The Town That Never Sleeps

Ella had heard whispers about a strange town that existed somewhere in the mountains, but she had always dismissed them as urban legends. A place where clocks didn’t work, and the sun never set. A place where people never aged.

Curiosity gnawed at her until one summer, she packed her car and set out to find it. After days of driving and following cryptic directions scrawled in online forums, she stumbled upon a narrow dirt road that led to a secluded valley. There, nestled among the peaks, was Eterna.

The town was impossibly idyllic, with cobblestone streets, blooming flowerbeds, and people who moved as if they had all the time in the world. Everyone Ella met greeted her warmly, but there was something unsettling about their smiles—too wide, too permanent.

She checked into a quaint inn, where the owner handed her an antique pocket watch. “Your timepiece,” he said, bowing slightly. “Keep it with you always.”

Ella soon realized the town operated on a peculiar rhythm. There were no clocks, and yet everyone seemed to know when it was time for meals, gatherings, or work. She tried asking questions, but the townsfolk only smiled and said, “You’ll understand soon enough.”

On her second night, Ella awoke to a faint humming sound. Peeking out her window, she saw the townspeople gathering in the square, their faces glowing faintly under the unchanging twilight. They stood in a perfect circle, holding their pocket watches aloft.

The humming grew louder, resonating in her chest. Ella crept closer, hiding behind a tree, and watched as the watches emitted beams of light that converged in the center of the square. A figure began to form—a tall, shadowy being with hollow eyes.

The figure spoke in a voice that echoed like a thousand whispers. “You live because I allow it. Your time is borrowed, and your devotion sustains me.”

Ella’s heart pounded. She stumbled backward, snapping a twig beneath her foot. The sound shattered the eerie harmony, and every head turned toward her.

“You shouldn’t be here,” the innkeeper said, appearing suddenly behind her. His face was no longer kind; it was stretched tight, his eyes glowing faintly. “Your time doesn’t belong here.”

Panic surged through Ella, and she ran back to the inn to grab her things. As she drove away, she glanced at the pocket watch. Its hands were spinning wildly, faster and faster, until it shattered in her hand.

When she finally reached the main highway, the sun was shining. She pulled over to catch her breath, but something felt... off. Her reflection in the rearview mirror was different. There were streaks of silver in her hair and lines around her eyes that hadn’t been there before.

She checked her phone. It was five years later.

Eterna had taken more than just her time.