Apocalyptic Prompt--Castle
Title: Tick Tock Castle
Fandom: Castle
How Does the World End?: Time Travel Disaster
What Do the Characters Do? Seek a Cure/Fix
Word Count: 625
"What the...." Castle sat up on the concrete floor, groggily wiping his forehead and looking around. With an initial gut-punch of fear, followed by a sigh of relief, followed by another clench of fear, he saw three figures around him slowly sitting up then quickly standing at alert, guns drawn. Okay, they might be in trouble, but at least he had able protection in the forms of Beckett, Espo, and Ryan, and they were still armed, so they hadn't been taken captive, unless it was by some extremely hapless kidnappers, in which case they still had the upper hand, so back to relief, except how did they end up on the ground, and where the hell were they, and...
"I'll check the hall, you two head back there," barked out Beckett, ranging toward the large doors while gesturing behind her with her head toward a huge pile of what looked like machinery covered with industrial blankets. "Castle, you okay?" as she passed by him, gun still drawn. "Uh, yeah, fine, fine," said Castle as he scrambled to his feet and patted himself down just to be sure.
Beckett, Espo and Ryan completed their sweep and rejoined Castle, who was trying to get a signal on his mobile phone. "Now what the hell happened, what do you all remember?" asked Beckett, as the three holstered their weapons and looked a bit more relaxed, but still wary. "Dunno, last I remember we were--" Ryan squinted up at the ceiling--a high ceiling, some kind of empty warehouse--"checking out a lead for that...."
"Disappearance. Dude disappeared, Tom Forrester." Espo snapped his fingers. "Last seen in the vicinity of the Terminal Warehouse, Chelsea. With reports of a weird glow coming from the building at odd hours."
"Well something happened, but let's get out of here, reconnoiter," said Beckett, leading them out. As she flung the door open, she suddenly froze, causing Castle, still poking at his phone, to run into her from behind. Now it was her turn to say "What the..." as the others peered around her shoulder and likewise froze in shock.
In front of them was a bizarre scene. Horses pulled wagons piled with crates, as men in shirtsleeves and suspenders urged them along. Two trolleys clanged loudly and clattered down the cobblestone street. Several women stood on the corner in long dresses and wide-brimmed hats. The three detectives retreated slowly back into the building, hands on holsters, while Castle nipped out, took a quick look over the door, then scooted back in as Beckett slammed the door shut. "What the..." said Espo hoarsely, as the four looked at each other in shock. Castle's jaw worked then his eyes lit up. "I know!" The other three turned to look at him, still to shocked to protest at his customary surety. "The disappearance! The glow! The sign above the door--'The Tick-Tock Company, Ltd.' When we busted in here earlier? We entered....a Time Machine!" He waved his phone, totally dead, as emphasis.
For once, his idea wasn't met with scorn. Beckett's lips moved and her eyes darted, but no words emerged. Espo looked terrified, and Ryan reared back, then said, "Dammit! And Jennie and I have dinner plans!'
Beckett pressed her lips together, took a deep breath and said, with determination, "Okay, whatever the crazy explanation, how in the heck are we going to get home? We can't go back out there--" gesturing toward the door, "Not dressed like this." She looked with dismay at her jeans and high-heeled boots.
Pocketing his phone, Castle rubbed his hands together. "May I suggest we start--over there?" he said, gesturing toward the blanket-covered machinery. Shaking their heads, the others followed him to what they could only pray was their way back home.
Fandom: Castle
How Does the World End?: Time Travel Disaster
What Do the Characters Do? Seek a Cure/Fix
Word Count: 625
"What the...." Castle sat up on the concrete floor, groggily wiping his forehead and looking around. With an initial gut-punch of fear, followed by a sigh of relief, followed by another clench of fear, he saw three figures around him slowly sitting up then quickly standing at alert, guns drawn. Okay, they might be in trouble, but at least he had able protection in the forms of Beckett, Espo, and Ryan, and they were still armed, so they hadn't been taken captive, unless it was by some extremely hapless kidnappers, in which case they still had the upper hand, so back to relief, except how did they end up on the ground, and where the hell were they, and...
"I'll check the hall, you two head back there," barked out Beckett, ranging toward the large doors while gesturing behind her with her head toward a huge pile of what looked like machinery covered with industrial blankets. "Castle, you okay?" as she passed by him, gun still drawn. "Uh, yeah, fine, fine," said Castle as he scrambled to his feet and patted himself down just to be sure.
Beckett, Espo and Ryan completed their sweep and rejoined Castle, who was trying to get a signal on his mobile phone. "Now what the hell happened, what do you all remember?" asked Beckett, as the three holstered their weapons and looked a bit more relaxed, but still wary. "Dunno, last I remember we were--" Ryan squinted up at the ceiling--a high ceiling, some kind of empty warehouse--"checking out a lead for that...."
"Disappearance. Dude disappeared, Tom Forrester." Espo snapped his fingers. "Last seen in the vicinity of the Terminal Warehouse, Chelsea. With reports of a weird glow coming from the building at odd hours."
"Well something happened, but let's get out of here, reconnoiter," said Beckett, leading them out. As she flung the door open, she suddenly froze, causing Castle, still poking at his phone, to run into her from behind. Now it was her turn to say "What the..." as the others peered around her shoulder and likewise froze in shock.
In front of them was a bizarre scene. Horses pulled wagons piled with crates, as men in shirtsleeves and suspenders urged them along. Two trolleys clanged loudly and clattered down the cobblestone street. Several women stood on the corner in long dresses and wide-brimmed hats. The three detectives retreated slowly back into the building, hands on holsters, while Castle nipped out, took a quick look over the door, then scooted back in as Beckett slammed the door shut. "What the..." said Espo hoarsely, as the four looked at each other in shock. Castle's jaw worked then his eyes lit up. "I know!" The other three turned to look at him, still to shocked to protest at his customary surety. "The disappearance! The glow! The sign above the door--'The Tick-Tock Company, Ltd.' When we busted in here earlier? We entered....a Time Machine!" He waved his phone, totally dead, as emphasis.
For once, his idea wasn't met with scorn. Beckett's lips moved and her eyes darted, but no words emerged. Espo looked terrified, and Ryan reared back, then said, "Dammit! And Jennie and I have dinner plans!'
Beckett pressed her lips together, took a deep breath and said, with determination, "Okay, whatever the crazy explanation, how in the heck are we going to get home? We can't go back out there--" gesturing toward the door, "Not dressed like this." She looked with dismay at her jeans and high-heeled boots.
Pocketing his phone, Castle rubbed his hands together. "May I suggest we start--over there?" he said, gesturing toward the blanket-covered machinery. Shaking their heads, the others followed him to what they could only pray was their way back home.