But his journey was far from over. With the hour hand secured, he knew he must now ascend to the attic, where the other clock hand and by his suspicions, another puzzle awaited him amidst the tangled maze of thorn vines and pulsating goo. He makes his way to the attic, walking up the seemingly endless stairs and opened the door. Inside was completely different from the attic he had known just like the basement. Most likely due to the shifting of the nightmare-filled house.
Amidst the shadows, he spotted four pedestals arranged in a circle, each adorned with a distinct animal symbol: a snake coiled in anticipation, a crow perched ominously, a rat scurrying with unseen purpose, and a fox lurking in the shadows. Scattered across the floor of the room lay four dolls, each one eerily human-like yet marred by missing limbs or features. Attached to one of the pedestals lay a weathered parchment, its parchment bearing yet another cryptic poem:
"In the attic's gloom, secrets lie,
Beneath the watchful serpent's eye.
With limbs lost and eyes that weep,
The path to truth, in darkness, keep.
The snake with limbs forlorn,
A doll bereft, its legs all torn.
The crow with wings unfurled,
A doll in need, its arms uncurled.
The rat with mindless stare,
A doll devoid, its head laid bare.
The fox with gaze so keen,
A doll in want, its sight unseen."
With a furrowed brow, the man pondered the enigmatic verses, his mind racing to decipher their meaning. Carefully, he approached the dolls, studying each one. First, he selected the doll with no legs, its porcelain form eerily lifelike despite its missing limbs. Placing it on the pedestal marked with the serpent symbol, he felt a faint click as it settled into place, a sense of satisfaction washing over him. He was on the right track. He then turned his attention to the doll with no arms, its outstretched hands reaching out in silent supplication. With a steady hand, he positioned it on the pedestal adorned with the crow symbol, the pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place. Then came the doll with no head, its featureless face a haunting reminder of the mysteries that lurked within the attic's depths. Setting it upon the pedestal marked with the rat symbol, he felt a surge of anticipation as the room seemed to pulse with unseen energy. Lastly, he approached the doll with no eyes, its vacant gaze fixed upon some unseen horizon. Placing it on the pedestal bearing the fox symbol, he held his breath, waiting for the final piece of the puzzle to fall into place.
With a soft click, the pedestals began to glow with an otherworldly light, illuminating the attic with an ethereal glow. The room seemed to shimmer with possibility as the hidden compartment revealed itself, containing the elusive minute hand nestled within. With a sense of triumph, the man retrieved the precious artifact, the weight of his journey lifting from his shoulders as he held it aloft. Though the puzzles had tested his resolve, he knew that his greatest challenge still lay ahead as he prepared to unlock the door to his own salvation.
YOU ARE READING
Random short stories
RandomHi, everybody! This is just a random book filled with random short stories that I had written from one of my university course. I know I should be working on my other stories but here! Have this to help passed the time while waiting!
