Jake was walking home after finishing school for the weekend, excited to actually have the home to himself.
His parents had gone on a short break down state, and he had somehow convinced them that, at 10 years old, he
was old enough to not need a babysitter. They would only be gone for the weekend, and he was happy to be given
the responsibility, ever eager to grow up.
On his way back, Jake was distracted by a new shop advertising its grand opening. He glanced in the window
and saw a large display of clocks. He figured it was worth a short visit, as his alarm clock broke a few days
ago and maybe he'd find a cheap replacement within. The shop was empty, and filled with the sound of off-beat
ticking everywhere. One clock caught his eye. It was a small and round, looking much like the typical alarm
clock he'd seen in old cartoons. It looked rather old-fashioned, but it was the only alarm clock in the entire
shop. Jake turned it over and looked at the price. A quick check of the money in his pocket proved it to be
well within his price range, which was odd considering how he'd seen more expensive clocks of similar style in
the supermarket. This didn't phase him however, and he bought it straight away, vaguely listening to the shop
owner talking about something relating to the clock. Probably instructions, but he's old enough to know how to
work a clock. Why won't people stop treating him like a little kid?
It wasn't long before Jake had gotten back home, finding his parents had already left, but he was expecting
that already. He threw his schoolbag on the floor, and went up to his room to place his new clock in there.
Although he realised all the hands on the clock pointed at 12. A quick glance at his phone allowed him to set
the correct time. He noticed that the clock had the usual hour and minute hand, there was a third thinner hand
which he first thought was a second hand, except it didn't move. He came to the conclusion that it must be the
hand to set the alarm, which he confirmed with an on button he found on the back. If Jake had actually paid
attention to the strange man in the shop, he would of learnt that the third hand had a more sinister meaning
behind it. Whichever minute the hand was set to when turned on would create a temporal effect in the room,
aging anyone inside one year for every cycle of the set time. For example, if set at the twentieth minute, it
would cause the person to age one year every twenty minutes until leaving the room or turning it off.
Jake left the clock in his room, deciding he would continue messing with it later, leaving the "alarm" off for
the time being.