It’s not at all a surprise to me that I’m posting a drabble at 11:25 PM and that drabble is about how there never seems to be enough time for anything. I spent three hours doing ten dollars’ worth of work today. I spend a lot of time planning work I will do for free. I don’t regret it.

I’m at a place in my work where I feel like I’m wearing too-tight pants. I have things I want to do. I want to grow and learn and grow some more, but there’s something holding me back. Maybe it’s lack of experience, maybe it’s lack of time, maybe it’s fear. It’s probably fear.

I doubt I’ll ever be fearless, but there is something I can do. I can ignore fear and keep submitting job applications and short stories and articles anywhere I can think to shove them. I have passion, I have a work ethic, and, in time, I hope I’ll have enough skill to get by as well. If I can’t have skill, at the very least I’ll have a few jobs under my belt willing to say that I am worth the time and effort, if only because you know you’ll get your work on time and with minimal fuss.

Anyway, here’s a drabble.

CHRONOSTASIS

(Noun: From Greek chrónos for time and stásis for standing)

An illusion in which quick-eye movement creates the appearance of being suspended for a moment in time.

It only works for a second at a time, but enough seconds put together make minutes, hours, days.

She discovered the power by accident. A long second on a clock was time she stole for herself to spend later at her leisure. It took time to perfect, but soon she ferreted away time borrowed from long afternoons in class or waiting for something to happen.

She remembers long summer days and day-long nights spent hovered over coursework. She wonders if the grades were worth it as she holds her sister’s hand and stares at the clock, counting, counting, counting.