyn." Intrigued, she wound it as hard as she could. Her visions mingled with memories - her dancing scores and untapped potential.
But the clock still ticked. The past yanked her leopard coat, while her future dance accolades tugged at her tap-dance shoes. She grabbed the clock and threw it in her bag. "You can't mess with me," she muttered. If time wanted to have fun with her, it had another think coming.
Evelyn's choice was clear - the present was her stage, and she enjoyed every jazzy step she took on it.
About the Creator
Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin
Hi, i am an English Language teacher cum freelance writer with a taste for pets, prose and poetry. When I'm not writing my heart out, I'm playing with my three dogs, Zorra, Cloudy and Snowball.
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Comments (6)
Intriguing tale… quite a choice to make 🥹.
That line about “dancing scores and untapped potential” really intrigued me
Great concept and wonderful story
If time wanted to have fun with her, it had another think coming.: This line was so funny !!!
I've never heard of a Janus clock before. So fascinating!
Oh, this was a jazzy little treat! Evelyn, with her neon kicks and bold vibes, totally bossed that Janus clock. Time tried to mess with her, but she said, "Nope, the present's my dance floor!" Loved the energy and sass—so fun!