Mechanical Hearts

Mechanical Hearts

Kevin Diaz

4th Willow Street is no ordinary street; in fact, it is a street frequently visited by extraordinary individuals. Lined by the highest quality products desired by the most talented artists, craftsmen, intellectuals, and many more titles to describe people who have left a mark in the world. Expensive paints for artists on the right side of the street, across are tools for world-class sculptors, and right next to it are luxury products, bags, clothing, and jewelry, targeted towards the extraordinary vanity of the extraordinary ones. One of them is an antique store named Adelheid. 

Unlike the other stores with glass walls, advanced machinery, and security, Adelheid has its red brick walls and square windows, a wooden door, and mold; lots and lots of mold. Its name at the top, hand-painted by someone who definitely died in the 1800s, can't even be read nor seen unless one would pay a lot of attention. Many would even argue that Adelheid does not belong to 4th Willow Street.

Now despite Adelheid's antique appearance, it is quite a name for wealthy collectors, one of them is a man striding pompously in Willow Street, clad with a velvet robe, silky smooth maroon suit with its collar almost covered by his long white beard and a violet-striped, black cane. "AHA!" exclaimed the man. "It appears that I have found the right shop!" said the man arrogantly. The pompous man stares at the moldy sign at the top of the store, as he slides his palms together. "Erun! Hurry up now! The Adelheid isn't open forever," said the man. "Grandpa Wilhelm!" replied a young boy, as he ran towards Wilhelm. "Sorry gramps, I didn't think you'd walk so fast." "Erun, boy, a collector such as I cannot maintain composure once I see what I desire," replied Wilhelm. His white beard flows as he speaks "Now as you can see, we've traveled, from Germany to France, to Italy, to Norway, and now we are in Switzerland. I will not let you slow me down unless I've acquired the best Antiques this continent can offer." The smile from Wilhelm's face faded as he scolded his grandson. "Yes Grandpa," said Erun, 

"Now, will you excuse me," said Wilhelm.

Wilhelm pushes Erun aside, raises both his arms then pushes the wooden double doors of the store with great force, rattling some of the items inside. He then swaggered into the store with Erun looking at his grandfather with a scrunched face and a raised eyebrow. Erun is not like his grandfather, he wears regular clothes, and a flat cap, and prefers to not wear any accessories, his only item similar to Wilhelm's would be his brown vest and a pocket watch his father gave him.

 His legs were quite sore from all the walking around Willow Street, they came from store to store all morning 'til afternoon, asking people questions about the whereabouts of this great Adelheid. They had a hard time looking for people to ask as well, Erun thought, for a street so famous, there were little to no people visiting. He couldn't help but be doubtful of their whereabouts as the only thing that made him tag along with his grandfather was to quench his fascination for clocks and watches.

The clouds were slowly getting dark despite being early in the afternoon, Erun entered the store, and closed the double doors behind him, saving his grandfather some face. Erun looks around the oh-so-famous Adelheid. The inside did seem bigger compared to the outside, but it didn't take him long to be disappointed with its interior. Rotting wooden floors, a ceiling with holes in them, the windows were dustier than a forgotten attic, and the items being sold were simply placed inside wooden boxes. Everything was chestnut brown, from the floors to the walls, to the ceiling, except for some bits of red bricks on the pillars and the fireplace. 

Erun thought to himself; Is this really a world-renowned antique shop? He enters deeper into the store, and he sees vases of Eastern origins, indigenous tools, toys made of ceramic that slightly piqued his interest, and many more items of old in their respective display cabinets. As he walked further into the shop, he noticed a scruffy man wearing a dusty suit tinkering with gray and orange hair on an old grandfather's clock on the side of the store. Erun stares at the man working on the clock as he pulls on a couple of chains.