I walk down the street.
I feel and understand my surroundings.
"Thump, thump."
----------------------------------------
Height: 80.
A few more blocks left.
The shops seem more alive in this part of the city.
I spot a clothing store with tailored outfits and garments for men of high status.
Not quite noble attire, but for this area, it’s unusual.
I scan the sidewalk, as if my answers could be found there.
----------------------------------------
Height: 40.
"Thump, thump."
----------------------------------------
A.39, A.38, A.34, A.29...
A.27.
For some reason, seeing that number makes me feel... calm.
As if it were holding me together.
As if it were guiding me.
As if it were inviting me in.
----------------------------------------
The place is very different from what I first imagined.
It looks like an old pub.
"It's in ruins."
Time has worn it down.
It's as if everything around it remained still—except this place, which was condemned to slow destruction.
There’s a sign that reads "Desfile In..." but the rest is too faded to read.
The entrance is blocked.
----------------------------------------
I look around, as if preparing myself to go inside.
I step into the alley and search for an alternative entrance.
At first, I see nothing but brick walls—
But after a bit of searching, I notice a broken window on the second floor.
I stack a few crates and a trash can like a makeshift tower.
I try to climb.
Or rather, I struggle to.
I reach the window and grab onto the frame.
The glass is completely shattered.
With some effort, I lift what’s left of the frame and attempt to climb in.
I take off my jacket and drape it over my arm.
"I’m out of shape… ugh."
----------------------------------------
I look around.
This seems to be someone’s room.
Whoever lived here had a passion for architecture.
There are several drawings.
One depicts the tip of a tower with a mirror.
Another shows what looks like a prison.
And the last one...
A "sand clock?"
But there’s something different about it.
Something palpable.
As if it were holding something.
Or someone.
----------------------------------------
I move forward.
The door is wide open—
Kicked in.
----------------------------------------
There’s a musty smell.
But it’s not unpleasant.
This place feels frozen in time.
As if it still held the fragments of people’s lives.
It doesn’t feel like a bar.
It doesn’t feel like a business.
It feels like a home.
----------------------------------------
By the bar counter—
Amidst the broken bottles—
There’s a teddy bear.
And a letter.
----------------------------------------
Each step I take is audible.
The creaking wood assaults the silence of the room.
----------------------------------------
I descend the stairs—
And one of the steps gives way.
I continue toward the bar.
My attention immediately lands on the letter.
----------------------------------------
Nothing unusual.
"Three shillings per night. Seven for a full stay.
We open at 6:30 PM and close at 3:00 AM."
----------------------------------------
There’s something strange.
A lingering feeling.
As if this place were a ghost of what it once was.
Like the people had disappeared only recently—
But the state of the building tells a different story.
A contradiction.
----------------------------------------
I open a drawer.
I find some books.
Most unremarkable.
But one—
A registry.
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
----------------------------------------
"DESFILE INTERCONECTADO"
Fine Ales, Hearty Meals & Comfortable Lodging
Drinks:
* Bitter Ale – 2d
* Porter (Dark Beer) – 3d
* Cider – 2½d
* Hot Rum Grog – 6d
* Single Malt Whiskey – 8d
* Bottle of Port Wine – 4s 6d
Main Dishes:
* Bread with Aged Cheddar – 4d
* Cold Meat Platter with Bread – 6d
* Onion Soup with Black Bread – 5d
* Meat & Potato Stew – 10d
* Meat Pudding with Beer Sauce – 1s 2d
* Fried Fish with Peas and Bread – 1s 4d
* Kidney & Veal Pie with Mashed Turnips – 1s 6d
Desserts & Extras:
* Plum Pudding with Cream – 8d
* Apple Tart with Fresh Cream – 9d
* Stilton Cheese with Oat Crackers – 10d
* Bread & Butter – 2d
----------------------------------------
The other paper.
----------------------------------------
"DESFILE INTERCONECTADO - TENANT REGISTRY"
"A place of rest for travelers, merchants, and those who don’t ask too many questions."
Innkeeper’s Notice:
* Payment is upfront. No IOUs, false promises, or shady banknotes.
* The following individuals are banned:
* Nathaniel Crowley – Fraudster & card cheat. Owes £1 10s.
* Reverend Silas Moore – Disturbs the peace with doomsday sermons.
* Mary "The Red Widow" Duvall – Connected to three suspicious deaths in Tingen.
* "The Nameless Dutchman" – Last time someone rented him a room, nothing was left behind except pools of water and a strong smell of salt.
----------------------------------------
CURRENT TENANTS
Name Room Duration Paid Status Edward Sterling 101 2 weeks 12s Lodged Margaret Holloway 202 5 days 6s 8d Lodged Thomas Redford 303 1 month £1 4s Lodged "Architect" 404 3 nights 4s 6d Lodged Eleanor Farthingale 505 10 days 13s 4d Lodged Roman Vayne 606 ??? ??? (See notes below)
----------------------------------------
"606…"
"Thump, thump."
I search for the notes.
They’re gone.
----------------------------------------
I turn toward the stairs.
I glance at the bar one last time.
Searching for one of those bottles.
There’s nothing left.
A shame.
It would’ve made things easier.
----------------------------------------
I climb the stairs.
The wood creaks louder—
As if warning the world about what I’m about to do.
Like the cry of those whose lives ended brutally in the alleys of the night.
I swallow hard.
A knot in my throat.
----------------------------------------
I reach the door.
I exhale deeply.
Like I’m about to face the inevitable.
----------------------------------------
"No matter what you tell me—
No matter what you are—
The monsters of my future, or whatever you try to show me—
I will not change my mind."
----------------------------------------
I try to open the door.
It’s locked.
Makes sense.
I kick just below the lock.
The door was already falling apart.
It opens easily.
----------------------------------------
And the smell hits me.
----------------------------------------
INSIDE ROOM 606
The wind rushes in.
Dust scatters.
I see symbols everywhere.
One of them is a clock with no hands.
----------------------------------------
A pile of papers is stacked in the corner.
As if they were failed attempts.
A bed—unmade.
And a desk.
Upon it—an aged paper.
Dried ink.
----------------------------------------
"How much time has passed?"
----------------------------------------
I step closer to the pile of letters.
I can see…
----------------------------------------
"My son."
"Paul."
"Emma."
"Selene."
"Children."
"Wife..."
"Ethan."
"Forgive me..."
----------------------------------------
"Thump, thump."
----------------------------------------
"I miss you."
"Me too... I miss you too."
----------------------------------------
I approach the desk.
I open the drawers.
Nothing—except watchmaker's tools.
Inside—
A paper describing a watch:
----------------------------------------
The Nihyra Watch
* The watch has a professional design with a blue rubber strap and a silver metallic case.
* The bezel features a tachymeter with white markings, ranging from 240 to 60.
* The dial is dark blue, with large white Arabic numerals for hours and smaller indicators for seconds and minutes.
* The main hands are white with a silver edge, while the second hand is red, adding an elegant contrast.
* A small date window is positioned in the upper-right corner.
The design is a blend of functionality and elegance.
----------------------------------------
WATCH REPAIR LOG
"I've tried to repair this watch more times than I'd like to admit.
A beautiful, mystical watch with promising design—but no matter what I do, it gets stuck at 11:59.
This is my full record of everything I attempted before accepting that Ethan may be able to find what I couldn't."
----------------------------------------
STEP 1: INITIAL INSPECTION
(Ethan, check this again—I was in a rush, so I probably missed something.)
* Exterior Check:
* The metal casing has minor scratches from use, but nothing indicating severe damage.
* The crown winds properly, but the internal mechanism stops at 11:59.
* The hands are aligned correctly—no obstructions against the glass or each other.
* First Test:
* Fully wound the watch.
* It moved until reaching 11:59, where it stopped.
* Manually adjusting the time: The hands move normally but always stop at 11:59.
----------------------------------------
STEP 2: OPENING THE CASE
* Removing the back cover:
* Opened it using a watchmaker’s key.
* The movement looked clean at first glance.
* Noticed the mainspring was fully wound.
* Mainspring Check:
* Slowly unwound the spring to check for damage.
* No fractures or bends.
* Wound it back up carefully.
* The problem persisted—the watch stopped at 11:59.
----------------------------------------
STEP 3: GEAR TRAIN INSPECTION
* Checked for dust or obstructions.
* One intermediate gear shifted slightly when reaching 11:59.
* Cleaned the entire movement using compressed air.
* Issue remained the same.
----------------------------------------
STEP 4: ESCAPE MECHANISM REVIEW
* Checked anchor and escape wheel:
* No visible damage.
* Movement seemed fine.
* But as soon as it reached 11:59— the entire system locked up.
----------------------------------------
STEP 5: HANDS & MINUTE PINION CHECK
* Removed central cannon pinion.
* Not bent, not damaged.
* But the tension was slightly too high.
* Adjusted it slightly.
* The watch advanced a bit more—but still stopped at 11:59.
----------------------------------------
STEP 6: DATE COMPLICATION ISSUE
* Realized the date should change at 12:00.
* The date disc was misaligned.
* Fixed it—
* The watch moved past 11:59 for a second—
...Then stopped again.
----------------------------------------
FINAL DIAGNOSIS
"I have no doubt.
The issue lies within the gear train,
most likely the intermediate wheel or minute cannon adjustment.
But I lack the tools and parts to fully repair it."
----------------------------------------
"This watch has defeated me.
After hours of work, I can confidently say the issue is in the intermediate gear or minute hand mechanism.
But I don't have the right tools.
I’ve done everything I can.
Yet this damn watch has done what few have managed—it broke me."
----------------------------------------
"Even so...
I can’t throw it away.
I can’t give up completely.
That’s why I’m leaving it to Ethan.
Maybe with his steady hands,
his younger eyes,
and a patience I always lacked,
he can finish what I couldn’t.
This watch is more than just a mechanism.
It’s a test.
A challenge.
One I failed.
But Ethan won’t.
He’s better than me.
He always was."
----------------------------------------
"If you ever read this, Ethan...
Know that this watch is more than a pile of broken gears.
It’s a metaphor.
A reflection of what I couldn’t do for you.
Something I tried my hardest to fix—
But I failed.
Just like I failed you.
The watch stops at 11:59.
As if time itself had frozen before a new beginning.
Maybe it’s because it’s waiting for you.
Waiting for you to fix it.
If anyone can repair it—
It’s you.
Because even though I left you,
Even though I failed as a father,
I always believed in you.
This watch is yours now, Ethan.
Not as a burden.
But as a legacy.
A symbol that even what seems broken beyond repair…
Can still be fixed.
Maybe, when the watch moves again…
Time will move for us too.
Maybe something lost can be found again.
I’m sorry, son.
I’ve always been sorry.
But I know you can do what I couldn’t.
And when the hands finally pass 11:59…
You’ll know.
You’ll know you did more than fix a watch.
You’ll have restored what I left behind.
— Roman Vayne"
----------------------------------------
"Tack."
Raindrops fall onto the letter.
The ink begins to bleed.
"Why are you doing this? Why now?"
----------------------------------------
"Tick."
----------------------------------------
I keep searching through the drawers.
Inside—
A book.
Stamped with the symbol of a clock with no hands.