The Timemonger
“Well, Luce?”
“I was thinking, Grim, I have an idea for a little business transaction.”
“I’m always game for something... What is it?”
* * *
I don’t know quite how it got to this point, but I had committed. At least, thus far, I had committed. Now that it got down to the final strokes, I became burdened by some doubts. I wanted of course to go through with the purchase, if you could call it that. Acquisition. It was afterall a great deal. That was just it. It was a great deal, as maybe, too good to be real.
You see the offer was that I could have [*redacted] simply in exchange for “a moment.”
“Yes, a moment of your Time.”
“But, could you be more specific,” I implored, mentally already on board, but: “I’d like to know how long is a moment.”
“As long as you please. Haven’t you given quite a bit of your Time now?”
“Yes, but...”
“Well, what’s a moment, more or less... you will give only as much as you can, and are willing. That is the agreement. We have a portfolio of successful clients,” as he had shown readily before, in slides and video testimonials.
That seemed to put the matter in my hands resoundly. So I went ahead with the paperwork, making sure that in fact, in the fine print, it accurately said that the Contractee will be held liable only to the amount of Time he or she is able and willing to expend. A voluntary contribution, if you will.
Understand, I wanted nothing more than to expend the least amount possible; And having persuaded myself that the deal was in my favor, I scrawled my name.
* * *
It was the death of him, gentleman. No sooner had he entered the deal, than it began to consume him. Night and day. I saw it with my own eyes. Whatever he had left of friends or relations dissipated. He had previously been a bit reserved, but now became increasingly withdrawn. I had been with the manor for decades, with stalwart recommendations and dedicated service. He shut his curtains and doors and avoided my eyes in the halls. Thereafter he forbade me to clean in his office. Soon, the entire second floor was verboten. Until finally, he dismissed me without cause or notice.
“That will be all.”
“But Sir who will attend to the house?”
“Never you mind, it is my concern now,” and he gave me my final pay and an unexpected bonus besides.
That was the last I saw of him. As you can see, the estate is overgrown now and the entry way is entirely barred. I don’t know what’s left of him. There was something weighing on his conscious, and I don’t know what it was.
By all accounts he was a successful businessman.
* * *
08.09.2020
The Timemonger challenge @Last