The Time He Had Left

For his tenth birthday Daniel Mercer is given a plain grey watch counting down years, days and seconds, and told that this is all the time he has left.

Wristwatch

On Daniel Mercer’s tenth birthday, his father gave him a watch.

It came in a small black box with no ribbon, no card, and no bright paper to tear apart. Compared with the other presents waiting on the kitchen table—a football, a model airplane, and a new winter coat—it looked strangely dull.

Daniel lifted the lid.

Inside was an ordinary grey plastic wristwatch. Its square face displayed a row of glowing numbers.

**68 years, 147 days, 06 hours, 22 minutes, 11 seconds.**

The final number changed to ten.

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Quick answers about The Time He Had Left

What is The Time He Had Left about?

For his tenth birthday Daniel Mercer is given a plain grey watch counting down years, days and seconds, and told that this is all the time he has left.

Is The Time He Had Left free to read?

Yes. Every story on RapidTale is free to read in the browser, with no sign-up and nothing to install.

How long does it take to read?

This story runs 1 chapter — most readers finish in one sitting, and you can stop and return to any chapter using the contents list.

Who wrote it?

Nimra Khan — original fiction published on RapidTale.