Lucian whispered to himself, his voice barely audible:
"No… not now… not here… what's happening?"
And then—
Suddenly, Anya returned, smiling as she handed him the book:
"Here it is… don't forget to return it by the end of the week!"
Lucian looked at Anya, then at the book… before taking it from her and replying in a steady voice:
"Oh… alright, I'll return it by the end of the week. Goodbye!"
Anya smiled:
"Goodbye…"
On his way back home, Lucian passed by the abandoned Clock Tower once more…
He stopped walking for a few seconds… and noticed a girl crying, wandering around the tower. But no one else seemed to see her, as if she didn't exist at all…
Her face looked strangely familiar to Lucian…
He tried to approach her—
but in the blink of an eye, she vanished.
"What's happening? Am I hallucinating?"
But suddenly, Lucian heard footsteps, and someone tapped his shoulder from behind—
"What are you doing here, you rascal?"
Lucian turned around and was shocked.
"Uncle Rafed???" he exclaimed in disbelief.
Uncle Rafed began to laugh:
"Ha-ha-ha… you've grown so much, boy… I remember when you were just a little kid crying in front of the candy shop."
Lucian hesitated for a moment:
"Heh… well, I guess my father left me because I cried too much… Anyway, since when have you returned to Mirwan?"
Uncle Rafed:
"Well… I came back just a few days ago, after the incident that happened seven years ago!"
"What incident do you mean?" Lucian asked softly.
Uncle Rafed's expression darkened, his voice turning more serious:
"Oh, have you forgotten? The explosion… that destroyed the Clock Tower."
Lucian glanced back at the tower and spoke quietly:
"But… Uncle, why was the tower never rebuilt or restored?"
Uncle Rafed sighed slightly:
"I don't have any idea about that… and truth be told, I've forgotten much of what happened seven years ago."
Then he added:
"Now, boy, you'd better head home… I remember your father always worried when you were late coming back."
Lucian looked away:
"Please… don't remind me too much…"
Uncle Rafed smiled, then began to walk off. But before leaving, he turned back to Lucian:
"Take care of yourself. I'm glad I got to see you!"
Then Uncle Rafed left… while Lucian made his way home.
A heavy sadness weighed inside him:
"I miss my father's embrace…"
That moment replayed in his mind—
the moment his father left him and his mother behind, alone.
**
The clock on Lucian's bedroom wall read 9:26 p.m.
Lucian sat on his bed, holding the book Interpretations of Mysterious Dreams that Anya had given him…
He sighed, opened the first page, and found explanations for all kinds of dreams that seemed meaningless…
Until he reached page 133, where he found the topic: "Dreams in Which a Clock Appears."
Lucian whispered to himself:
"There it is… I've been looking for this for so long!"
He began to read:
"When a clock appears in dreams, it often indicates one of the following reasons:"
1. Time is running out. A clock in a dream often suggests that you may miss something if you don't act.
2. A major event. If the dream features a large clock, such as a clock tower, it may signify an important event—or meeting someone new.
3. The past, present, and future are intertwined. This indicates an inner conflict, such as regret from the past, confusion in the present, or fear of the future.
Lucian's eyes widened as he reached the third point…
He paused, staring at the three possibilities, and thought to himself:
"So… my dream could mean one of these three… but I think it's pointing to the second one…"
Then his eyes narrowed as he remembered the words of the girl who appeared in his dream:
"Stop it… before it takes you, as it took me…"
Lucian closed the book and set it aside…
"I'm exhausted… I'll get some rest."
Lucian lay down on his bed and closed his eyes…
But then—
He heard a voice from nowhere…
"Stop it… before it takes you, as it took me…"
Lucian awoke to find himself in the middle of the desert sands, facing the same Clock Tower that kept appearing in his dreams.
But this time, the girl was near him, her features clear… marked by sorrow and pain.
Lucian, his voice tense:
"Wh… who are you? Why do you keep repeating that phrase?"
The girl turned and began walking toward the tower, but Lucian grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving.
"I won't let you go unless you answer my question!"
"If I tell you who I am, you'll wake up… and we won't be able to speak for long." she said, her voice tinged with unease.
Lucian stared at her for a long moment, then sighed:
"It doesn't matter… Tell me who you are. I can always come back in another dream."
The girl's eyes widened, then she spoke cautiously:
"I am Lisa… I died seven years ago."
The shock jolted Lucian awake. He gasped for breath, struggling to comprehend what he had just heard…
"Her name… Lisa? And she died seven years ago??"
Lucian went to his closet, grabbed his jacket, and left the house with quiet steps.
"It's time to investigate this… because this dream is no ordinary dream!!"
He headed toward the Clock Tower, memories flooding back…
When the explosion and fire happened seven years ago, there had been no clear cause… yet the tower had been built of brick and reinforced concrete—
unless the inside had been made of wood!
Lucian arrived at the tower, glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then ran toward the side door. But as he reached it, he grew tense, took a deep breath, and grasped the handle.
Suddenly!!!
"What is a child like you doing here at this hour?"
A young woman pulled him back from the door.
Lucian stepped away, eyeing her cautiously:
"I… I came here to look into something. Who are you?"
The woman smiled coldly and replied calmly:
"I am Lara Kane, former director of a research center here in Mirwan… but now I work as a journalist."
Lucian, in a serious tone:
"Hmm… since you're a journalist, you must always be the first to get the news."
Lara nodded:
"That's right… but in any case, what are you doing in a place like this?"
Lucian sighed for a few seconds before asking:
"Well… do you know a girl named Lisa who died seven years ago?"
Lara stared at him for a long moment, then replied:
"I don't know what to tell you… I've only been working as a journalist for six months. I don't know anything about the events from seven years ago."
Lucian thought for a moment, then suggested:
"Why don't you ask—"
But Lara cut him off:
"Sorry… I don't have the right to access that information."
Lucian felt a wave of disappointment… but Lara added:
"In any case… you're under eighteen. You shouldn't be out so late… please, head back home."
She smiled gently, trying to ease the tension as much as possible.
Lucian had no choice but to return home. Yet inside, his resolve hardened:
"I swear… I will uncover the truth behind the explosion seven years ago!"
End of Chapter Two.