A/N: Hey! Go check out @Lord_Assassin_Writer's book of writing prompts! It's where I got the idea for this story. ^_^

It was as if she were a clock in the way Morana stuck to her schedule.

Tick.

She woke up at six and ate a plain bagel with nothing on it - not even butter - with a glass of orange juice for breakfast.

Tock.

After that, Inesa had to force her to brush her teeth. "But my teeth need to learn how to clean themselves!" she would say. "I can't baby them forever." Then Inesa would chip in with something like, "What kind of roommate would I be if I let your teeth go rotten?"

Tick.

By then, it would be eight, and Morana would skip out the door with a smile and goodbye. Five minutes later, Inesa would follow.

Tick.

After that, Inesa didn't know what Morana did. She, herself, went to a local accounting firm and crunched numbers. She was curious, sure, but in the end, it didn't matter. Her job was how they could keep their apartment, despite the steadily increasing rent prices. Because seriously, what was it doing, climbing a mountain?

Tock.

Inesa would go to the library once her work let out. Se would read, checkout, and return books as she pleased, losing herself in their imaginary worlds to the sound of the library's clock tick-tick-ticking.

Tick.

Dinner provided itself as takeout. Chinese, Italian, American, Inesa didn't care. She'd shoot Morana a text - the only time they communicated when not face-to-face - and let her decide. Inesa picked up the food and brought it home. She would eat at seven and leave the rest for Morana for when she came home.

Tock.

In an amazing twist of irony, Morana would always walk through the door when Inesa was brushing her teeth. Nine-o'clock. When she was done, she would spit out her toothpaste and meet her friend and roommate in the kitchen. Morana would say nothing of what her day was like. Inesa didn't care. She was content with spilling her heart out while Morana ate.

Tick.

At bedtime, Morana would again try to get out of practicing proper dental hygiene. "Who needs teeth anyway?" And again, Inesa would convince her to take two minutes to take care of her teeth. "You if you want to eat tomorrow."

Tock.

None of that mattered now. Morana was bleeding in Inesa's arms. She was dying.

Tick.

She didn't arrive when Inesa was brushing her teeth.

Tock.

She wasn't sitting at the table when Inesa came out to check.

Tick.

She wasn't ready to listen as Inesa talked and gossiped and gushed.

Tock.

She didn't eat the takeout - Greek - Inesa waited in a ten minutes line to get.

Tick.

She was gone.

Tock.

It didn't take long to find her. Morana lay collapsed a mere yard from their front door, blooding seeping through her hands, clutching at the spot above her heart.

Tick.

Morana gasped when she spotted Inesa at the door. She hissed in pain when Inesa tried to apply pressure to the wound. She squeezed Inesa's hand. Comfort. She was dying. Dead. It was too late.

Tock.

And now Inesa listened. Listened to the body that reminded her so much of the clock at the library.

Thump, thump, thump.

Tick, tick, tick.

Thump.

Tick.

Broken.

Dead.

Gone.