The Secrets of the Old Clock Tower🔊

It was the small, isolated town of Montvale that was home to an ancient clock tower. It was as old as its cracked bricks and the moss that had grown over years of neglect, almost as if it were a part of the hill itself. Nobody in town remembered why it was built, and so it had been shrouded in mystery and Wednesday night tales told by old folks. How could anyone suspect that this old, mundane clock tower held an unbelievable secret?

Edward was a twelve-year-old boy, full of curiosity and spirit. One evening as he was walking home, he found a peculiar key glinting in the last rays of the setting sun. It was a brass key, heavy and old, with intricate designs etched onto the handle. His parents weren’t home yet, so he decided to embark on a little adventure of his own.

Fueled by curiosity and armed with the key, he headed straight for the old clock tower, an unshakable intuition guiding him. After spending a good fifteen minutes trying to find the door amongst the ivy that almost completely covered the tower, he finally found it. The door was rusty and creaked as he had to push it with all his might.

Tripping over a raised threshold, Edward fell into complete darkness. After a moment of confusion, Edward groped for the small torchlight in his bag. Finding the switch, he clicked it on, instantly illuminating the room. Even in the dim light, he was in awe. The room was filled with weird instruments and ancient maps, hidden stories, laughter, and tears - echoes of a forgotten era.

However, Edward's attention was diverted to a large clock, grand and intimidating. Then, his gaze fell upon an empty hollow in the clock just large enough for the key he held. His heart throbbed in excitement. He cautiously placed the key into the keyhole and turned it.

To his surprise, the clock suddenly sprang to life. Its gears started working, its hands whizzed around, and a loud humming began. Then, to his shock, the room started to spin. Edward, feeling dizzy, held onto a table for support. After what felt like an eternity, the spinning finally stopped and he opened his eyes.

Before his eyes lay the same town, yet different. The houses were different, the roads unpaved, people in clothes he saw only in his history book. Montvale, but unmistakably from the past.

Suddenly a voice behind him caused Edward to jump. 'Ah, you must be the traveler.', the voice said. He turned around to see an elderly man, dressed in a strange robe. 'Welcome to Montvale, the year is 1852.', the man informed. 'The tower is a portal enabling a person to travel through time.', he added.

For Edward, it was a dream come true. A day brimming with adventure in a time unfamiliar. He learned a lot about his town’s past, made numerous friends, and imbibed wisdom from the elderly clock tower keeper. However, he missed his home. And so, with sad goodbyes, and cherished memories, he returned to his time.

Nobody believed him when he narrated his tale. He was ridiculed, called crazy, but Edward knew what he had experienced. He approached the dusty old clock tower with a newfound respect, gratitude swarming within him.

One day, he realized that the tower was no longer a mere building, but a legacy that was left for him to protect. Edward hung on to the key, the clock tower's secret safe with him. He decided to protect the legacy, the tales woven within its brick walls. Time passed, and Edward's adventures became legends in Montvale. A legend about a boy, an ancient clock tower, and an extraordinary secret hidden in plain sight. The tower was no longer just a deserted building but a testament to Montvale's rich history and the unimaginable possibility of time travel.

Montvale still stays a small town, but it holds a rich tradition intertwined with the extraordinary yarn of time. And as the legend of the clock tower continues, the secret remains, cherished by a small boy, who once set off on an adventure with a brass key, and came back growing passionately in spirit and wisdom.