Here is my story for The 2018 Short Story Speed Writing Challenge, my first attempt at a challenge. Hope you guys like it.
Carter had his eyes closed, the only sound audible being his ragged breathing. He carefully shifted his position, now lying on his right side, in an effort to relieve pressure on his ribs. The Gestapo sure did not treat him with kid gloves.
Tick tock, tick tock.
He did not know how long they had him already. There was no window in his cell and the guards had taken his watch away when they threw him in here. But he knew one thing; with every passing second, death was fast approaching.
Tick tock, tick tock.
Carter could hear his life clock ticking in his mind, and it was getting louder and louder. The life clock was something his grandmother had told him about when he was still a little boy. The life clock was like a countdown, indicating the members of the Sioux tribe that their time was over. It was given to them by the Great Spirit so that they had a chance to die with their family and a shaman around, who would communicate with the Great Spirit, asking for a peaceful trip to heaven.
And now Carter heard his own life clock ticking, for the first time in his life. His friends had asked him once why he was never nervous before missions, and he answered, "Why should I be nervous when I know that everything will be alright?" When asked how he could know something like that, he only said that he knew. He was rewarded with sceptical looks and being called naïve, but Carter did not want to tell his friends about the life clock. It was something extremely sacred and personal to the Sioux, and he knew his friends, especially Newkirk and LeBeau, would only make fun of him. He knew they meant no harm, but he wanted to avoid the teasing he had to endure when they had found out that he was part Sioux.
Tick tock, tick tock.
Again, he heard the ticking, this time even louder than before. Carter started to slightly panic, his breathing getting faster. He was immediately rewarded with a striking pain shooting from his ribs through his body. He groaned and squinted in the dark room as he tried to calm himself down. The louder his life clock was ticking, the closer he was to death. As he was raising his left arm to his head to stretch his body and ease the pain, he felt his fear being mixed with a wave of rising anger. Why didn't his life clock warn him of this meeting with the underground? Had there been a faint ticking when he prepared for the mission, he would not have gone to the meeting and with that probably saved his life.
Tick tock, tick tock.
Carter desperately wished for his friends to come and save him, but his life clock showed him that there was not much time left for a rescue. He knew that his friends would do everything in their power to free him; however, sometimes doing everything in one's power is not enough. That was another lesson his grandmother had taught him. There are certain things beyond our control and we can't always understand the Great Spirit's will. And everything, even the bad things, happen for a reason; we just can't always see the underlying reason at first. But according to his grandmother, you will eventually be enlightened if you stay open-hearted and bear no rage in it.
Tick tock, tick tock.
Carter shifted again on the small cot, feeling droplets of sweat slowly running down his temples. He tried to sit up, but his ribs were hurting tremendously, and he could not prop himself up on his right hand since his wrist or lower arm was surely broken, judging from the pain he felt if putting weight on it. After minutes of struggling, Carter finally managed to get himself into a sitting position, immediately leaning against the wall to let his body relax. He took a few deep breaths, as deep as his broken ribs allowed, before he set to work on taking off his civilian jacket, always making sure to not hurt his right arm any further. When he succeeded in getting off his jacket, he made a makeshift sling to support his arm which was a bit tricky with only one functionating arm. Thank God his father made him help their neighbourhood doctor during summer holidays! With a sling around his neck, he closed his eyes and began to pray to the Great Spirit.
Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the wind, whose breath gives life to all the world.
Hear me; I need your strength and wisdom.
Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people.
Help me to remain calm and strong in the face of all that comes towards me.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
Help me seek pure thoughts and act with the intention of helping others.
Help me find compassion without empathy overwhelming me.
I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy, Myself.
Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.
So when life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.
Tick tock, tick tock.
Carter was drifting in and out of consciousness, so he did not react upon the shaking he felt. Either it was a Gestapo guard trying to figure out if he was dead or up to another round of interrogation, which was something he did not want to endure again, or it was on of his delirious phantasies, which were like a safe-haven for him. But the shaking grew more and more persistent, now accompanied by a tapping on his cheek. This was something Carter did not like at all, because the tapping was hurting his already bruised cheek even more. So he began to move and tried to fight the tapping hand off, which resulted in a, "Gov'nor, 'e's alive!"
Carter recognized the voice with the distinctive cockney accent instantly. He tried to open his eyes, and with all the strength he could muster, he managed to open them. The first thing he saw was Newkirk's worried face. His friends made it! They came to his rescue!
Tick tock, tick tock.
He cringed and covered his ears with his hands, his face tightening in pain. The ticking of his life clock was unbearable for him, the intensity of the loudness almost tearing his eardrums. Maybe it was too late after all. Carter felt Newkirk's hand on his shoulder and his warm breath at his ear. "Don't worry, Andrew. We'll get ya back to camp and everythin' will be alright. Just 'an' on."
Carter merely nodded and next he felt Newkirk's hands slipping under his body and gently lifting him up. A low moan escaped his lips as he nestled his head against Newkirk's broad shoulder, feeling the scratchy material of the SS-coat at his cheek. He was slowly drifting back into unconsciousness, accompanied by the loud and steady ticking of his life clock.
Tick tock, tick tock.
When he woke up again, Carter did not know where he was at first. The light was blinding him and so he tried to raise his arm to block out the light. But he could not get his arm to move, his whole body pounding and aching. He groaned with pain, and immediately he felt a hand on shoulder. "Don't move. Wilson said yer body needs to rest." As he heard the soothing voice of his best friend, a realization hit him which made Carter smile slightly, much to Newkirk's bewilderment.
The ticking had stopped.
The prayer Carter says is an actual Sioux prayer, called "The Great Spirit Prayer". If he says it in Lakota or English is up to your imagination ;)