When The Clock Struck One

This is a story I wrote in 2009 some time.  My oldest sister wrote the last five sentences for a pretend ending for some school paper of my younger sister.  I stole them, and wrote this story based of of them.

When the Clock Struck One

By the one and only Melody Beerbower

            The clock struck one. One a.m. It was then that the Morris family remembered that they were to be evicted at two. Jumping out of bed and scrambling into his clothes, Norman rushed to wake his three children. He rapidly dressed his youngest child in all the clothes she had, the other children doing the same. His wife ran around in a frightened state packing, unpacking, repacking.

 Being irresponsible and headstrong, Norman was never able to keep a job, so here they were six months behind on the rent, hardly any food and little money to buy that necessity. And now in just half an hour they were going to lose their house. The minuets flew by like seconds. Norman called to his wife. The children were ready. They all gathered in a solemn group in the living room. He was about to speak, when a resounding knock was heard on the front door. Mrs. Morris almost screamed!

 Norman talked to her in a cool, reassuring voice. “Take the children out the back door and run to where we hid the wagon. I will stay here and stall them.”

“No! Come with us.” she implored in a low voice. Knock! Knock! Knock!  

“Open up!” a bumming voice cried, “Open up in the name of the king! I have orders to throw you out and arrest Norman till the debt is paid!”

“You know what,” Norman whispered to his frightened wife, “I think I’ll run with you now.”

Quietly they opened the backdoor and shut it again when everyone was out. They walked swiftly and quietly until they were out of sight of the house. Then picking up the youngest child they ran. They ran for what seemed like hours, but actually was only a few minutes. When they found the wagon they sped off at top speed.

Crossing the state border Norman thought their trouble was over.  But then something shining in the moon light loomed before them, a dark, rushing mysteriously wild thing that sparkled cruelly in the moon light. The hungry waters boiling, churning, foaming, looked like they wanted to swallow them alive. Norman pulled up short afraid to go on, not able to turn back. Just then he heard a cry. Not waiting to see if it was them or not, he urged the terrified horses forward into the raging current. He instantly regretted his decision. The infuriated waves beat the wagon back and forth.

Oh, the fear! Oh the terror! Disaster struck! The wagon tipped! They all fell into the ragging water and in one terrible second all were drowned never to be seen again by mortal eyes.

I realize people are not normally evicted at two in the morning, but it was just for a dramatic effect.  Also, why they did not pack sooner I don't know.