A Spring, Rewound

"You've died."

Walter raised his gaze, and found himself standing once more upon the great clock. The man stood before him.

"What now?" Walter asked.

The man considered it. "Why, you try again, of course." Stepping forwards, he shoved Walter off the edge of the platform that the young man stood on.

Walter fell into the gears below, past second hand, minute hand, hour hand, day hand, epoch hand. Cogs spun this way and that, wires rushed to and fro. They swept past Walter, an endless string system that stretched on forever, through which one would fall forever. Walter felt himself becoming undone. His body unraveled first, his blood spooling outwards, his flesh torn away, his bones ground between gears. Next, his mind shattered, stretched from the dawn of existence until the end of eternity. Finally only his soul was left. It rushed endlessly on, and as it fell further, time spun back. A mind was returned, united with the soul. Both were given a body of flesh and blood to inhabit. The gears spun on and on and on, echoing in Walter's ears. Finally, he opened his eyes.