
David looked at his watch. Ten past the hour. This was so unlike Marc to be late. You could literally set your watch by his punctuality.
A quarter after the hour and Marc was still a no show. David’s annoyance was turning into worry. He began to pace back and fourth outside his office. He went inside the building and asked his receptionist if she’d heard from Marc. “No,” she said. “Why do you ask?”
“He arrives every day at nine like clockwork,” David said. “It’s almost ten.”
“You forgot he’s on vacation this week, didn’t you?” she said.
(Exactly 99 words)
Written for Sammi Cox’s Weekend Writing Prompt, where the prompt is “clockwork” in exactly 99 words. Photo credit: Getty Images.