It was a foggy morning in Willowbrook, and the town was shrouded in an eerie silence. Eliza had been restless for days, unable to shake the feeling that something ominous loomed on the horizon. Her sleep had been plagued by nightmares, and this morning was no different.

She awoke with a start, her heart pounding, and her mind a whirlwind of images and voices from the dream that had gripped her. The words of the recently departed raced through her mind like a torrential river, each one a puzzle piece in a mystery yet to be solved.

Eliza quickly jotted down the words that had haunted her sleep: "Hidden in plain sight...the key to the truth...a clock striking midnight." It was as if the spirits were trying to communicate with her, urging her to uncover a hidden secret that had eluded them in life.

As she pondered these cryptic messages, there was a knock at her door. It was Sarah, her friend and confidant. She had heard of Eliza's troubled nights and had come seeking her help.

Sarah explained that her uncle, a renowned watchmaker in town, had recently passed away under mysterious circumstances. His death had left a void in the tight-knit community, and Sarah was convinced that it was no accident.

Eliza shared the words that had plagued her dreams, and Sarah's eyes widened with recognition. She explained that her uncle had been known for creating intricate timepieces with hidden compartments, and there had always been rumors of a clock that held the key to a long-buried family secret.

Together, Eliza and Sarah set out to investigate her uncle's workshop, a place filled with ticking clocks...