THE DAYS THAT STARTED TO FEEL LIKE HOME
Chapter 10
The following week brought an unexpected problem.
The town’s old clock stopped.
It happened on a Tuesday morning.
At exactly 9:14.
Nobody knew why.
But by 9:30, half the town knew.
By ten, people were arguing about it.
By eleven, someone had blamed the storm.
By noon, someone else had blamed the age of the mechanism.
Ethan stood beneath the clock tower with Walter.
“Can you fix it?”
Ethan looked up.
“I don’t know.”
Walter nodded.
“Good.”
“What?”
“I was worried you’d say yes.”
Ethan laughed.
They climbed the narrow staircase.
The clock mechanism was old.
Very old.
Dust covered the gears.
One spring had broken.
Ethan studied it.
“We need a replacement.”
Walter frowned.
“Can we get one?”
“Probably.”
“How long?”
Ethan looked at the mechanism.
“Maybe a week.”
Walter sighed.
The clock remained silent.
That afternoon, Ethan returned with a temporary solution.
He repaired the mechanism enough to make the clock move again.
At exactly 4:17, the bell rang.
People outside looked up.
Then someone cheered.
Ethan leaned against the tower window.
Walter smiled.
“You know what?”
“What?”
“You’re becoming useful.”
Ethan laughed.
“That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said.”
