Sci-Fi

Second Hand

A surreal discovery in a suburban thrift shop transforms a routine weekend shift into a startling exploration of time and morality.

At Second Hand Treasures, a small thrift store in Oakridge, two weekend employees are tasked with sorting through the usual flow of donated clothes and furniture. Buried among the boxes, they uncover an antique watch with an impossible secret: when clicked, it freezes time for everyone but the wearer. What begins as curiosity quickly turns into temptation. With the world paused around them, the pair experiment with freedom, control, and the consequences of stepping outside the flow of normal life. Each use of the watch reveals not only the strangeness of power but also hidden truths about themselves, their ambitions, and their unease with the ordinary. As the weekend wears on, the line between playful discovery and dangerous misuse blurs. In Oakridge’s quiet, uncanny suburbs, even a second hand can change everything.

Themes

Time & Power, Suburban Uncanny, Choice & Consequence

Setting

Oakridge

Year

2020

Published

7/22/2025

Revised

9/17/2025