Watch The Skyline [Hiatus]

Chapter One - The Pocket Watch [Rewritten]

Before today, she had never gotten the chance to actually touch or hold the pocket watch. Having seen the price, she told herself to save up money for it first and then come back for it. She did not want to get too attached to the object whilst saving, since there was always a threat that someone would take it from her. Besides, she had reasoned, the purchase would be much more rewarding that way.

To her, pocket watches were the symbol for old fashion elegance, a type of classiness that was absent in today's society. Yes, it was used to look at time, but it could be more than that. Pocket watches could be personal keepsakes or family heirlooms, an item that could hold the emotions of different individuals who owned them. She had read multiple stories and heard of multiple accounts where a pocket watch was as close to someone as a diary or memory box. It made her envious; she wished that there could be an object that she could call special to herself or her family.

Now that she owned this particular watch, perhaps she could pass it down in her family. ...Though it belonged to someone else before and it didn't seem romantic at all since she acquired the watch through the most ordinary of means. She didn't have to go through any memorable trial or hardship to get it, she didn't have to make a dangerous bargain like she would read about in novels; but maybe her descendants would  think differently after a few generations. Perhaps, by the time her great-great-great-great-great grandchildren recieved the watch, babysitting and dog walking would seem like an extremely difficult and physically, if not emotionally, draining task that they would admire her for even thinking of doing.

Either way, she had it in her hands now and was excited that it was going to be a part of her life and her household.

Upon reaching her home she quickly ran up to her room and closed the door, making her way to her bed after turning on the lights and dropping her book bag to the floor. She climbed onto her bed and sat down at the foot of it with her legs crossed underneath her. Carefully, she took the pocket watch out of its wrapping in the bag that the owner had placed it in and brought it out.

She held the watch in her hands and stared at it, holding it up into the sunlight that shown in through her window. It was of decent size with intricate floral decor engraved onto its cover. Not too small and not too large, just perfect in the palm of her hand. Carefully with both hands she pressed down on the button at the top of the watch and watched as it snapped open.

Immediately her eyes were drawn to the picture that was pressed against the back of the cover on the left side.

What is this? she asked herself as she held it up to her face. It was an old black and white photograph of a man and a woman. Creases covered the surface of the photograph, showing obvious wear and age though one should have gotten the hint anyhow with the attire of the couple.

They were an older couple, but not too old. The man had a strong jaw with intensely focused eyes and dark hair, while the woman had an almost baby face with bigger eyes and light coloured hair.

Though the pictures were from the shoulder up, it was obvious that the man was standing up stiffly and straight. He was wearing a U.S Army service uniform as well, so it would make sense if he was. He was staring directly at the camera and he gave off a very serious aura, but he did have a small crooked smile on his face. The woman, on the other hand, had a wide smile and her head was slightly tilted to the left, making her short blonde hair tilt to the side as well and touch the top of her shoulder. Her clothes was of a floral pattern and considering the time period, it more than likely would have been a dress.

They were like opposites of each other.

This made the girl wonder, of course, as to their identities. Slowly and cautiously she used a finger to try and pry the photograph from its position behind the watch cover. She almost felt bad. Who knows how long the photograph has been stuck in this watch? And here she was taking it out, changing something that could have been like this for decades.

Curiousity won her over. She shook the thought out of her head and removed the photo. She looked behind it in hopes that perhaps there would be a clue as to who the people in the picture were. There was.

Arthur and Helen Pierce, 1917.

Her eyes widen in awe. World War One era, she said to herself before flipping the picture over again to look at it. A new feeling washed over her as she looked at the fragile photograph. Who were these people? Lovers? Friends? Siblings? 

"Mackensie, dinner!"

Before she could ponder on it any further, her name was called and she quickly (but carefully) placed the watch and the photograph on her pillow. Jumping off of her bed, she ran out her room and down the stairs to join her parents for dinner.