Title: The Clockmaker’s Apprentice
In a small town by the sea, there was a clockmaker who could repair any
timepiece, no matter how broken. People whispered that he didn’t just fix
clocks — he could fix time itself. His apprentice, a curious boy named Elias,
wanted to learn this secret.
One night, Elias discovered a hidden drawer beneath the workbench. Inside,
there was a clock with no hands and no numbers, only a single golden gear
that pulsed like a heartbeat. When Elias touched it, the workshop dissolved,
and he found himself reliving the happiest memory of his childhood.
The clockmaker entered and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Every broken clock remembers a moment,” he said. “The question is, do
you want to fix it, or keep it broken?”
Elias never looked at time the same way again.