Things to notice

The man with the clock head looked down at her, his eyes showing a few brooding rays, and finally nodded softly, laughing gloatingly.

– I agree with your request. But don't struggle in vain against reality. If you don't agree with me, you can only become a vicious ghost, a stray dog ​​with no home!

That sentence clearly hit Aurora's pain. Her face also paled a bit, and her hands and feet were cold. She bit her lip, trying to be obedient. She tried to explain a few words to clear the doubts of the person in front of her.

– You can rest assured that I also know that you are the only life-saving grass that I have. I just... I want to see my mother, to see how she is now. That newspaper... made me worry. I...

Aurora is also not a good person to turn around, good at lying and hiding, so what she just said is the truth. Suddenly disappearing, lost in the crowded and prosperous world, even my family is no longer there. Everything was hitting her deeply, making her spirit teeter on the brink, just waiting to collapse.

She would naturally take it if someone extended their hand, giving her a path to choose. Just like the person in front of her said, she had no choice but to walk back. Her father, who has also become someone else's father, and her family, too, were broken to pieces. Like a drop of water gently falling on a hot summer day, just looking away, it has evaporated as if it never existed.

And she, too, suddenly became invisible, became the one forgotten by the years, abandoned by time. In her hands now, there was nothing left. If the person in front of her wanted to deceive her, he could only deceive this soul. But for her, what has she got to lose? Instead of making a wandering soul, watching this family happy and peaceful is not equal to betting once and trusting the person in front of you. The strange person who can say, even if it's just a watch, someone who... maybe sees her, knows her existence.

The watch nodded approvingly at her obedience. He thought for a moment, then spoke at length.

- It's like she's awake. So now I'll take you there, to see your mother. But you must remember that only you can see her, and she can not see you. So you shouldn't do anything stupid. Because your mother is the one who is most directly affected by the reversal of time, the most affected, I warn you that you shouldn't interact, touch, or say anything to her... Otherwise...

Aurora heard the danger emanating from his words. Although this guy has a smug tone of voice, every word is serious, weighing thousands of pounds. She saw him suddenly stop halfway, but didn't say anything more. So she asked:

– What if I interact, touch, or stubbornly want to say something to my mother?

The watch coldly replied, the mechanical words without sympathy:

– Because she is affected by the paradox of time, if your mother had strong contact with an outcast like you, her memories of the other timeline would be awakened.

Aurora heard these words and couldn't help but feel a little happy. So that means, is it possible that her mother will remember her? If that was the case, then there would be a person in this world who knew of her existence and knew that she once existed. Aurora had never thought that someone who knew of her existence would make her so happy.

Before, no one could take her lightly. Hair dye, fights, piercings, there's not a single thing she hasn't done. So, her appearance is always outstanding. Although the word stands out, not in a good sense either. But really, she still often becomes the focus, making it impossible for others to ignore.

Despite the happy points of that, Aurora also realized that this was not right. The feeling of insecurity suddenly burned in my heart and crept to every hairline. If there were only such good things, why did the person in front of her have to warn her? Is it because the law doesn't allow it? It also means that if she still stubbornly wants to do it, she is afraid that the consequences will be unpredictable. If her mother knew someone who had never existed like her, what would happen?

She looked up at the clock covered in fog and worriedly asked:

– When my mother's memories are awakened, does something happen? Why am I not allowed to do that?

The person in front of her sneered. He coldly replied:

– Human, thankfully; I'm glad you can think like that. Something will indeed happen. Since your mother's memory of the non-existent timeline has been awakened, she will be watched over by the time principle. Then she will no longer belong to this timeline, so your mother will return to that old timeline. So.. she will die. Not only will she die, but she will also fall into a chaotic time, forever unable to get out. Even if you succeed in correcting the past, later on, she won't be able to return.

When Aurora heard that, her face turned pale. She couldn't help but feel lucky that she asked. If not just for a moment of foolishness, she would cause her mother to suffer great consequences.

Aurora panted, her palms sweaty, her white hands wet. She quietly wiped her hand on the hem of her shirt and carefully asked the watch a few more things. because she was afraid that if she didn't know the rules, she would make a mistake. Now, she doesn't want to make another mistake:

- Sir, is there anything else I need to pay attention to? Please tell me all of that.

The watch pondered again for a moment, then shook its metal head again, replying in a hoarse voice.

- There's nothing left to be concerned about, human. You can rest easy.

Aurora couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. As soon as she let out a breath, the clock started mechanically again.

- Oh, there's more...

Aurora hurriedly raised her head, put on a listening posture, and quickly replied:

- Please tell me, I will pay attention carefully.

The other watch hesitated again, which made Aurora a little nervous. Perhaps what the person in front of her is about to say is extremely important. She must listen carefully, remember well, and not be allowed to forget.

The clock hesitated for a moment, then said in a hoarse voice:

– I am not a clock, I am just shaped like a clock to represent time. Call me a time trader, or Luan.

Aurora heard this, and although it was not what she expected, she quickly nodded and said firmly.

– Mr. Luan, rest assured, I have memorized.

The interested time-seller hummed a few times, then happily replied to her. Strangely, this guy's voice was both hoarse and mechanical, as if he was using gears to create a sound, but she could feel the joy in his words.

- Human, I don't think you are so docile. At first, looking at you, I thought you were a stubborn, stupid idiot.

Aurora heard him say that and did not show any expression, only lowered her eyelids and looked down at the ground softly.

People are only stubborn when they have support. Now that she has nothing to rely on and living is not considered living, what qualifications does she have to be stubborn and wild?

Luan saw that she didn't say anything anymore. He shook his head, and white smoke dispersed more than before. Smoke approached, swallowing her into the white smoke.

Aurora could no longer see. She could only hear the muffled voice of the time-trader. He mechanically said:

- Let's go.

As the fog gradually cleared, Aurora saw before her eyes a bar of iron. The iron bars are strong and sturdy as if they want to split the world in two. On the other side of the bars, there were a lot of female prisoners, all of them wearing prison uniforms, simple silver with white stripes, all the same. The prison was murky and dark, adding a little moisture, but dry and hot, making people feel like they were trapped until there was no way back.

A cloud of fog suddenly appeared outside the iron bar, which was originally empty. The fog disintegrated, giving way to a young woman and a watch. Aurora looked bewildered. The atmosphere here made her feel suffocatingly heavy, and her breathing slowed to the point of being out of breath. She smelled the sweat in the air, mixed with the hot summer afternoon sun, so intense that people lost consciousness.

This place suddenly reminded her of the lavish sauna her mother frequented. But there is a constant warmth that makes people relax, not the heat that makes people suffocate like now. In the air, there will also be a faint scent of essential oils. What upset Aurora the most was that she couldn't relate her mother to the place in front of her eyes. Her mother, Breana Clayden, has always been a dignified and delicate lady. Even her mother's nails are always carefully cared for, unable to withstand a little scratch. Clothes must always be at their best; once worn, they are old and never want to be worn again. In a week, the clothes will have to be different colors, and the accessories will not be the same. How can she wear a prison suit all year round? 

She had never imagined it, but now, without waiting for her to imagine, the truth had appeared in her eyes, painfully and honestly, forcing her to submit, to accept.