The shop owner greeted Karen as the small bell rang.
“Thanks, I’m here to pick up the pocket watch”
“Ok. I don’t know if you looked at it but it seems it’s broken, all the hands on the clock are moving in the wrong direction”
“Yeah I noticed and I was going to see if you could fix it or if you knew anyone who could”
“I tried to fix it but I couldn’t even get the glass face plate off. There is a guy down on 4th that may be able to help. He deals in rare and unusual things”
“Thank you”
She paid for the watch then headed towards 4th street. The sunlight warmed her skin as she continued down the cracked sidewalk.
The shop the old antique owner was talking about couldn’t be mistaken; black paint was peeling off every inch of the old building. The large tinted picture window was so dark that Karen couldn’t even make out what as inside. The words Fix-It were barley visible on the cracked sign above the door. There was a small open sign hanging in the window of the door, which looked like it would fall apart if Karen were to touch it.
Maybe this is a bad idea
She looked around, the street was empty there was no one who would see her enter the creepy shop; therefore, no one would know if she never came out.
Gazing at the small golden watch tightly clenched in her fingers she made up her mind. Taking a deep breath Karen slowly edged up the cracked walkway being sure to avoid the small tufts of grass. Stopping only when she reached the old wooden door. The doorknob felt cool in her jittery hand as she turned it effortlessly just like with the antique shop a small bell announced her arrival.
The air inside the shop was stale from the lack of visitors, the lights were dim it was difficult to see
I wonder how he sees to fix things
The large room was empty except for a few tables with everyday items on them, a computer, a lamp, a toaster and even a few clocks.
“Welcome my dear how may I help you?”
Karen jumped at the sudden noise, behind the old wooden counter stood a young man. Everything else in the store was so old he seemed out of place. All except his eyes they matched the décor…old. Karen was completely mesmerized by his ruggedly handsome looks all she could do is stare at him.
“Are you ok?”
He came around the counter and took her hand in his.
“Oh Yes”
She pulled her hand away
“I was hoping you could look at this pocket watch. It’s broken”
“Of course”
He took the small watch from her hand and returned to the counter. Silence filled the air around her, Karen was sure she would be able to hear a pin drop, this was confirmed when she heard the small click as the watch lid popped open from across the room.
A sinister smile spread across the handsome shop workers face as he stared at each hand of the watch moving backwards.
“There’s nothing wrong with this watch”
“Yeah there is,” Karen protested, “It is moving backwards”
“As it should”
“What! Watches should move clockwise not counterclockwise” she said beginning to raise her voice.
“That’s how most watches work but not this one. It’s enchanted”
“You mean like magic? That stuff only happens in books and movies”
“Have a seat”
He gestured to a chair behind the counter before sweeping his long black locks behind one ear.
Reluctantly, Karen perched herself on the chair, relieved she wasn’t attacked by dust.
“A long time ago a small village stood right where this town is now. In the village there was a man who practiced magic, which was forbidden, he only used his abilities for good to help others. One day he fell in love the two got married and had children. Their family prospered as he continued to use his amazing gifts to benefit everyone in the village unbeknownst to them, of course. On a warm summer day the child of the village elder grew extremely ill even the medicine woman was unable to cure her disease. The elder’s child was his own daughter’s best friend so he knew that he had to do everything he could to help her. During the night the man snuck into the child’s room and use his magic to heal her he escaped undetected or so he thought. The child’s caretaker had seen everything and told the elder. The next morning his daughter was indeed completely healed, the villagers thought it was a miracle but the elder knew the truth she was tainted by magic. The elder and several other men of the village arrived at the man’s house and drug him away from his home and family. At midnight both the elder’s child and the man were burned at the stake him for practicing magic and her for being tainted by magic. According to legend this watch is the curse he placed upon the village. It is said the hands moving backwards symbolize a countdown until midnight when the curse is released.”
Once the man finished the story he clicked the watch closed and held it out for Karen to take. She sat there staring at the watch petrified.
“Y…You don’t actually believe that, do you?”
She reached out a shaky hand to take the watch.
“I do. As far as I can tell everyone who has ever owned that watch has ended up dead,”
The watch made a loud clanking sound as Karen dropped it onto the counter.
“Dead”
She gulped pushing the lump in her throat down.
“But there has to be some way to stop the curse. I don’t want to die. You know so much about the watch isn’t there a way to stop it?”
“There’s no mention of a way to stop the curse or I’m sure that someone in the past would have done it.”
“Throw that thing away I don’t want it”
The stool toppled over as Karen jumped off.
“Thank you for everything”
She scurried out the door a small breeze greeted her sending a shiver down her spine.
“You’re Welcome,” he said as the door closed behind her.
“You will not be able to escape your destiny”
The shop owner looked at the empty counter where Karen had dropped the golden watch only a few moments ago.
“That was so creepy”
Karen distanced herself from the shop as quickly as she could trying to push the story out of her mind.
I still need to find a birthday present for Mark
She headed towards the shopping plaza only stopping at a vending machine to get a bottle of water. Coins jingled in the bottom of her purse as she shook it. She only needed to fish out a dollar, stretching her fingertips towards the bottom she brushed up against something warm.
What’s that?
She closed her fingers around the small round object and gasped as she pulled the golden watch from her purse
“But I left it at the fix-it shop”
She stared at the warm object in her hand shimmering in the sunlight.
I have to get rid of this thing once and for all. Perfect
She ran over to a small sewer grate in the side of the road. Rushing water could be heard below as she lowered herself to her knees.
“Good riddance”
She dropped the golden watch into the grate listening closely for the splash it made as it hit the water. Smiling to herself Karen walked into the store to purchase a gift for Mark. A few minutes later she emerged victorious. Bag in hand she headed home to relax checking her purse from time to time to make sure that the golden watch didn’t show back up.
A smile crossed her face as she started up her asphalt driveway towards the house she’s lived in all her life. It was a little ways out of town but that’s how she liked it, peaceful. The small 2-bedroom ranch house was home to Karen and her parents even though her parents frequently thought of building on and adding one more to the family. Karen was happy being an only child but wasn’t opposed to the thoug
ht of a little sister.
She set the bag on the dining room table; she wasn’t meeting Mark until tomorrow so she had time to wrap it later.
Karen headed out the kitchen door to her favorite place in the back yard. The water gurgled in the small stream as it clashed with the rocks on either side. The trees above made the perfect canopy filtering out nearly all the sunlight. Plopping down in a chair Karen closed her eyes and listened to the nature around her. The birds chirping their happy songs, the buzzing of insect wings as the bees collected nectar from the flowers.
Sitting out here always makes me feel better
“Guess I better go wrap Mark’s gift”
With a sigh she pushed herself out of the chair. Stealing one more glance down at the stream Karen saw something glistening a few feet away in a stream of sunlight that wound its way through the trees.
“Don’t tell me dad left something out here again. What am I going to do with him?” As she got closer horror crept across her face. It wasn’t something her dad left outside…it was the golden watch.
“H…How”
Her heartbeat speed up, her breathing became quick and shallow. She nearly fell to the ground as the strength was sapped out of her limbs.
“I don’t want to die”
She gave in and sank to her knees tears flowing freely down her cheeks. Karen sat on the cold ground sobbing until the sun began to go down. Darkness was creeping upon her like a chilled blanket. The golden watch still lay on the ground only inches from her. Instinctively, she grabbed a nearby rock
“AAAAHHHHHHHHH”
She smashed it against the small pocket watch…again…and again. Small beads of sweat formed on her brow as she tried her hardest to destroy the watch. No