The Clockmaker’s Secret

Author: Lila Verne

In a cobblestone alley of Paris, old Monsieur Duval spent his days repairing clocks no one owned anymore. One winter evening, he finished a peculiar pocket watch engraved with the words “Pour quand le cœur s’arrête” — for when the heart stops. When he wound it, it didn’t tick seconds. It counted down moments: the last time he’d see the sunrise, the last time he’d laugh, the last time he’d think of her. He smashed it before it struck zero, but every night since, he’s heard its steady ticking in his sleep.