Waseem and Ayaan were stuck in their thoughts. Many questions were running through their minds:
1. Maybe someone knew that one day time would get stuck, and that's why they created the garden.
2. Maybe a person cursed the whole town because the townspeople did something wrong to them.
3. Maybe someone was making a clock, and it caused a glitch that froze time.
4. Maybe someone cast a spell on the town.
These questions kept swirling in Waseem’s and Ayaan’s heads. They began to think that perhaps someone else, like them, was unaffected by the magic someone who knew the truth about the town and the time loop.
They started searching for more clues, but failed. So, they went back to the town.
The next morning, they returned to the hidden garden to check if the clock was still working. When Ayaan opened the box, he found a new note inside. He read it aloud:
"You have to find the person who knows the reality of this town and time."
The changing note made them think maybe someone is watching us. Perhaps that person is beyond the magic, just like us. If that's true, then we need to find them. But how?
Another thought crossed their minds what if the notes appear through some kind of magic?
They returned to town, determined to find the person who knew the truth. They searched everywhere, but everyone was frozen in time. Days passed.
The same routine repeated at exactly 3:00 PM. They had no idea what to do next.
Finally, they decided to leave the town and search elsewhere.
Waseem and Ayaan walked beyond Sapphire’s borders, hoping to find someone or something. But to their shock, the next town was also stuck in time. Birds flew in reverse, raindrops rose from the earth back into the sky, and people moved backward walking, running, and playing in reverse.
They were more confused than ever. The magic was spreading.
They began observing the people, objects, and environment in that town too, but found nothing helpful. Defeated, they decided to return.
As they entered the forest on their way back, they discovered a strange path they hadn’t seen before. It led somewhere deep into the woods.
Curious, they followed it, hoping for clues. But they soon began to feel tired. They had no food or water. While searching for something to eat, they found fruit hanging from tall trees but they couldn’t climb to reach them.
They kept walking. After about an hour, they found a river, drank water, and felt better.
Two hours later, they arrived at a strange ancient place completely silent. No birds, no people, no sounds. Just emptiness.
They began to observe the place. Suddenly, they found a building. They decided to enter it, though they felt afraid. Taking a deep breath, they stepped inside.
From the outside, the building looked old and ancient, but the inside was like a grand mansion. As they explored, they saw beautiful paintings, elegant furniture, and large rooms but there were no people anywhere.
A chill ran down Waseem’s spine as he stepped further in. In the center of the hall, a candle was lit—freshly burning, though no one seemed to be there. Ayaan whispered, Someone was just here or maybe they still are.
To be continued
