The Crooked Man

Time Heals All Wounds

In his worn chair, sat N, in hand a book with pages held together by a single thread. A tall flickering candle as his only light source. N's eyes lit up as they grazed along the words on the pages. He'd read the same book over a million times, yet it still brought a flutter in his chest every time he read it. The old grandfather clock had struck midnight, it's chime echoing throughout the deserted shack of a home. The day had passed, scurrying like a mouse to catch up to the next. N laid his book down and shifted himself forward, his head rested in his hands. Time was a confusing subject to N. How minutes became hours, hours became days, and days to the many years he has spent alone. He was once told that Time was a friend to no man, a villain who stole precious moments from the living. And as the fleeting seasons changed, N blamed Time for all the unfathomable moments of his life.

The chiming soon came to a stop, the regularly scheduled ticking spreading its life back into the room. A faint smile came to N's lips as he stared at the clock, a memento left behind by his mother. N thought it's ticking to be her presence, her gentle embrace. N felt his smile slowly begin to fade. He was only but a baby when Time had stolen her from his grasps.

He heaved a sigh as he rose from his seat, tottering unsteadily over to his lump of disheveled fabric he called a bed. His right hand on his cane, his left holding his candle, both which seemed unusually shaken. With a small breath he blew out his candle and sat himself down, ready for a well deserved rest.

However, the night went on as an endless loop as N tossed and turned in his sleepless state. He thought Time was perhaps playing one of his usual tricks on him. N perked open his eyes to a faint rustle from outside. Only the swaying pine trees could be seen in the moonlit scenery. He quickly shut his eyes once again, rolling over onto his left side. His ears twitched slightly as a second rustle caught his attention.

"It's not like I would be getting sleep anyways.." N whispered grouchily as he brought his blanket onto his shoulders. The sound seemed to have been coming from the living area.

"Must've left a window open or something.." A slight chill ran along N's spine There was something eerie about the silence of the darkness. N wasn't afraid of much, but he had never been quite fond of the dark. He tiptoed, his breathing inaudible, and a blanket wrapped tightly around his shoulders as his only protection. But as he reached closer and closer to the origin of the sound, a dark feeling, almost like a bad omen, was creeping up inside of him.

He heard the faintest of sounds, a small bell like noise followed by the chime of a new hour. However, the noise had suddenly came to a halt, almost as if time was frozen still. N had barely managed to blink before an avalanche-like crash reached his ears. His stomach churned as he went to take a look at the piece that would await him.

N could only remain still where he stood. In front of him stood the large clock on it's side, only few pieces intact, surrounded by shattered glass from its core. But what captured N's gaze was the black cat, illuminated by the moonlight, simply playing with the large golden chimes. N felt nothing. He was a shell of a man in that moment. His heart felt like it could no longer beat. Had he even a heart to begin with?

"Y-You..." There was a quiver to his voice, his whole body coursing with heat.

You destroy everything you touch! You'll Never be anything but... B-but a Crooked Man!" His voice was filled with a fiery rage as heated tears ran down his face.

N grabbed hold of his cane, and with all his might threw it at he cat.

Time seemed to go even slower as the cane reached the ground, breaking apart to rubble. The cat quickly scrambled away. N had fallen down to his knees, looking at his own destruction that lay in front of him.

Only silence filled the room. The once lively ticking was no longer. His only comfort were the sound his beating heart and his labored breath.

"Crooked....that's what we are....it's all we'll ever be." His words repeated in his mind.

Unable to get up without his cane, he dragged himself over to the clock, until he could move no longer. His mind and body felt heavy. For once in his life he prayed to Time that the previous events could just turn back.