It had been a terrible photo.
Charlie was Camera happy-point, shoot and shake. Polaroids were bloody fantastic that way-shame that in his excitement he accidentally ruined most of the photos he snapped.
"I like this one." Knox had lifted a damaged one off the dead leaves that blanketed the dry cave floor. From where Todd was sitting, it looked like a mass of a discolored brown blur-disappointing-and continued shuffling through the others that lay scattered across the ground. "Have a look Neil." Knox's arm stretched out to Neil who in turn accepted it lazily.
"Todd," The blonde's attention snapped to his name, "C'mere, have a look at this." Neil stared at the square in his hand a flick of his head beckoned his friend over to his side.
"It's ruined." Todd sniffed dubiously, he was aware of the chuckled hiss that escaped from Neil's mouth and the swish of his hair as he shook his head.
"No, here, look…"
And Todd did, accepting the square between his fingers as he tried to ignore the eyesores of the under developed and damaged brown clouds.
Between the ugly smudges there were two people, both Neil and Todd-laughing. Neil's hand was on Todd's shoulder, a comfortable gesture. The only other object that could be made out in the disaster of a picture was the faint outline of the curving road on which they stood, a faint outline of grass, trees, littering leaves, the faded stone of the building next to them but what stood out clearly was Welton's intimidating clock in the background. 11:15 it announced.
"I like it, actually…" Todd turned the picture in his hands, examining Neil's frozen smile.
"I knew you would. See, All you had to do was look, give it a second chance."
Now that picture of friend and time was all that Todd had left of his best friend. It seemed like an ominous omen now rather than a simple picture.
Todd cursed himself for not seeing it, there must have been foreshadowing-damnit Neil! Why didn't you ever take your own advice?! You're a bastard, Neil…I miss you so much it hurts. Why didn't you tell me?
I could've saved you…
And that's the last thought in Todd's mind as he silently stares at the preserved memory, the square omen, in his hand and he quietly shuts the wooden door.
Click.
