The Timekeeper's Watch

Chapter Four - The First Fracture

The conversation between Thom and his mother plagued him all throughout the day and into the night. George's appearance did nothing for Thom but give him an unsettled anxiousness.

He slept little that night, laying awake for hours despite his lack of sleep the night before.
When he approached Norwood House the next day, he felt sleepless and confused. He gazed down at the Watch on his forearm. The little hands continued to tick around the face gently and silently.

Something felt not quite right. But was it the situation with his brother? He had lived with his behaviour for years.... Why did he suddenly feel uneasy in the pit of his stomach?

Thom was still gazing down at the Watch as he ran smack-bang into something hard. The figure stumbled forwards and growled. 'Ow, Firth!'

Thom startled, looking up ruefully at Neaka Norwood – who he had just walked face first into the back of.

'Look where you're going, won't you?' she groaned, her dark brows knit together fiercely. She stood talking with two boys from seventh year outside the Norwood library, neither of them which Thom had seen before.

'Sorry, I didn't see you,' he shrugged apologetically and rubbed his head as he scooted round her and into the library.

Neaka turned and eyed him quietly as he went.

The library sat on the ground floor, shelves stood endlessly tall and filled to the edges with books, both brand new and older than Thom could care to guess.

The library had been his favourite room in Norwood House for the last three years of his Timekeeping studies. It was the place where he spent all of his spare time and it also happened to be where he met his best friend.

'Artie,' Thom whispered, as he swung his knapsack onto the table. The other boy, seated at a long mahogany table under the window, looked up at his arrival.

'Better late than never, I suppose,' Artie remarked.

'Oh, shut it, Rigby,' Thom rolled his eyes as Artie grinned. 'As if I'd ever be late.'

'You could try.'

'I tell you Time and Time again...'

'Yes, yes, I know, Firth. Don't get your ticker in a twist,' the boy chuckled. His ginger hair and boyish grin shone as he ducked his head in laughter.

Thom slid into the wooden chair and blew out a sigh. 'You want to hear some news?'

'Is the news that you rammed Neaka Norwood to the ground outside the library? Cause I haven't spread that round the Society just yet,' Artie cackled and ducked his head as Thom threw a book at his head.

Thankfully he chose a smaller, lighter one and it didn't do much damage. Artie covered his mouth in a guffaw.

'No, you idiot,' Thom continued, hiding a smile. 'And I didn't knock her to the ground. It was an accident. I wasn't watching where I was going.'

'I don't think she saw it as an accident. Those two seventh years that were chatting her up looked like they were about to knock you out.'

Thom rolled his eyes. 'Back on track, Artie.'

Artie picked up the thrown book and placed it back on the neat pile in front of him. Thom noticed the pile was one of multiple and frowned. 'What's with the mini-library, anyway?'

Thom picked up a book off the nearest pile and read the spine. Advanced Application of Mathematical Algorithms In Timekeeping. He raised an eyebrow.

'Sounds... interesting?'

Artie grew a look of frustration and hung his head back. 'It's for Professor Markey's Advanced Mathematics class. We have a paper due on algorithm application in Timekeeping on Tuesday. I'm way behind.'