With the first rays of the sun, Elara found herself in yet another version of the town, now named Kew. Today she knew exactly where to go. The Victorian house stood there as if waiting for her. This time, when she opened the gate, a gentle breeze caressed her face. It almost felt like the house was welcoming her.
She hurriedly searched for Mr Thorn. “I need to buy the Victorian house,” she told him as soon as she found him.
“But there are so many options. Are you sure you don’t want to explore more properties? As a buyer’s agent for Kew property, I can show you many homes,” he replied, almost mechanically.
“No, it has to be this one!” she insisted.
In the house, everything felt stable, unlike the time-warped air outside. The shadows stayed where they should, and the air didn’t have that electric tension. It was an island of calm in a sea of chaos.
Elara recalled how Mr Thorn mentioned that the house belonged to a clockmaker who tried to control time. It all clicked together. The house was where it started, and it was where it had to end.
She decided to test her theory. Pulling out her notebook, she made detailed notes about the house and the day’s events. She hid the notebook under a floorboard.
If my theory is right, this will still be here tomorrow.
As she left the house, the townspeople eerily smiled at her, as if they knew something she didn’t.
“I must own this house,” she told Mr Thorn again as they stood outside. “Please, help me make the purchase. You’re one of the best buyer’s advocates offering services in Melbourne, are you not?”
He seemed hesitant but finally nodded.
Elara knew she had little time. The shadows were lengthening, and the whispers of “See you tomorrow” were beginning in the wind.
As nightfall approached, she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her resolve unwavering.
The whispers grew louder, but Elara clung to the knowledge she had garnered, and the understanding that with the help of her buyer’s advocate, she could reclaim her time and possibly free the others.