It was not difficult to find the source of the chim‐
ing, however. The large grandfather clock, si ng against a
wall in the foyer, right next to the front door was crea ng
the sound that was resona ng through the house. Con‐
fused, Annabelle stared at the clock. It had stood here
ever since she was li le, every day for 18 years. It had
never once made a sound. Honestly, Annabelle couldn’t
even remember a me when she had paid any mind to
the clock, it was always a silent structure, never had it
been necessary for the clock’s presence to be acknowl‐
edged, un l now.
Completely unaware of what could have possibly
changed in the clock today of all days, Annabelle turned
around towards the kitchen, planning to ask her mother if
the clock had been broken and was just recently fixed. As
she turned completely, she found herself facing Jayde.
Annabelle jumped lightly and laughed, she hadn’t heard
her mother approach.
Jayde’s face had relaxed from its shock and was
now blank, a completely expressionless face. Annabelle
looked at her mother curiously and opened her mouth as
to ask a ques on, but her mother spoke first, “You need
to go to your room, Annabelle.” Her features hardly
moved at all as she relayed these instruc ons. Trying to
stay calm, Annabelle shook her head and smiled at her
mother, “Mom, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” Jayde’s
face then snapped; a flee ng look of pain dawned across
her features, merely for a moment. When she spoke
again, her eyes were empty and she looked hollow, “Go
to your room. Don’t come down,” She looked away from
Annabelle and added, “For any reason.”
chime once for every hour, but it had been going con nu‐
ously for over 40 minutes, adding even more confusion.
Just as she was about to go downstairs and beg her moth‐
er to explain to her whatever situa on was happening,
she