Chris Johnson

Twelve Strokes of Midnight Chris Johnson

The ancient device, cleverly disguised as a simple book, looked back at the human who continued reading the blurb on its back. The clock tower outside continued ticking closer to the magic hour and the ancient device waited ever so patiently.
The longer hand clicked one more space, touching the midnight hour, and the clock started playing its dreadful chimes. Too late, the human realised the device's trap as she found herself transported towards a mysterious corner of the Universe... just like many others before her.
A loving mother sacrifices her after-life existence to keep things right for her child, a young married couple discover a terrible family secret, and a little boy learns that some clockwork toys come with warnings.
They are not the first and will not be the last before the final sacrifice upon the witching hour.