Clock Pieces

Chapter 1

"Come on. It'll be fun!" Sherri said. Meri sighs, looking away from her stepmother, refusing to respond. The two were driving up to Meri's grandfather up deep in the mountains of South Dakota. God things were boring.
Meredith Morningstar had planned on spending the summer with her boyfriend, Samuel Slate. She had the whole summer planned out. Swimming, movies, parties (especially ones where people got wasted and slept around without care). She wanted the perfect summer. Then it all went to shit.
"What the hell do you mean I'm going to South Dakota!?" Merri had asked three days earlier.

"I mean you have to go stay with your grandfather," Sherri had said. "I'm going on a business trip and you can't stay here alone."

"Why not?" Meri asked. "I'm old enough to watch after myself."

"You're only 17 years old," Sherri countered. "I can't leave you home alone. It wouldn't be right, and I could get arrested for neglecting a minor."

"Not like that's the worst thing that could happen," Meri muttered under her breath. "Why can't I stay with a friend? Like Stacy or Sam?"

"Because I don't like their behavior," Sherri explained. "They're a terrible influence on you."

"They're my friends!" Meri demanded. "You can't just send me away from them!"

"I can, I will, and in the future I would have done," Sherri shot back. "Look, with your father on deployment and me on this business trip, your grandfather is the only one who can take care of you this summer. You're just going to suck it up and deal with it"

"Ugh, but he's so weird," Meri complained. "He's always shut off and distant and shit. Hell, I bet he's a pervert. Wouldn't that look good, you sending me off to his freaky sex dungeon of a mansion. I'll be knocked up by the time you get me."

"He's not a pervert," Sherri said. "And he's just coping. Your mother's--" She stops after a glare from Meri told her she stepped too far. Meri was still quite sensative over the death of her mother. Selene Morningstar had passed away 2 years ago to an unknown illness called CS38. Her death crushed Meri and her father. Meri never forgave her father for remarrying 6 months later.

"Look, I think your grandfather could use the company," Sherri said. "And you could use time away from the city. You're leaving in three days. Get to packing."
Three days later, Meri and Sherri were on their way to South Dakota, heading up to the mountains near the Northern Rockies. Meri looked over the Black Hill forest, unable to believe her fate. Summer was ruined.
"Oh buck up," Sherri said, though she focused on the road. "There's worst things that could happen."

"Like what?" Meri demanded. "What could be worst than being abandoned in the middle of the woods, with a creepy old man who society has basically forgotten about." Sherri paused, thinking about it.

"You could be a sex slave," Sherri said.

"Fucking great," Meri sighed, crossing her arms. She looked out the window. Despite not wanting to be here, Meri couldn't help but admire the view. The forest was so green, and the air was clear. Things couldn't be so bad. At least there was Wi-Fi.
They continued their long trip to the log cabin mansion that Meri's grandfather lived at. Soon, Sherri stopped to let some a herd of deer walk by their car.
Meri's attention was soon captured by someone she wasn't expecting. For a brief moment, someone appeared by the car, panting heavily. He was six feet tall, long black hair to his shoulders, and to her amazement, was wearing what appeared to be armor, with a long sword strapped to his back. He turned to look at her, and she nearly screamed. His left eye was gouged out, and his left arm was missing. His good right eye burrowed into her, flaring a warning. She could almost hear it in her mind.
'Say nothing. Or die.'
She whimpered softly, nodding silently. The strange man stared into her, his piercing white iris silently reading her. She felt he was reading her mind. Or history.
'Obidian. Interesting. The clock ticks forward for you, backwards for others. What will you do when it stops ticking entirely?'
The voice chilled her bones, scaring her. This man. He wasn't human. What was he? And what did he mean 'Obidian'? Was he referring to her grandfather, Obidiah?
'Seek out the clock. It's secrets will lead to great things. Seek out the clock'
"Meri?" Sherri asked, scaring Meri, who had screamed quite loudly. Meri panted, looking around for the man in armor, but he had gone.
"Are you ok?" Sherri asked. "You look like you saw a ghost"

"Uh.. yea, I'm fine," Meri said. "Come on. Lets go see Grandpa."