[ WP ] You buy a clock and soon notice that it sometimes counts down to zero before resuming normal function . One day , you learn what it keeps counting down to .

Oddly this newly designed digital clock I was soon to purchase had some of the strangest markings and art I've seen. It was authentic with the frame fashioned from wood, but still possessed electronic circuits inside for certain, or else it would n't work. 
 
 The wood was blood orange in colour stained with what looked like burn marks expressing various dark shades of brown. The markings also looked unearthly and historic, probably an imitation of Ancient Greece or Rome I thought. Oh how I was wrong. Mostly engraved in what looked like some form of literacy, I decided it was n't worth the time and effort to get it deciphered. 
 
 Attached the device into an electrical outlet nearest to my bed for obvious reasons and set the time. 21:20. Watching it intensively to ensure it was functioning properly. 
 
 21:19. 
 
 *What the hell? * 
 
 21:18 
 
 *It's counting backwards the stupid thing, whatever I'll fix it tomorrow* I thought. 
 
 Disoriented I awoke to find the clock fixated on the number 00:11, and judging by the glow escaping through the curtain gaps, I guessed it was at least 7AM. 
 
 00:10 
 
 It was at this moment that my mind decided to function on it's own. Not because of excitement, but because of fear. I could feel my heartbeat elevating with each descending number. 
 
 00:03 
 
 A terrible feeling in my stomach, I swallowed the lump in my throat. This ominous countdown could only mean one thing I thought, too late to my badluck. 
 
 *It's a bomb, fuck why did n't I take it seriously before, I'm dead. * I thought in a burst of confusing emotions, unable to contain my mentality. Unplugging the clock in a moments notice and throwing it at the wall, only to forcefully crush it under my foot. 
 
 *Ouch! * Not even a scratch on the thing, at least it was off though. 
 
 00:02 
 
 Upon seeing the clock return to life with no access to energy, another surge of emotions ran through me. However among the number of feelings I experienced, the one that rang more true than others. 
 
 Was despair. 
 
 Because it was my turn to be killed. 
 
 00:00 
 
 **Nothing. ** 
 
 I let out a sigh in relief, as my parasympathetic nervous system restored me back to a functional state however still paralyzed by the previous transpire of events. The fear I felt had n't completely disappeared at the back of my mind, for I found myself getting the markings deciphered the very next hour. 
 
 After discovering the origins of the language, I knew I had to do something. I'm not a big believer in fairy tales, but I wo n't deny I was n't phased by the marking's origin. Mayan. 
 
 I finally arrived at the location, could n't believe my luck, my friend had studied the Mayans in her degree. 
 
 `` Josh, welcome, come in please.'' 
 
 `` Thanks Sophie, I'm sorry for bringing you into this, but I'm a little afraid.'' 
 
 She let out a soft chuckle `` That's what I like about you, you remind me that if I was the weakest girl alive, I'd still be second last in the rankings.'' 
 
 `` You bitch.'' I said jokingly as we both shared a moment of laughter. 
 
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 `` Wow this thing is actually incredibly old, at least the markings are, I have no idea how it still manages to function.'' 
 
 `` It functioned by itself when I took it out of the outlet.'' 
 
 `` Freaky, maybe it just had a spare battery?'' 
 
 `` Huh, I had n't thought of that.'' I said embarrassingly as I recalled my earlier reaction. 
 
 `` Okay, Josh this is fucked up.'' 
 
 `` What's wrong?'' 
 
 `` I've done the translating: **This timer was created by Ah Puch, the God of Death. His powers were not limited to this world only. As he had domain of death over all worlds. Every time the numbers climb to zero, another world will die. **'' 
 
 `` What the fuck, this thing can destroy entire planets? This has to be a joke.'' 
 
 `` I-I'm afraid that's not it, only things.... World is likely referencing entire galaxies.'' 
 
 `` There's no way, to destroy an entire galaxy you'd need something like a gigantic black hole or supernova.'' 
 
 `` You're right, it could just be a trick or a myth Mayans believed in.'' 
 
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 Browsing reddit a couple months later, not uncommon. To tone down the stressful day, I opened a podcast for music. 
 
 Hit the all page, ready to see what new stories I had n't seen 6 hours ago had risen up. 
 
 *Here's one from this morning. * 
 
 
 *My heart dropped. * 
 
 
 **'' Scientists baffled by violent explosion near Milky Way's center, says will wipe out entire galaxy. `` ** 
 
 
 
 
 

