Martin and I began our trip through the village which would be my home for a few days. It was one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen. The village itself was dark enough for every single star above to be seen, while it was still light enough for someone to see every detail on the street.
Anyways, the streets were lined with lanterns which glowed in colours like blue, pink and yellow. I was so stunned that I did not notice my eyes bulging out. Martin gave me a look and began to laugh, "Are you okay?"
"Huh?" I replied dreamily. "Oh..of course." I insisted, turning my attention back to the rest of the street. I noticed that there was a bakery with five cakes being showcase by the large windows. "Where is everyone?"
"We'll get there." he reassured, continuing to walk.
We saw many things, but the building that amazed me the most was the rugged clock tower. The hands were crooked, but oddly enough, it made it look even more majestic. As we walked around it, I noticed a little door on the side of the tower. Deeply curious, I asked,"Martin, where does this door go?"
His face turned pale and he ran between me and the door, "DON'T TOUCH IT!"
"W-what?" was all that came out of my trembling lips. "Why?"
Lowering his guard, he let out a deep sigh, "No one really knows what is there...but there was this legend, that there was a curse."
"A Curse?" I repeated, muttering to myself.
"It has been said that everything will begin to go wrong if anyone were to touch the door!" Martin explained with a shudder. "Or so the mayor says..."
"The Mayor? What makes him so sure?" I questioned. You see, I don't believe in curses. "How do you guys know that the Mayor isn't just telling you guys that to keep you out?"
"That's what we thought it the beginning, but..." as he said those words, his voice seemed to become more grim, and the wind blew harder. It whistled through each and very building as if looking for a prey that it could just take up into the air with a fury that has never been experienced. The buildings seemed to by at the verge of collapsing. Each seemed to want to hide in the darkness to seek refuge from the unyielding wind.
My mind kept telling me not to ask, but my curiosity took the better of me, "B-but what?"
He stared me straight in the eyes, and I already regretted my question, "Do you really want to know?"
After what he said, I wasn't so sure anymore. "Y-Yes." Unfortunately, it came out sounding more like a question than a reply.
He smiled slightly and began. "About six years ago, when I was eight. I wasn't stuck living with my grandmother...my parents were still alive." I saw the tears form in his eyes, but I really didn't want to say anything. "It just happened, my father's favourite thing had been band to the public. The night before the decree was made, the mayor stated that he saw a black shadow slide along each building, brick by brick..."
When he trailed off, I felt my bones shiver and my goosebumps rise. The tingling sensation of electricity shot through my spine. A lump grew in my throat, but I continued to listen intently.
After what felt like a year, Martin began again. "The mayor said that he decided that the mayor must be brave enough to follow this person, so he did. He claimed that she laid a single hand on the door and made it glow like...like joy itself. That part wasn't so hard to believe, since everyone actually made most of the childhood memories near or around that tower." As he said that, he stared off into the distance as if remembering all the times he spent there. But, as quickly as he blanked out, he returned and continued his story. "The mayor claimed that he only saw her face twice. The first time, she looked old and wrinkly. Ugly..as the Mayor described her. Anyways, she seemed to be absorbing the light from the building itself, and in the next second, all the light was gone. As she left, he saw her face again, but this time, she became the most beautiful woman he had every seen. The years had been taken off of her. Like all the joy and young memories had been used to restore the youth to this woman. The Mayor attempted to follow her, but he said that she seemed to just vanish into the shadows, never to return."
"Wow." I whispered under my breath in complete awe.
He smiled weakly at my remark, "It seems mystical doesn't it? But it isn't. This isn't a fantasy story; it's a gruesome murder case."
I felt that I had offended him in a way, so I immediately asked for him to continue, which he did. "The following morning, the mayor called for an immediate town meeting and gathered everyone to listen. He explained his case and claimed that it might not be safe to ever touch the tower again. Most people questioned what made him so sure. Reluctantly, he said that many years ago, his father, who was also the mayor before him had won the election due to a promise."
"A promise?" I inquired, deeply engaged in his story.
He nodded grimly, "Yes, a promise. A promise to bless the city. He chose a an ideal building in which, he would have an enchantress bless the city in years to come. But she had warned him that if anyone every took her power from the tower, the tower will forever be a burden and a curse to the people of this town. Only caring for his upcoming election, the mayor agreed without hesitation. Then, the deed was done. Now it truly is a burden and a curse to us."
"Why?" I asked.
"Most people didn't believe the Mayor's imaginative story, which he swore was true. He was so sure that he even put a lock that could only be opened by a key, which he through into a river that flowed somewhere far into the distance. Some of those people included my parents, especially my dad. He was heartbroken that the clock tower was no longer going to be used or taken care of, but this only made him more determined to prove that this proclamation was a lie. The following day, it was my father's turn to gather the entire town, including the mayor himself. I insisted on going, but my father rejected. He told me that it would only be short and that I could watch from the window that was located in my room. He requested that my mother stay with me, and she happily agreed only telling him to be careful. So, he set off to the tower with everyone watching with worried expressions...except for the mayor." He paused for a second and attempted to hold back the tears that were beginning to form his eyes. At this point, I knew that something bad in the story was about to happen. "So, my father entered into the clock tower that was now gray..and well...dead. I waited by my window the entire day to see my father emerged unharmed..but he never did. Day after day, I waited for him to came back to us. One day, my mother went to a nearby town about one stop from here and claimed that she saw my father. A search team was sent out, even though it was against the mayor's wishes. They came back without success, and the mayor put my mother in a mental institution because he claimed that she was no longer fit to life with others and take care of me. So, I was put into the care of my grandmother."
Even I wanted to cry now. Slowly, one tear dripped down my cheek silently and unnoticed. "But, if your mother wasn't truly insane, they would be forced to let her out."
He clenched his fists, "Unfortunately, the confined space and the mistreatment eventually caused her to actually go insane. From then on, I was not allowed to visit my own mother for my own safety."
I no longer knew what to say. "I'm-I'm so sorry, Martin."
He laid a hand on my shoulder, "It's fine. I live my life like this already. I kinda got use to it. How about we continue with the tour."
I said that I was fine with that, but my feet just wouldn't move. It was as if the story locked me in my spot. With a smirk, Martin took my hand and pulled me along.
