Chapter 2: The Secret Inside the Clock
The ticking clock at the center of the shop seemed to pulse like a heartbeat. Mara's eyes couldn't leave it, drawn by the steady rhythm that felt almost alive. Elias watched her quietly, as if waiting for the right moment to speak again.
"Why me?" Mara finally asked. "Why do you say this clock... and this shop... are connected to my destiny?"
Elias smiled softly. "Because, Mara, you have something rare—a gift with time. Most people don't notice it, but you do. That's why this clock called you here."
Mara shook her head in disbelief. "I don't have any special gift. I'm just a regular girl."
"Maybe you don't realize it yet," Elias said, stepping closer. "Have you ever felt time... slow down or speed up around you? Moments when everything freezes or rushes, but no one else seems to notice?"
She thought hard. There were times she'd daydreamed in class, and the bell seemed to ring late. Or when she felt nervous, and the seconds stretched endlessly. "Maybe," she whispered.
Elias nodded. "This clock measures the balance of time in our world. Right now, that balance is tipping, and if it breaks, Elmridge will be trapped in a time loop—repeating the same day forever."
Mara's heart pounded. "A time loop? Like a nightmare?"
"Exactly. And only someone who can sense time differently can fix it."
Elias reached under the counter and pulled out an ancient key, its metal warm in Mara's hand. "This key opens the back of the clock. Inside is a world unlike anything you've ever seen. You need to enter and find the source of the disturbance."
"Me? Go inside the clock?" Mara's voice trembled.
"Yes. And I will guide you, but the journey will be yours to face."
A deep chime rang out, echoing through the shop, as the clock's hands spun rapidly, slowing to stop at midnight. The door behind the clock creaked open, revealing a swirling portal of shimmering light.
Mara took a deep breath, her fear mixed with excitement. This was the adventure she had never imagined—but maybe, just maybe, it was the one she was meant for.