Black Watch

John stumbled upon the old shop by accident. Hidden in the corner of an alley, the place seemed forgotten. A sign above the door read "Antiques & Curiosities." Inside, dusty shelves held strange objects from different times. But one thing caught his eye: a black wristwatch.

It was simple but elegant. Its face was dark, and the ticking seemed almost silent. Something about it drew him in. The shopkeeper, a frail old man, appeared from the shadows.

"Ah, the Black Watch," the man whispered. "Very rare... very dangerous. Do you still want it?"

John smirked. How could a watch be dangerous? He bought it and walked out, not noticing the shopkeeper’s worried eyes.

That night, John felt uneasy. The watch ticked louder, even though it was on his bedside table. He put it away in a drawer, but the ticking grew stronger, echoing in his head. Hours passed, and he couldn't sleep. His heartbeat seemed to sync with the watch’s rhythm.

Suddenly, the ticking stopped. Silence filled the room. John sat up, feeling a presence. He glanced at the drawer where the watch was kept—it was open. Slowly, he walked over and saw the watch glowing faintly.

A shadowy figure emerged from the watch, tall and twisted. Its eyes were voids of darkness. John tried to scream, but no sound came. The figure moved closer, whispering in a voice like the ticking of the watch.

“You took what was mine. Now, I take you.”

John felt his body freeze as the shadow engulfed him. The watch fell to the ground, its hands spinning wildly. When morning came, John was gone. The watch lay still on the floor, waiting for its next owner.

The shopkeeper sighed as he placed the watch back on the shelf.