The Clock Shop (ORIGINAL VERSION)

17

I hoped no one else would see what I saw, but I guess since I didn't know there were two tunnels, that one was good.

     I'm glad you made it out safe, Hannah, and thank you for reaching out to me.

     Maybe someday we could meet and you can tell me more about what you saw.

I wish you the best,

Amanda Murray

That was the end of the letter. I read everything out loud to Mr. Clifton. I learned something else besides what she saw: his name.

     "Now we know the answer to what lies behind both of the tunnels," I concluded.

     "I guess so," he sighed, trying to take in the story and all the information we had just read. He paused for a little while to think. "This makes me wonder if we should close off the tunnels. I don't want anyone to ever get lost in there or die."

     "Yeah, what if someone didn't make it out."

     "Exactly, what if we had the authorities investigate this, who knows how long it's been here and how it got here."

     I nodded in agreement, although I knew those questions wouldn't be able to be answered by the FBI or a Detective or other authorities at all. What lies in those tunnels is surreal and probably supernatural, it's unknown to mankind. "For now I think we just need to close it off, alert the authorities to close it off completely."

     I thought more about what Amanda went through and compared it to my experience. Who wouldn't want to be in their most desired place? But then again, who would want to face their worst fears head-on?

***

Mr. Clifton had to keep the shop locked up for the rest of the week as the authorities investigated.

     I heard a few knocks on my door and went to go check. It was Mr. Clifton

     "Hey, good morning Hannah," he smiled, "they wanted you to come to tell them what you saw and if they could read the letter."

     And I happily did so.

     They ended up pouring concrete into the initial tunnel so no one would be able to get in. They told me they sent someone down to see.

     They sent one person into each tunnel, each knowing that one was going into their worst fears and the other would go somewhere amazing.

     Both made it back out, but the poor man who ended up going down the left tunnel came out scared, and feeling the same way Amanda did, and agreed no one should have to see the things he saw.

     I continued to work for Mr. Clifton in his clock shop, I even was able to meet Amanda Murray after he invited me to Thanksgiving with his family.

     I felt welcomed into his family and ended up spending more holidays with them over a few years. Until, unfortunately, Mr. Clifton passed away a few years later and I ended up being given his shop by his family.

     For many years I took care of the shop, even hiring a few employees later on. I taught them everything Mr. Clifton taught me, and they were interested.