The group stumbled out of the ruined tunnel, their breaths ragged, their nerves frayed. The night air was colder than before, carrying a strange, acrid tang. Around them, the town seemed...different. Shadows clung more tightly to the buildings, and the ever-present silence was broken by faint, distant whispers.

  “What did Lucas do?” Mia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Ethan didn’t answer immediately. He clutched the notebook, his mind racing. The broken-rayed sun symbol now felt like a taunt, a reminder of how little they understood.

  “I don’t know,” Ethan said finally. “But we need to figure it out fast.”

  “Great plan, Captain,” Damien muttered. “Let’s just ignore the fact that the guy with a knife tried to kill us and broke some magic rock. No big deal.”

  “Damien,” Ethan snapped, his tone sharp. “Now’s not the time.”

  Before Damien could retort, the ground beneath their feet trembled—a low, rumbling vibration that made the cobblestones shift. Mia gasped, clutching Ethan’s arm for balance.

  From the forest’s edge came a sound like a groan, deep and resonant, as if the trees themselves were alive and moving.

  “Okay, that’s new,” Damien said, his voice rising.

  The shadows at the edge of the forest seemed to stretch and ripple, creeping closer to the town. The air grew heavier, pressing down on them like an invisible weight.

  “We need to move,” Ethan said urgently.

  “Move where?” Mia asked, panic creeping into her voice.

  “The clock tower,” Ethan said, his eyes narrowing. “There’s something about it. The carvings, the gears—it’s tied to all of this.”

  Damien threw up his hands. “You want to run toward the creepy ticking death trap? Are you insane?”

  “If you’ve got a better idea, I’m all ears,” Ethan shot back.

  Damien groaned but didn’t argue further.

  The streets of the town seemed more twisted now, as if the buildings had subtly shifted. The once-straight paths now curved unexpectedly, forcing the group to double back several times.

  “It’s like the town’s alive,” Mia murmured.

  “Not alive,” Damien said grimly. “Just angry.”

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  As they neared the clock tower, the air grew colder, and the faint sound of ticking reached their ears. Ethan slowed, glancing back at the others.

  “Stay close,” he said.

  They reached the base of the tower, its massive doors looming above them. Ethan hesitated before pushing them open, his palms slick with sweat.

  The interior was just as they’d left it—dusty, cold, and ominously quiet. The carvings on the walls glowed faintly, their light pulsing in time with the ticking of the gears above.

  “We shouldn’t be here,” Mia whispered.

  Ethan ignored her, stepping deeper into the room. He approached the center of the chamber, where a pedestal once stood, now cracked and empty.

  “What are you looking for?” Damien asked.

  “Clues,” Ethan said, scanning the carvings. “Anything that tells us what Lucas was trying to hide.”

  As Ethan examined the carvings, Mia stepped away from the group, drawn to a broken mirror mounted on one of the walls. The glass was cracked, its surface warped, but something about it seemed...alive.

  “Mia, don’t wander off,” Ethan said without looking up.

  “I’m fine,” Mia murmured, her gaze fixed on the mirror.

  She reached out, her fingers brushing the surface. The moment her skin made contact, the room seemed to darken. The carvings flared brightly, and the air filled with a faint, rhythmic humming.

  “Mia?” Ethan turned toward her, alarmed.

  Mia’s eyes widened as her reflection in the mirror shifted. It wasn’t her. The face staring back at her was familiar but subtly wrong—her own features distorted, her expression filled with malice.

  The mirror whispered, its voice soft but insistent: “They don’t trust you. Why should they? You’re hiding, just like the rest of them.”

  Mia stumbled back, her chest tightening. “What...what is this?”

  Ethan rushed to her side, grabbing her arm. “What happened? What did you see?”

  Mia shook her head, her breathing uneven. “I don’t know. It was...me, but not me. It said...” She trailed off, her hands trembling.

  “What did it say?” Damien asked, his tone sharp.

  “That I’m hiding something,” Mia whispered.

  Ethan frowned, his grip tightening on her arm. “Are you?”

  “No!” Mia cried, but her voice broke. “I don’t...I don’t think so.”

  The humming grew louder, and the air seemed to vibrate.

  “Guys,” Damien said nervously. “I think we should leave. Now.”

  Before they could respond, the ticking of the gears above them grew louder, almost deafening. The ground shook violently, and a deep, guttural roar echoed through the chamber.

  Ethan turned toward the door, his heart racing. “Run!”

  The group sprinted out of the clock tower, the roar chasing them into the open air. The shadows at the forest’s edge writhed and stretched, their movement growing more erratic.

  As they collapsed onto the cobblestones, panting for breath, Ethan turned to Mia.

  “What happened in there?” he demanded.

  “I told you,” Mia said, her voice trembling. “The mirror—it showed me something. It said I was hiding something, but I don’t know what it means!”

  Damien crossed his arms, his expression skeptical. “Are you sure? Because that’s a pretty specific accusation.”

  Mia glared at him, tears in her eyes. “I don’t know! I don’t even know why we’re here, let alone what I’m supposedly hiding!”

  “Enough,” Ethan snapped, his voice firm. “Whatever’s happening, we can’t turn on each other. That’s exactly what this place wants.”

  Mia wiped her eyes, nodding reluctantly.

  Damien sighed. “Fine. But next time something starts whispering creepy crap, maybe don’t touch it.”

  Ethan stood, his gaze shifting to the forest. The trees seemed to lean closer now, their branches reaching for the town like grasping fingers.

  “This isn’t over,” Ethan said quietly. “Whatever Lucas did, whatever’s happening to this town—it’s just beginning.”