A Deal with Time

It was just an ordinary Tuesday in the late 1800s, one of those days that didn’t seem special at all. The year was 1887, and the small town of Willow Creek, nestled in the Midwest, was quiet and peaceful. The air was cool, with the smell of woodsmoke from chimneys and the earthy scent of fallen leaves. The streets were mostly empty, except for the occasional sound of horse hooves and creaking wagon wheels.

In the middle of town was Samuel Hargrove’s general store. Samuel was a thin man with a big mustache that seemed to have a life of its own. He was known for being clever and good at making deals. That Tuesday morning, as he unlocked the store, he noticed a stranger sitting on the bench outside. The man wore a long, dark coat and a wide-brimmed hat that hid most of his face.

“Morning,” Samuel said, sounding a little cautious as he stood in the doorway.

The stranger tipped his hat slightly, showing sharp blue eyes. “Morning,” he replied, his voice smooth but with a hint of something Samuel couldn’t quite figure out. “Mind if I come in? I’ve got something you might like.”

Samuel hesitated. Strangers weren’t unusual in Willow Creek, but there was something about this man that made him feel uneasy. Still, curiosity got the better of him. “Alright,” he said, stepping aside. “Come on in.”

The store was cozy, with shelves full of everything from flour to farming tools. The stranger walked in, his boots tapping on the wooden floor. He reached into his coat and pulled out a small, beautifully carved wooden box. “I’m looking to sell this,” he said, placing the box on the counter. “It’s one of a kind.”

Samuel picked up the box, turning it over in his hands. The carvings were intricate and stunning. “What’s inside?” he asked.

The stranger gave a small smile. “Open it and see.”

Samuel hesitated for a moment, then lifted the lid. Inside was a pocket watch, its face covered in strange symbols instead of numbers. The hands were stuck at 11:59. “It’s… different,” Samuel said, though he couldn’t shake the feeling that the watch was almost alive, like it was watching him.

“It’s more than different,” the stranger said, leaning in a little. “They say this watch belonged to a man who could stop time. Just a story, of course. But it’s worth a good amount to the right buyer.”

Samuel raised an eyebrow. “And why are you selling it to me?”

The stranger shrugged. “Let’s just say I’m passing through and need some quick cash. Fifty dollars, and it’s yours.”

Fifty dollars was a lot of money, but Samuel couldn’t resist the pull of the watch. It was unlike anything he’d ever seen. After a moment of thought, he nodded. “Alright. Fifty dollars.”

The deal was done quickly, and the stranger left as quietly as he’d arrived. Samuel placed the watch on a shelf behind the counter, where it caught the dim light just right. The rest of the day passed like any other, with the usual customers coming and going.

But as the sun set, something strange happened. Samuel was closing up the store when he noticed the watch’s hands had moved. It now read 12:00. He picked it up, frowning. “That’s odd,” he muttered. The moment he said it, the world around him froze. The ticking of the clock on the wall stopped, the sound of a passing wagon outside disappeared, and even the flickering flame of the oil lamp on the counter stood still.

Samuel’s heart raced as he realized the stories might be true. He held the watch tightly, unsure of what to do. Slowly, he turned the hands back to 11:59, and just like that, the world came back to life. The clock ticked, the wagon rolled by, and the lamp flickered as if nothing had happened.

Samuel stared at the watch, a mix of wonder and fear filling him. He knew his life had changed forever. That random Tuesday in the 1800s had turned out to be anything but ordinary.

And somewhere, in the shadows of Willow Creek, the stranger smiled, knowing the watch had found its new owner.