Wilderwood: The House With a Stopped Clock

There’s something profoundly haunting about Wilderwood, the old Victorian mansion with a clock tower that has long since stopped ticking. The house, once grand and full of life, now stands as a monument to time itself, frozen in the past. With its faded white paint, sagging porch, and turret still visible through the overgrown vines, Wilderwood seems to be holding onto the memories of days gone by.

The History of Wilderwood

Wilderwood was built in 1882 by the enigmatic Charles Halloway, a wealthy businessman with a penchant for collecting rare antiques and unusual artifacts. The mansion, designed with towering spires and intricate woodwork, was the heart of Halloway’s family life. His wife, Eleanor, was known for hosting lavish gatherings, while their daughter, Olivia, would often play on the nearby carousel, her laughter echoing through the halls.

But as the years passed, the house began to change. Charles Halloway became reclusive, spending more time in his study, while Eleanor’s health began to decline. Olivia, once full of life, grew quiet and withdrawn. Neighbors whispered of strange happenings in the house—of lights flickering at odd hours and unexplained sounds drifting through the air.

The Mystery of the Stopped Clock

One of the most curious features of Wilderwood is the clock tower. Despite its tall, proud presence, the clock has not ticked since 1912, the year Eleanor passed away. Rumor has it that on the day of her death, the clock’s hands froze at precisely 3:15 PM, the moment she took her last breath.

Some say that the house’s sadness and decay are tied to the clock’s stoppage. The mansion’s decline mirrors the family’s tragedy, and Wilderwood’s soul remains trapped in time, unable to move forward. Over the years, the clock tower has become a symbol of grief, and those who venture too close speak of a chilling presence, as if the house itself mourns the loss of the Halloway family.

The Return of the Halloways

In recent years, a distant relative of the Halloway family, Thomas Halloway, arrived in town with plans to restore Wilderwood. He believed that by fixing the clock tower, he could revive the house’s spirit and restore it to its former glory. But as he worked, something strange began to happen. The old carousel, once rusted and still, started to turn again, albeit slowly and unnaturally.

One evening, Thomas witnessed a shadowy figure in the window of the tower, and he knew then that Wilderwood was not just a house—it was a place of memories, of sorrow, and of a time lost forever. And so, Wilderwood stands still, a testament to both the beauty and the inevitable decay of life, holding tightly to the past that refuses to let go.