Copper Fingers

Chapter 3. The Pocket Watch

Benji woke to the baby crying, again. Ever since his half sister Camilla came along, he had had some pretty rough nights. Benji heard his mother comforting her and singing to her, soon the crying stopped. He checked the time, it was nearly five AM.

Images of what he saw came flooding in. It was one of the most terrifying moments of his life. And those images were permanently plastered on his mind.

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SandalWood Avenue (Nursery Hill) two days ago

Benji looked back. He was miles ahead! He peddled harder down Cross street then took the sharp turn onto SandalWood Avenue. He skidded to a stop near Nursery Hill and waited. A few seconds later, Ryan, Cole and Dylan zoomed in.

"Where were you guys!" Benji joked, leaning on his bike. "I've been waiting here for ages!" The four boys chuckled, pushing their bikes leisurely as they chatted about the day's events. "Can we get back to riding, we're all alone and near Nursery Hill..."

"Hey! Little Cole's scared!" Cried Dylan.

"Cole, come on! There's no such thing as the ClockSouls, and you know that." Benji said.

"Yeah I know, Its just... Creepy."

"I know!" Ryan said "Let's ride down the hill!"

"Yeah ok." Dylan agreed.

"That sounds fun!" Everyone turned their gaze to Cole. "Um... I'll do it!"

So the friends all ran up with their bikes and disappeared into the trees. They then hopped onto their bikes and sped along the pebble pathway between the trees. "Woohoo!" Benji screamed. up ahead was the steep grassy drop they had been waiting for. His heart pounded as he came closer.

Dylan was up ahead at the top of the drop a sheer look of terror on his face, but something told Benji it had nothing to do with the ride... Dylan crashed. He was in tears.

Everyone ran up to him. Dylan's face was white he raised a shaking had and pointed out into the trees. The others gasped. A pocket watch hung from a tree branch, it swung gently in the breeze. Benji froze with terror while Cole and Ryan helped him to his feet. "I...I saw a shadow, moving past this tr... tr... tree!"

"It was probably just a bird." Cole comforted.

"And someone just lost their watch here and you just noticed it then."

Benji would probably have believe Cole but he knew more about the stories than the other three. So the only thought going through his mind was; Tombi has a watch.

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"Benji! Get up! We're going to be late for the bake sale!" His mum opened up the windows. "Can't I just stay home?"

"No, Harry's gone to work so you'll be all alone for hours."

"But mum! I'm thirteen! And hang on! I can stay with dad at the hotel, he's in town you know."

"Well, I want you to come! I believe your brother is a member of the Wandlewell Soccer Club and you are apart of the family so I want you to support your brother's team!"

"Fine!" Benji pulled on some clothes, gabbed a hand full of cash from his robot money holder and dispenser that he got for his tenth birthday and trudged down stairs. He found his nine-and-a-half-year- old  brother dressed in his soccer gear eagerly awaiting by the front door. "Tommy! Benji and Nat have to have their breakfast!"

It's back to the same old days Benji thought chewing his cornflakes, watching Natalia staring at her phone screen as usual. He couldn't believe that just two days ago he was up on Nursery Hill, scared out of his mind.