The Clock

"Well... I honestly did not expect this. It is... um... how do I say it? It is - I tried Janet to look for the right word before she added - "somewhat distinctive, without a doubt, and -."

"It looks like a home inhabited by lost souls." Ethan interrupts her carelessly cracking the candy.

The house was not that bad. But signs of antiquity appeared on it. The garden was full of herbs, weeds, and wildflowers. And pink paint covering the house cracked in more than one place. The frames of windows created using light brown wood. And so was the main door. These large, old homes usually had more than one entrance, but there was no indication of another door.

Henry exhales desperately and says while placing his hand on Ethan shoulder.

"Do not play with the nerves of the poor girl, You know she is paranoid even by her shadow," ---He added.--"Besides you frustrated me here, I am trying my best. mate ..."

Before Ethan found time to give him another subtle response. Janet turned to confront the two young men and said with fear, "You won't leave me alone and run away if a ghost appears inside, right?"

Henry looked at her closely to make sure she was kidding while Ethan laughed cheerfully, not in an unexpected reaction.

"Don't worry, Janet, I do not expect we will take a long time here. We'll do what we got to do and go away" - He smiled reassuringly to her - "And then I will bring you both to dinner at a good local restaurant."

"So what are we waiting for ?! Ahead, Soldiers !!" Ethan said and charged excitedly towards the huge wooden door in the middle of the front of the house.

"We are not soldiers, and you are not a warlord .." Henry replied.

"Never mind, forward!"

It looked as if the three had crossed a portal that had carried them through time. If the exterior of the house indicates that it is old, then that certainly did not appear in any way inside.

The house was of an ancient architectural style, but the crystal hanging lamps were glowing softly to scatter a little light and a lot of shadows in the wide and dark entrance, There were no windows to let in the sunlight, which gave the place a rather somber touch. The marble floor looked its best with luxurious, dark-colored carpets in the middle. The walls are clean, albeit devoid of any paintings or aesthetic touches. The place was clean and tidy, although its silence was breathtaking.

In short, it was inconceivable that No one has lived in that house for a century or more.

The three stood close together as they wandered around in amazement, They were expecting a dusty and worn-out place. Most likely.

Janet murmured: "It is wonderful ... from the loss that this house is located in such a remote and isolated area. But…" She stopped talking as she looked around anxiously.

Ethan cheerfully said, "What are you saying? This precious solitude is the most beautiful thing about it."

"Remember that most human beings are normal and prefer each other's company over animals and ghosts," Henry said. while looking at his friend with half an eye, it was clear that he was feeling a little nervous, even if he tried to hide it.

"Not you too, Henry, I expected you would understand me ..." Ethan makes a tragic accent as he said it.

"Your prediction was wrong, sorry for breaking your empty heart."

"Well, what do we have to finish here and go back to town?" Asked Janet as she looked at Henry to get her out as soon as possible.

"Yes, really .. Hmm ... I don't know who takes care of cleaning and paying electricity bills here, but it seems that he is doing his job well. Let's look for an...."

His words were cut short. A thunderous sound came from one of the rooms in the corridor that extended to their right. Henry and Janet exchanged terrified looks, while Ethan stood still, looking into the depths of the long corridor, without movement or word. A minute passed and the scene did not change, until Ethan slowly advanced toward the sound as he turned back and said, "Don't stand like this, you look like dead trees! I'm going to check it out, there must be a wild animal inside."

"Nooo, Ethan, don't play the hero please" - she said -" that might be a sound ..."

Ethan interrupted her as he advanced further: "Ghost? Good then, I'd be more terrifying if the source of the sound was a cricket. Don't worry, girl, I'll be back right away. Henry ... stop looking at every corner like bunnies, stay here and exchange memories or whatever until I come back, cousins."

He said it and moved to the right to disappear into the corridor from their eyes, while the two exchanged theories about the source of the sound anxiously and tense.

Despite his apparent calmness, that sound worried him because it shattered the stillness that was going through the house. Now Ethan hears faint voices from all sides, but that is most likely the result of his fertile imagination, especially since the current circumstances help to do so.

While he was overwhelmed by his thoughts, he found that there was a streak of light emanating from the bottom of the passing door at the end of the corridor, so he proceeded slowly towards that door, ignoring the other doors, and wondering what he would find inside.

One nudge, hesitating steps, and Ethan is in the room.

The first thing that struck him was that there was no movement indicating a wild animal here. He advanced a little to make the features of the room clear before his eyes. It appears to be a sub-living room where there was a plush sofa, fronted by a solid wood table, while there were two smaller chairs on either side. There is a monotone here, a faint metallic sound. With a glance in the room, he recognized its source.

"It's a huge wooden clock!"

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