Whispers beneath the clock tower

Chapter 3- beginning of her trauma

Clara walked inside the car, as she stretched her hands over to James, patting his shoulder with a smile.

“Are you sure about this, love?” James questioned her, but instead of Clara to respond.

She ignored him, pulled out a sandwich, and started devouring every part of it.

James glanced at her, smirked, and started up the car. They both knew each other; starting an argument wouldn't lead them anywhere.

For the thirty-minute drive, no one said a word. Both of them got focused on the road, Clara, on the other end, was busy staring at her phone, trying to find more detail about the town.

Suddenly, James stopped, got out of the car, and stared at her. Clara looked deep inside his eyes; they were the eyes of caring and not of joking.

“Clar…Clara?” James's voice was below a whisper as he turned again to face her. Clara glanced at him with an aghast face, her hand still tingling around her phone.

“What's wrong?” she managed to croak.

“I can't find it!” he managed to speak. Clara exhaled deeply, getting sick of his sudden behavior.

“You can't find what exactly?” She rolled her eyes, staring at him. James held his steering firmly; sweat dripped down his palms.

“The town suddenly went off from my…GPS.” James stammered and stared at his GPS and back at Clara.

“What?” she rolled her hands and pulled her body closer to him. “Let me see?” she said, placing her fingers at the machine, trying to fetch back the town, but it all seemed gone.

“This is insane.” She said, goosebumps filled her body as her voice hitched.

“Yes, don’t you think we should turn back?’’ he suggested.

“Turned back? Hell no! I came this far and wouldn't go back without achieving this!” She snarled, her hands back to her phone as she tried placing some calls, but the network failed her.

“You see? I'm telling you now, let's get out of here now!” James groaned, his hands now firmly at the steering wheel, ready to start the engine.

“Please don't,” she managed to speak, and James exhaled deeply. Trying to calm himself, rubbing his hands on his hair.

“Alright, anything you see, you get it,” were his last words before starting the engine and driving.

Both James and Clara got focused on the road, Clara with her hands at the map she drew from a hidden website online.

“Go this way.” Clara pointed in the right direction.

“This way?” James asked again; she nodded before he pulled the car to the left.

Throughout that left direction, not even a single soul was seen. The creepy sound the trees made gave them both the urge to swallow their spit down their throats in fear.

“Then where?” James asked, and she pointed at the right this time.

He nodded before doing a U-turn and driving deep inside the road.

This road was full of trees; some even covered the sideways of the road. It was an easy thing to do; James tried his best to adjust his car to avoid hitting those huge bamboo sticks.

“Here…see!” Clara suddenly pointed at something deep inside the forest. James wanted to stop, but she pulled his car to move with speed.

“Drive now!” she ordered, her eyes lingering still at the same place. The pressure under her eyes felt heavy enough to shun it off and on.

It wasn't something she had seen before. The strange little girl in white pulled out from the woods she just saw and smiled at her before walking back inside.

“Do you see…that?” The whole body of Clara felt paused, a strange feeling crawling down her belly as she stammered.

“See what?” James asked, staring at her while at the same time glancing at the road.

“The little girl…she was—” James shushed her with his fingers and patted her shoulder as she calmed down.

“Relax, it's going to be alright.” Deep inside him, he felt some strange presence the moment he passed that place. But letting her know will not bring fear but trauma to her forever.

“Don't worry, just relax, okay?” He assured, and she nodded before folding her hands together and laying her back on the seat.

James kept on driving; it seemed the road was ending. Only at the right, not left or in a diverse direction anymore. He tossed and turned his head to check at Clara.

She had slept a long time ago, snoring. James scoffed and then continued on the roadside.

They arrived at the end of the road, no left, no right, just a wall.

“Clara…Clara…” He tapped her shoulder, pulling her out of sleep.

“Yes?” Her little voice pulled out as she glanced at him with one eye closed.

“We have reached the end.” He said.

“End? How? In the map, it doesn't show that it's had an end.” She kept on speaking while glancing at the map.

“Then check for a way.” He rolled his eyes at her, stopped the car, and tugged a bottle of water from the car. Dripped the water down his throat, as a little gasp escaped from his lips.

“It's here… It definitely has to be.” She assumed, as she got out of the car and walked a little bit to the front, not far from their car.

At the left side of the road was a little space entrance that a bamboo stick had covered.

“You see… I told you, it's here.” She tapped her fingers in excitement; James pulled away from the car, his hands firmly on the car keys, while moving closer to her.

“Where?” he questioned; she pointed at the little entrance.

“Let me help you inside then?” he suggested.

“Nah, I'm good; you can head back and give a report about me.” She held his face, placing a wet kiss onto his lips as a little smile curved out.

“Are you sure?” he asked again, his eyes brown widened.

“Yes, please help me with my bag.” He nodded before walking over to the car and rushing toward her with her bag.

“See you soon. Head back now; it's going to be late.” She assured him. James stared at her for the fourth time before heading back into his car and snoozing off.

Clara exhaled deeply, her travelling bag on her shoulder as she scanned the whole place.

She moved toward the entrance and walked inside. The more she walked inside, the more she could clearly see a town entrance.

But suddenly, her whole body paused; her eyes stared at twin babies hanged at the entrance of Owen town.

Just as she was about to stumble, her ears itched from a car sound that echoed closer to her.