The Clock of Memories

Episode 5: "The Echoes of the Past"

Victor’s mind was a whirlwind. He felt surrounded by shadows, a labyrinth of memories that imprisoned him in his own failures. The watch lay in his hand, cold and inert, yet the connection he had with this object was undeniable. He had managed to save Gabriel, but now the consequences of his choice became increasingly evident, like a rancid perfume filling the air.

Memories began to accumulate, one on top of another, like a stack of letters on a dusty table. He tried to push them away, but the more he tried, the more intense they became. Each memory that emerged seemed to bring a new wound with it.

"You shouldn’t have done that," the guardian's voice echoed in his mind, a constant reminder that reality came at a cost. He forced himself to rise from the floor, the pressure in his chest becoming unbearable. "What have I lost? What have I truly saved?"

Determined to uncover the truth, Victor activated the watch once more. The blue light enveloped his body, and he was pulled back into the flow of time. When his feet touched the ground again, he found himself in a familiar scene—the living room of his home, filled with laughter and conversation. It was Clara’s birthday, and everyone was there.

He watched the scene unfold like a spectator at an old movie. Clara was surrounded by friends, her radiant smile shining as she opened her gifts. Victor saw the sparkle in her eyes and the joy in her expression. But soon, the scene began to darken, and Clara's friends’ smiles morphed into looks of concern and fear.

"Victor, do you remember what happened?" Gabriel's voice came from behind him. Victor turned, and his brother's smile was absent, replaced by a somber expression. "What you did cannot be undone."

"But I’m here. I’m seeing Clara happy," Victor replied, but the insecurity in his voice betrayed his emotions.

"You don’t understand, do you?" Gabriel said, his voice low and dark. "You altered what should have been. Life is not just about saving those we love, but also about accepting what is."

Victor felt the pressure in his chest increase as he tried to absorb Gabriel's words. He turned back to Clara, watching as she tried to hide the sadness that had crept into her gaze. There was a void, a space that could not be filled, and Victor realized that this was what he had caused.

"What have I done?" Victor whispered, the weight of reality beginning to bear down on his shoulders. He had tried to do the right thing, but his good intentions were not enough.

He looked back at Gabriel, but his brother was now blurred, like a memory fading away. "No, no, no!" Victor shouted, reaching out towards him. But Gabriel disappeared, and the room fell into silence, the light gradually dimming.

When everything went dark again, Victor found himself back in the basement. The watch still pulsed in his hand, but he felt empty. The echoes of laughter and the warmth of memories dissipated, leaving only an oppressive silence.

With his mind swirling in confusion, he decided he could no longer endure this. "I need to know what’s really happening," he murmured, feeling an urgency rising within him. With one last push, he activated the watch once again.

This time, he was pulled to the day of his wedding to Clara. The air was filled with happiness, and the smiles of friends and family were genuine. But as he observed the scene, Victor noticed something dark. Clara was turning to him, but the light in her eyes seemed to fade, as if joy was being drained by an invisible force.

"Victor, are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft and concerned.

"I am, but… what about you?" He felt a wave of sadness wash over him at the worry on her face. "You seem… distant."

"Sometimes I feel like you’re not really here," Clara said, her eyes becoming contemplative. "It’s as if there’s something between us, something we can’t see."

Victor’s heart tightened. He had tried to ignore the growing distance, but now, in front of the person he loved most, he could no longer escape the truth. "I’m trying to fix things, Clara. I just… I just want you to be happy."

She smiled, but there was a sadness lurking in her gaze. "Happiness isn’t just about what we do, Victor. Sometimes, it’s about what we accept."

"What do you mean by that?" Victor asked, confused.

"I can’t explain, but… there’s a price to pay, not just for us, but for everyone around us," Clara said, her voice almost a whisper. "I just hope you realize this before it’s too late."

At that moment, the scene began to shift, and Victor felt a growing pressure in his chest. He saw the laughter around him fade, turning into echoes of a pain that was accumulating inside him. He was trapped, not just in his memories, but in his own actions.

He felt the urge to change this, but what more could he do? The watch was his only connection, but now it felt like a burden. "What do I do? What can I save?" The anguish in his mind grew, and without thinking, he activated the watch again.

The blue light enveloped him, and he was dragged into another memory. This time, he was back in the park where it all began. The sight of Gabriel playing ball brought back memories of a simpler time, before the weight of choices became oppressive.

But as he watched his brother, he noticed something was wrong. The shadow that followed him seemed more pronounced. Gabriel was laughing, but the laughter was mixed with something Victor couldn’t identify. He approached, his feelings in turmoil.

"Gabriel," he called, but the response he received was not what he expected.

"You can’t save me, Victor," Gabriel said, the smile fading from his face. "You can’t fix what’s already broken."

"Please, don’t say that," Victor pleaded. "I just want you to be safe."

"You don’t understand," Gabriel replied, his voice gentle yet filled with pain. "Every action you took has a price. What you altered in me could cost the lives of others."

"What do you mean?" Victor asked, comprehension beginning to form.

"You are trapped in your memories, Victor," Gabriel said, his image starting to fade. "And as long as you remain there, you cannot live in the present."

Desperate, Victor tried to grasp Gabriel, but his hand passed through his brother's ethereal figure. "No! Gabriel, don’t go!"

And then everything went dark. Silence returned, and he was back in the basement, the watch pulsing in his hand. The weight of Gabriel's words bore down on him, and the realization that he had put his family in danger began to unravel his sanity.

"What have I done?" Victor whispered, tears streaming down his face. The truth was clear now: his actions had consequences that extended far beyond his understanding. He had tried to fix what was broken, but now everything he had gained was being slowly ripped away from him.

And all that remained was the inevitability that change had occurred, and he was facing the cost.