Echoes of Time

Chapter 22 - The Price of Time

Keith stood frozen at the edge of the cliff, the swirling sea below crashing against the rocks like the echoes of his thoughts. His breath came in short bursts, his heart pounding as he held the hourglass in his hands. He could feel its weight, not just in its physical form, but in the burden it represented. The power to manipulate time, to go back and change everything, rested in his grasp. Yet, with that power came a responsibility that gnawed at his soul. He had already tried twice before—each time, the universe had retaliated.

And Adeline had paid the price.

He hadn't meant for it to happen. He hadn't known the side effects of using the hourglass would ripple into her life, causing time to glitch, to stop and repeat itself like a broken record. But it had. And now, she was suffering for his mistakes.

"Damn it," Keith whispered to himself, gripping the hourglass tighter. His knuckles turned white. He knew what he had to do. He had made up his mind.

Even if it meant sacrificing himself.

He took a deep breath, staring at the swirling sand within the glass. It was glowing faintly, almost as if it knew what was coming. The storm inside reflected the storm within him—chaos, fear, guilt, and a desperate thirst for redemption.

"I can't let her suffer anymore," he muttered. "I'll end this. One way or another."

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out in the stillness, sending a chill down his spine. "Keith."

Keith spun around, his heart dropping to his stomach. The old man stood there, his face shadowed by the moonlight, his eyes glowing with an unnatural fury. Dr. Gareth Monroe—Adeline's father, or what was left of him—had arrived, as if summoned by Keith's resolve.

The ghostly figure stepped forward, his cane tapping against the ground with every step, an ominous echo in the night. His face twisted into a sneer as he eyed the hourglass in Keith's hands.

"You're doing it again, boy," the old man growled. "You're meddling with forces far beyond your control."

Keith swallowed hard, his pulse racing. "I have no choice. This is the only way to fix things."

"Fix things?" Dr. Monroe's laugh was cold and bitter. "You think you can fix time? You think you can rewrite history without consequences? You're playing a dangerous game, Keith. One you've already lost."

Keith's jaw clenched, anger and fear swirling inside him. "I've already seen what happens if I don't act. Adeline suffers. The curse never ends. I'm not going to let that happen."

The old man's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint in them. "You're risking her life every time you use that cursed object. You're making it worse."

"I'm saving her!" Keith shouted, his voice cracking with frustration. "You don't understand. You've been stuck here, trapped in your own anger and guilt, but I can still change things. I can stop the experiment before it happens."

Dr. Monroe's face contorted with rage. "You fool! If you tamper with the past again, the universe will tear itself apart. You'll destroy everything, including her."

Keith's grip on the hourglass tightened, the weight of the old man's words pressing down on him like a suffocating blanket. Fear gnawed at his insides, but he refused to back down. "I know the risks. But I can't just sit here and do nothing."

"You're a puppet of time, just like me," Dr. Monroe spat. "You think you have control, but you don't. The hourglass owns you now. It will use you until there's nothing left."

Keith's heart raced as the old man's words hit home. He could feel the truth in them, the bitter edge of it cutting into his resolve. But what choice did he have? If he didn't act, Adeline would continue to suffer, trapped in a cycle of pain and confusion, haunted by the remnants of her parents' failed experiment.

"I have to try," Keith whispered, more to himself than to the old man. His voice trembled with the weight of his decision. "I'll protect her. Even if it kills me."

Dr. Monroe's expression darkened, his ghostly form flickering with anger. "You don't understand what you're dealing with. The hourglass doesn't just rewind time—it warps it. And every time you use it, you're feeding it. You're feeding the curse."

Keith's stomach twisted in guilt, but he pushed it down. He couldn't let fear stop him now. He had made his choice.

"I know," Keith said softly, his voice barely a whisper. "But I don't care. I won't let her suffer anymore."