Thief of Time - Uncertain

The clock glowed in the middle of the floor, painful to look at.

But he stared nevertheless. 'It's ... it's just as I imagined it,' he said. 'It's the way to-'

'Don't go near it,' said Susan. 'It's uncertain death, believe me. Do pay attention.'

Lobsang blinked. The last couple of thoughts didn't seem to have belonged to him.

'What did you say?'

'I said it's uncertain death.'

'Is that worse than certain death?'

'Much. Watch.' Susan picked up a hammer that was lying on the floor and poked it gently towards the clock. It vibrated in her hand when she brought it closer, and she swore under her breath as it was dragged from her fingers and vanished. Just before it did there was a brief, contracting ring around the clock that might have been something like a hammer would be if you rolled it very flat and bent it into a circle.

'Have you any idea why that happened?' she said.

'No.'

'Nor have I. Now imagine that you were the hammer. Uncertain death, see?'

***

The Thief of Time - p244