Click the screen or press space for next slide! Here's the story: Bong! Bong! The Big Ben plays it's tune at the wrong time. Again. My eyes sink into the pompous building as we drive on the foreign roads of London. "Quit whining!" shouts my sister from the front seat. But it's not my fault that I have to move to a completely different city and leave all my friends and memories behind. But clearly whining wasn't gonna do anything, so I decide to give Mum a break. As we drive up to our new apartment, I notice how different everything seems. Our apartment is large and luxurious, so I have to admit that things might be for the better. I quickly unpack and go out to explore. The sound a cars and chatter fill the air as I drag my feet along the ground. The wind tickles my skin and the sun shines joyously in the air whilst people laugh and smile. I'm finally at the Big Ben. I gaze in awe at the sheer size of the tower, standing tall and proud, until I am interrupted. "Hello there, young one. You must be new around here." says a frail old man, his white teeth gleaming menacingly at me. "This you are looking at is the Big Ben, and I manage it." he continues. "Would you like an inside tour of it?" he asks. I give a slight nod. What else am I to do? We enter the tower, and climb up what feels like a million stairs until we reach the top. There are fragile gears, turning and groaning constantly while the smell of metal and oil wafts through the air. And in the centre stands the infamous bell, sitting quietly, waiting and waiting for the right moment to strike. The man looks at his watch. "Oops, I have to go!" he says, wearing a worried expression, and hurriedly leaves. I am all alone, standing solitary, watching the gears turn. Somehow, I feel at peace in the tower, and I enjoy the sensation. So, I return once more to the tower at midnight. Up and up the stairs I go, until I finally reach the top, and the clock strikes 12. I notice the tower feels even more peaceful at midnight. Tick... Tick... Tick... an hour passes, and I am still in the tower. The bell should strike 1. But it doesn't. It strikes 13. 'I must be dreaming!' I think, pinching myself. 'Nope, I'm not dreaming'. Maybe the clock is malfunctioning? I stare at the gears, which are not moving anymore. Yet, I can hear ticking. This time I look outside. Nothing is moving at all! I go down and down the stairs once more. When I get down, everything is still and quiet. The birds in the sky are frozen in air, and no one is moving. Yet, the clock is still moving, but ten times slower. It all feels unreal!
Story by @lolMaha_ (me) This is for the writing competition by @Barsondays13
