Like a watch

People are like a watch. Eventually ceasing to function at the end of time. I have always believed in death as a wonderful thing, a definitive resting point, others will fear it and part of me understands why. The unknown is treacherous. Nevertheless, from the unknown, we learn.

That is what grandma told me before she died. I now stood in front of her grave. One last time before I left for college.

“I’ve come to say good-bye grandma I love you.” I sighed, setting the golden pocket watch she had given me only weeks early on the tombstone. I made my way down the stone pathway kicking rocks along the way. Rain began to plaster itself on the tinted windows of my car. Now more than ever I felt alone. I was leaving my friends my family and my hometown just for school. A school I did not want to go to. A school where I would gill out my mom’s dying dreams of becoming a lawyer.

The night crept in over the small town I once called home. Before coming it in a fog. I felt sick. I wanted to be at home with my grandma playing board games and letting her beat me at chess. I wanted to play football on the grass lot with my friends. I wanted anything that reminds me of the town I once had. But now I am leaving for good no looking back. The car was packed with clothes and books for my new life.

This night was my last in evergreen Grove. And as I drove by the park where I broke my arm, and the pawnshop grandma and I first bought the watch and others we would fix up and sell. Part of me did want to leave. Part of me wanted to run from all the memories that would sure be haunting.

The light turned red. No other cars littered the streets. No sound came from the bars dotted around the town hall. Now that I think about it, I do not remember seeing anyone. Not the clerk owners of the store or the old man who sits on the bench by the park. I was alone.

The very thought of being alone daunted me. I could feel the paranoia start to get at my chest.

” Hello, is anyone out there?” I yelled slamming the car to my door. No answer. My worst fear is coming true. Alone in the middle of the paved street, I ran back to my car. It was not until I pulled up to my driveway, I noticed the clicking sound of the golden pocket watch sitting in my passenger seat.

” Mom, where are you?” I yelled, running into the house peeking my head into every room. ” Mom answer me, please. Where are you?” I felt myself start to panic the paranoia making its way up my body. Pounding in my chest. Making me feel weak and dizzy. I leaned against the wall. I listened. Silence. The only sound was my heavy panicked breathing. Was I going crazy? My hometown inhabitants vanished into thin air. If so, why was I left? Why am I the only one here?

Then it hit me the golden pocket watch. The one I set by the tombstone that was in my car. The one that appeared in my car. Shakily, getting back up I ran to the car. The rain plastered to my skin. The golden pocket watch sat on the seat taunting me. Ticking at each passing second. My heart dropped in my chest.

I slid into the cold leather seat. The pocket watch was heavy into my hands. Was this the root of my problems? I opened the cover of the watch and saw the hour hand had not moved. Neither has the minute hand. Only the secondhand ticketed. The clock read, “8:39 PM” that time was familiar. I did not know what from. then it hit me, that was the time grandma died.

I started the engine of my car, driving past aimless shops and restaurants. Almost like a ghost town. Empty and vacant. I finally stopped shaking, but I still felt dizzy. like my entire world was spinning nonstop.

The graveyard seemed different, Bigger, darker, emptier. Sure, the graveyard is filled with nothing but bones and rotting flesh six feet underground, but it felt colder. Blood-curdling was a perfect way to describe it.

I fumbled up the stone path, tripping over my own feet. My world started to spin faster. I leaned against a grave clenching my stomach. Each step I took made it feel tighter. Pulling and twisting, my abdomen burned. I felt like I was going to vomit. A warm sour taste filled my mouth. I forcefully pushed it back down. Standing up again I clinched my stomach tighter running now to the grave. Each step was a sharp stabbing pain.

A key sat on Grandma’s tombstone. There was not a key here a few hours ago. The key was embedded with the hospital logo. Now I am on wide gooses chase through the small vacant town of Evergreen grove.

I pulled into the parking lot of Evergreen hospital. The front door was unlocked. I ran down the empty hallway. The ceiling lights flickered. Where had everyone gone? I frantically pushed the elevator buttons. None of them opened. I ran to the stairs. Grandma's was on the third floor in room 315. I remember because I took flowers to her every day after school. When I hit the top of floor three, I could feel my knees sway under me. My head was pounding, and my vision went blurry. I was sweating. It was a cold sweat; I did not want to be here again. The last time I was here I watched as grandma took her last breath. Shacking the thought from my mind I ran to room 315. Hopefully, some answers would be here. The door was locked. I pulled the key out of my pocket. It fit into the key slot perfectly. I turned the key and the door unlocked. Goosebumps covered my bear arms, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. The room was empty. The only thing there was a photo.

The photo was torn on the sides and crumpled. Grandma was in the middle of the picture. Everyone from our small town was in the picture. It was faded. Nothing told me where the picture was taken. All I know was the dark forest. Everyone in the picture wore the same clothes. A black robe. With a symbol of an eye crossed out on it. What was this? Why was everyone in my town except for me in this photo?

I flipped the photo over. On the back, six words stared back at me.

“Come find us Andrew, love grandma.” I read to the empty room around me.

Then I saw it. Out the window grandma standing in the robe they wore in the picture. She was surrounded by a group of people holding torches.

I ran down the stairs despite the feeling something was wrong.

“Grandma? What is going on here.” I yelled; bursting through the doors of the hospital t an empty parking lot.

I collapsed to the floor. my head was pounding. I felt weak. I needed answers.

Then I saw it. The glow from the torches up ahead in the forest. I jumped to my feet. Running across the parking lot. Jumping over rocks and logs. The light was becoming dimmer with each step I took. I ran faster my legs pouncing me father forward. Branches scratched my arms and legs. Blood dripped from my nose. I ignored it. I needed to know what was happening. Was it grandma I saw? It could not have been. She is dead. I know she is dead I helped burry here. I watched her die.

My vision was getting blurrier and I felt the blood pool down my face. My shirt soaking it in. My arms and legs stung. My stomach cramped. Despite all that I pushed myself farther. Where are they going?

The light was gone. I was in the forest alone. In the dark. I slowed down looking all around me. Almost like a feeling I began to run again. Something was pulling towards it.

The chanting was loud. Echoing all around me. The town stood holding torches in a circle chanting in an ancient langue. Grandma stood in the center lighting poles on fire. The ground was painted red with a pentagon in the middle. I felt myself getting dizzier. I was swaying. The crowd stopped chanting. Then grandma turned and faced me.

“Hello, Andrew. It so good to see you.” she smiled with stretched out arms. I could not move. My legs were stuff in place. She made her way forward.

I did not know if I should be scared or not. Part of me felt like this was the best day, grandma was back, and I could give her back her the watch. But the part of me knew something was wrong. Something was very wrong. The rain stopped as soon as I walked into the forest, but at the hospital, it was pouring down. The town had disappeared without a trace. Then randomly appeared in the forest.

I was snapped back to reality when I was meet with grandma’s warm embrace. What was the rain was just a coincident? And the people I am sure people were when I was at my house.

“Andrew, what’s wrong?” grandma asked backing away.

“Grandma, I thought you were dead.” I sated, swaying more than ever.

“I had to make you think I was dead, so we could bring you here.” She pulled me to the middle of the pentagram.

The circle of people around us moved in closer. They started a low chant in a language I could not understand. My head started to pound again.

“Thank you, for being our sacrifice.” grandma whispered in my ear.

I feel to the ground. And grabbed my stomach. Even more, blood-soaked my shirt. This time it was warm and coming from my chest. Grandma held a dagger in her hands. It was curvy and covered in blood.

My eyes filled with tears. My own family was going to kill me. I could not speak. I did not want to die. I was going to die. I am never going to eat pancakes or run around the park with mom in the morning again. I am dying. They are going to kill me; I did this all for nothing. Thoughts raced through my head.

I need to live. I stumbled to my feet. My legs were shaking. I pressed harder onto my chest where I was bleeding. If I ran, I could make it to my car then get to the next town. It was my only choice. That or dying. As the chanting grew grandma set another pole on fire. Then I took my shoot and ran.

It was a while before anyone noticed I was gone. Then I heard screaming and people shouting. I stumbled down the mountain. My car was close to here. I could make it. I could hear people running after me. I tried to run faster. Then I made it back to the parking lot. The rain started again drowning out any noise. I made my way to my car pulling the door open and sliding in. Right as I locked the door grandma pulled on to the handle.

“Andrew I am sorry. Please come back. You know grandma did not mean any of it. Grandma was only joking. Andrew, you better open the door. Andrew opens the door. Andrew opens the door. Andrew I am going to kill you.” she yelled. She started sweet then became more violent. I started to cry. My town wanted me dead.

I started the car and speed out of the parking lot behind me. I was able to get most of the bleeding to stop. I looked at the seat next to me. The clock started ticking again. I reached over a grabbed it. It was not stuck at 8:39 anymore. For the first time tonight, I felt peaceful. Steeping on the gas I left the town of Evergreen behind me with nothing more than a golden heart-shaped pocket watch.