Flash Fiction: Sands of Life

The old man sat on the beach. Waves caressed his feet as he reflected on his mortality. The sands in his hourglass pulled by the gravity of life hitting the bottom, grain by grain. His life force clung to the handful of specs waiting to travel. 

Will they be better off without me? I should have been a better father, a less grumpy grandfather. Worked less. Status means nothing. If only I could turn back time! 

His body cracked as he rearranged himself. Hands, now skin and bone, gripped the beach sand. Grains escaped and return to the shore.

Why can’t I be as timeless as the ocean?

The presence of Death dominated around the corners of the aged man’s mind. 

What will become of me? Worm meat? Ash? Nothing?

A bony hand grabbed his shoulder.

“It’s time.”

Death pulled the old man’s soul out of his heavy body. Youth restored. Freedom. The wrinkled shell slumped on the bench. His hourglass flipped and sand cascaded once more. A new journey began.

~*~

Story Background

I found this story in my archives and decided to breathe life into the tale with an edit. Amazing how our style of writing changes over time. The magic is in the editing. The story feels like it bookends my last story, Mr Sandman Bring Me a Dream.

The story was inspired by the following prompts:

• The old man was sitting on the beach
• Sink
• Add a character who suddenly goes crazy
• Add a character who is in hiding