Family Secrets

The clock stood in the hall. One of the truly magnificent pieces of the Walter Family's estate, the clock was made of heavy mahogany and showcased a large, mother-of-pearl face with hands of sculpted bronze. Each hand the tall clock rumbled in the hall, resolutely calling the hour, the passage of time.

No one knew who originally designed the clock. Some in the family claimed it was made by an Austrian watchmaker by a special commission. Others said it was given to the family many generations back as payment for some debt. No one knew for sure, but it mattered little. The general consensus was the same: although the clock was magnificent, there was something oddly sinister about it.

It was a hard thing to explain, really. It wasn't that the clock was ugly. Indeed, quite the opposite was true. It was heavily decorated with carved cherubs, shined glossy. The face radiated pink, blue, and ivory in the sun, while the heavy bronze hands moved about elegantly, their pieces intricately carved. Even the deep groan of its chiming bells resonated with a kind of stately grandeur.

Guests to the house often stopped to comment on its beauty, but only at a distance. Even the most ardent admirers of its artistry rarely approached it directly. Indeed, most people walked by it quickly, suppressing a shudder. Even Nadia, one of Old Lady Rose's many descendants and the current owner of the estate, rushed passed it when outright avoidance was impossible. In fact, the only person who seemed able to maintain her nerve in the face of the clock's strange atmosphere was Nadia's youngest daughter, Eveline.

At thirteen years old, Eveline was the quintessential misfit. She preferred books to play, spiders to dolls, and twilight to midday. Although she was both pale and blonde in appearance, she was a dark spirit drawn to all things macabre. However, she was not even totally immune to the influence of the clock.

She'd never mention it to anyone, but she'd always felt oddly drawn to the elegant timepiece. Sometimes, as she made her way down the mahogany-paneled hallway, she felt as though it were actually calling to her. She found this somewhat unsettling, but also intriguing. She'd approach the wooden monolith with an odd mixture of curiosity and trepidation. Then, she'd stare it down as though she were challenging it to a duel. Sometimes Nadia would catch her daughter in the act; her back rigid, her crystal eyes peering into the clock's iridescent face the way one might stare down an adversary. Nadia was never quite sure what to make of it.

"What on earth are you doing, my dear?" her mother would ask.

"The clock...it watches me," is all Eveline would say.

Nadia was always left standing, awkwardly, in the shadowy hall. After her daughter had gone, she would approach the clock gingerly, trying to feel what Eveline had felt. But, she could never feel anything but the vague uneasiness.

Things took an odd turn when, suddenly, the nightmares began. Each night at 3 am, Eveline would awaken, screaming. It was blood-curdling scream; the kind that caused one to freeze upright in bed, unable to move. Servants inevitably rushed in to assist her. They always found her in the same posture: in a tight ball under the covers, face on knees. When she was extricated from her sheets, she always seemed oddly surprised, as though nothing at all had happened.

This went on for a fortnight. Various attempts were made to explain the sudden appearance of the nightmares, but no solution could be found. When queried, Eveline could never really recall what had happened to cause her to scream, but she felt, vaguely, that it was somehow connected with the front hall and the clock. After two weeks of disturbed sleep, Nadia became desperate. The staff looked half dead and she was at her wit's end.

Determined to find a solution, Nadia decided that, since Eveline seemed bothered by the clock, perhaps she should try having it removed for a while. She called some friends at the local antique dealership and asked them if they would be willing to keep the clock for a spell. They reluctantly agreed. After all, who would want to take on the protection of such an expensive heirloom?