Prologue
The town is small.
Located in the distant mountains, in the heart of a thick forest and high on a ridge, it is hidden from sight by huge surrounding evergreens.
A lone path leads to and from the town, and is easily missed by anyone unfamiliar with it. But once you’re on it, you still have to travel a long and winding road leading to the ancient stone bridge which must be crossed to enter the town.
On entering, the town presents its narrow streets, paved with pebbles set in sand. A stroll reveals lanes hidden among small stone homes coated in moss. The houses are red-roofed, surrounded by small gardens filled with a jumble of flowers and wild weeds, and all is quiet in midday’s tranquillity.
Among the tall trees in the town, electricity poles are hidden, and the current can be heard buzzing very faintly through them.
The broad river flowing through the forest enters the town from its north face, where it becomes a creek splitting the town into two unequal parts. Moving lazily to the town’s south, it reaches the cliff and becomes a waterfall, its water dropping down into a deep creek.
Houses closest to the forest, enveloping the town, form a protective wall against the threatening mass of green. They are abandoned, isolated, and when standing nearby, it is possible to hear the wind passing through them, making tree branches creak and groan.
Every once in a while, a car drives along the main route, and the sound of tyres on pebbles disrupts the ever-present quietude.
On the lone tower at the edge of the precipice, a massive clock clangs eleven chimes.
Midday approaches.
A fine rain is falling, barely felt, but the streets are empty. Everyone stays inside their homes. On days such as these, when fog rules outdoors, it is far better to stay indoors...
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