I have a hunch

I had been calling the cathedral home for going on 20 years now. From my secluded tower above, I was privy to a unique perspective.

When I first wandered into that French town, my body was broken, cold and hunger ushering me to death’s embrace.

It was the kindness of the elderly bell ringer that saved me. He had spotted me from atop the bell tower, a drenched mess in the rain, trudging along half dead, covered in frost. The waning sun had disappeared by the time he reached me, any longer and I’d surly be dead.

As I regained my constitution, I noticed the bell ringer’s health slowly diminishing. That’s when he charged me with being the new tower master, and taught me the signals and routine of the bell ringing. We lived above the cathedral, sharing stories and becoming close friends. Everything we wanted we sent for, paid for by the church, and delivered to our quarters.

Before he died, I decided I needed to share my secret. The nature of my injuries and sudden appearance had been the result of turbulence during a time travel experiment. My AI companion drone had been slowly self repairing since my arrival, and I was able to show it to my humble savior in all its glory.

He died on the spot.

I vowed to keep it secret from then on.

I feel guilty sometimes, but I’m paying my penance, swearing a life of solitude and servitude, maintaining the bell tower atop this grand Cathedral until the day I am replaced.

With my drone and my advanced knowledge, I’m able to help the townspeople anonymously and from afar, secretly enriching their lives with a well placed antidote or enlightening message.

Plus the drone’s flying capabilities help me skip all those steps.

^300 ^words