#timefrozen

The village of Greengrove had been a mystery to the outside world for as long as anyone could remember. Tucked away in a remote valley, it was hidden behind dense forests and craggy cliffs, only accessible by a narrow, winding trail. Most maps didn’t even mark its existence.

It was on one cold autumn weekend that four friends—Lily, Mark, Sarah, and Alex—decided to explore the uncharted wilderness of Greengrove. The group had always sought adventure, and the legend of a forgotten village whispered through local taverns intrigued them. People said the village had been abandoned for over a century, yet no one knew why.

They trekked for hours through the wild, the sun slipping lower on the horizon, casting long shadows over their path. Finally, they emerged from the dense forest and found themselves standing before the village, nestled in a hollowed-out valley. The air was thick with an eerie silence.

The houses were strange, built of stone with thatched roofs, and every corner seemed untouched by time. The windows were frozen with a layer of ice, and the streets were covered in thick frost, though there was no snow. It was as if everything had been locked in a winter that never ended.

“Is this real?” Lily whispered, taking in the strange sight before her.

Mark stepped forward, his breath visible in the air. “It’s like... it’s frozen in time. Everything looks so old, yet... untouched.”

The village square was at the heart of it all. An ancient clock tower loomed over them, its hands frozen at exactly 3:15. Mark glanced at his watch; it read 5:30 PM. A shiver ran down his spine.

“Let’s take a look around,” Alex said, trying to break the tension. The group nodded, and they began to walk through the village, their footsteps crunching on the icy ground.

The first house they entered was eerily preserved. A small kitchen table sat in the center, its chairs frozen mid-motion as though someone had just stood up. The smell of long-decayed food hung faintly in the air. Dust was thick on the shelves, and old, yellowed books sat unopened.

“This place is... unsettling,” Sarah muttered, examining an old portrait hanging crookedly on the wall. The faces were blurred, frozen forever in their frames.

They moved on to the next building, a small shop with shelves stocked with strange, antiquated items. In the corner, a wooden mannequin stood, frozen in a pose as if it had been mid-stride. But what caught their attention was the strange, delicate clock sitting on the counter. Unlike the frozen tower outside, this clock was working. The second hand ticked with a faint, rhythmic sound.

“Is it possible?” Alex asked, eyes wide. “Why is this clock running when everything else is stuck?”

Lily reached out and touched it, feeling an electric shock run up her arm. She yanked her hand back. “What was that?”

Before anyone could answer, a gust of wind blew through the open door. The walls of the village seemed to groan, as if waking from a deep slumber. A distant sound echoed—voices. Low and muffled.

“What was that?” Sarah asked, her voice trembling.

The friends turned to face the center of the village. The frozen streets now seemed less still. Shadows flickered at the edge of their vision, but when they turned, nothing was there. The cold intensified, and a low hum filled the air, a deep and unsettling vibration.

Suddenly, the clock tower struck.

The chimes rang, loud and clear, even though the hands of the clock hadn’t moved. The sound echoed through the village like a cry for help. The air around them crackled with energy.

And then, as if on cue, a figure appeared at the far end of the village square. A woman, dressed in old-fashioned clothing, her face pale and her eyes wide with terror, staring directly at them. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.

Mark stepped forward, his heart pounding. “Who are you?”

The woman’s eyes locked with his, and a soundless scream echoed through the frozen air. Her image wavered, flickered, and then vanished, leaving behind nothing but a cold gust of wind.

A heavy silence fell.

“This place isn’t abandoned,” Alex whispered, backing away. “It’s trapped.”

Lily nodded. “Frozen... in time.”

Suddenly, the ground trembled, and the clock tower’s hands jerked forward, as though the entire village was waking up from a long sleep. But it was too late. The shadows that had been flickering in the corner of their vision began to take shape, creeping toward them.

The village was no longer silent. A low, hum-filled chorus filled the air, voices rising from every direction, all speaking in whispers that swirled around them. They were not alone. The villagers, frozen in time for so long, were starting to awaken.

The four friends ran, not looking back, not stopping until they reached the forest’s edge. As they glanced over their shoulders, they saw Greengrove, frozen in its unnatural winter, fading into the distance.

The clock tower stood tall behind them, its hands still ticking in the cold night air. And as they disappeared into the safety of the woods, they realized that Greengrove was no longer abandoned. It had only been waiting for someone to unlock its frozen past.