Episode 5

The Clock Tower

Meera stared at the last message for a long time.

Come alone.

Every instinct told her it was a bad idea.

But this was the first real clue she had found.

She couldn't ignore it.

The next morning, she tried acting normal, but Aishu immediately noticed something was wrong.

"You look nervous."

"I'm fine."

"Meera."

"Okay, maybe not."

Josh joined them before class started.

"What's going on?"

Meera showed them the messages.

Aishu's eyes widened.

"Absolutely not."

"What?"

"You're not going there alone."

Josh nodded.

"She's right."

"But what if this is my only chance to learn the truth?"

"And what if it's dangerous?" Josh asked.

Meera looked away.

She didn't have an answer.

---

That evening, the sky was covered with dark clouds.

The abandoned clock tower stood at the edge of town, surrounded by tall trees and broken fences.

Meera's heart pounded as she approached it.

The place looked exactly like it did in her dreams.

Every detail.

The cracked walls.

The rusted gate.

Even the old clock frozen at 8:15.

"This is impossible," she whispered.

A cold wind swept through the area.

Then she heard footsteps.

Slow.

Steady.

Coming from behind.

Meera turned around.

A woman stood a few feet away.

The same woman she had seen across the street.

The same woman from the photograph.

The same woman from her dreams.

"Who are you?" Meera asked.

The woman looked at her sadly.

"I've waited a long time to see you again."

"What does that mean?"

The woman stepped forward.

"My name is Elena."

"Do you know Maya?"

At the mention of the name, Elena's eyes filled with tears.

"Yes."

"Who was she?"

For a moment, Elena couldn't speak.

Then she whispered:

"She was my daughter."

Meera felt a chill run through her body.

"Your daughter?"

Elena nodded.

"And your sister."

Meera stepped back.

"No."

"It's true."

"No, my parents said Maya was my sister."

"They told you part of the truth."

"What truth?"

Elena took a deep breath.

"Sixteen years ago, something terrible happened."

"What happened?"

"Your family was involved in an accident."

Meera's heart raced.

"An accident?"

"Maya disappeared that night."

The wind howled around them.

"No one ever found her."

Meera stared at Elena.

"If Maya disappeared... then who am I?"

Elena looked directly into her eyes.

A tear rolled down her cheek.

"That's the question you've been asking all your life, isn't it?"

Meera couldn't speak.

Elena slowly reached into her bag.

She pulled out an old necklace.

A silver pendant shaped like a moon.

The moment Meera saw it, a sharp pain shot through her head.

Images flashed through her mind.

Rain.

A car.

Someone screaming.

A little girl crying.

Then darkness.

Meera nearly fell.

"Meera!" a voice shouted.

She looked up.

Josh and Aishu were running toward her.

"You followed me?" she asked.

"Of course we did," Aishu replied.

"We weren't letting you come alone."

Before anyone could say another word, thunder echoed across the sky.

Elena's expression suddenly changed.

Fear.

Real fear.

"They found you."

"What?"

Elena looked toward the trees.

Several shadowy figures were standing between the branches.

Watching them.

Watching Meera.

"Who are they?" Josh asked.

Elena grabbed Meera's hand.

"We have to leave. Now."

"Why?"

Elena's voice shook.

"Because if they discover you've started remembering..."

She looked directly at Meera.

"They'll finish what they started sixteen years ago."

To be continued...

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