We Were Running Out Of Time Novels & Stories

“I know. We'll handle it. Two o'clock. Don't be late.” I put the phone away and headed to my dorm. The mask was in place. The story was ready. Everything was under control. But deep down, I knew the truth. We were running out of time.

She rubbed my back, trying to calm me down. Nothing worked. Everyone in the building gathered together with their laptops. We were launching at 12 p.m. I had to make sure every department head was here and ready. Later... It was now 11 a.m. We had exactly one hour left. I had some last-minute discussions with Tara about all the final locations where the product will be available and double-checking the correct number of units we are selling and more. Eventually 11:30 hit. 30 minutes left. I was growing impatient.

Midnight was hours away, but Claire felt as though they were already running out of time. And deep down, she knew this wasn’t over.

"Olivia, don't use tricks to gain our attention anymore, okay? Your father and I love you a lot. But if you persist with this behavior, we can't avoid disappointment." I bit my lip and nodded. Tears blurred my vision, but I could still see Lily's triumphant smile. Once the surgery was scheduled, they left. That night, as pain from the brain tumor tore through my body, I swallowed another bottle of painkillers. Meanwhile, Mom, Dad, and Ethan were with Lily, comforting her. They had found her the best surgeon to make sure everything went smoothly. On the third day, as Lily and I were wheeled into the operating room, I asked the one question that haunted me.

"I believe in you, Lucas. I believe in us." A piercing high-pitched ring on my phone breaks the silence. I look at it and my heart dropped as I scrolled through a fresh text message: "Time is running out. The reckoning starts at noon. Choose now, or lose everything." My breath hitches. I nod to Lucas, and his face closes up the instant afterward. "They're not giving us any time," he snarls between gritted teeth. "We have to move out—before they figure we're finished."

Time was slipping away, and the consequences of inaction loomed ominously. In that moment, the room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in on them as they grappled with the enormity of their friends' fate. The silence hung heavy, punctuated only by the sound of their racing hearts, each beat a reminder of the fleeting minutes that ticked away relentlessly.

, President Marques said, feeling powerless. “Now, every minute is crucial, and we're going to waste three days, seriously? The world is probably going to end because of their pettiness!”, Edward said angrily. “We have to do this now, we can't waste any more time.”, Liana added, after all, they were halfway through Walter Roberts' deadline. After breaking through the defense system, they still needed to figure out ways to deal with it, and they were running out of time, so they really couldn't afford to lose three days waiting.

We end the event like we always do by taking some pictures with us on stage in front of the crowd. I glance at my watch and announce, “Sorry everyone, but we have to cut the rest of this short. We have another place to go to and we must rush to get there on time. Next time, we promise to stay longer and provide more time with us. Thank you for understanding.”

I didn’t have time to ponder what I’d just done, I knew it would only be a matter of time before more showed up. Weather took off running again and not once did we look back.

“If you wouldn’t mind… when this is over… maybe redraw Penelope again. I destroyed the last one. Felt bad about it.” “I’d be happy to,” he said simply. I nearly laughed at how much that meant to me. “Thank you… for coming back.” The timer was already flashing 00:50 when Alex muttered, “We might have to run.” “I agree.” Somehow he managed to keep me upright as we made it to the final stairwell. Every cop, every guard was already outside, far back from the building. The sirens wailed louder now, the night filled with shouting. We broke through the door just as the timer hit zero.