The Time Stone, Third Edition (Extended Version)
Chapter 8

James grew up in Chronix Bay and he always had bad luck in life. He never finished high school and he never held a job for more than a month.His friends from his youth have left for bigger and better things, including his childhood sweetheart. He got involved with drugs and alcohol at a young age and never recovered; falling behind in everything he did until even his own mother has enough and he is left alone on the streets with no money and no hope. Having always been curious in wanting to pursue the lure of riches and pleasures that accompanied the stereotypically successful life, James is drawn to a life on the streets mainly because of his personal failures that came to pass. Ironically, James failed at his life so far having stemmed from his childlike curiosity. James tries to make himself feel better by accepting his life and being grateful that he is not confined to the golden cage of a typical corporate office job, but there were times when he is envious of those who have attained such status.James has survived for the past two years by the only means he knows: lying, cheating, and stealing. It is the grace of good fortune that prevents his capture by the police or the local criminal gangs. James sometimes wishes he had heeded the warnings of his late father to better himself. “Knowledge is power” his father always has observed during his life, but James did not listen and still thinks it is better to enjoy life and the vices it brings. It is funny, James thinks that now he is given the chance to better himself with those three simple words on the business card he held in his pocket, “knowledge is power.”

Time passed, and the day became night. James walks down the street breathing a sigh of relief having avoided the local crime gang called the Night Stalkers. James notices the sidewalks are empty, with not a soul around, but one, an elderly Native American woman who is dressed in a large shawl, adorned with multicolored feathers. The wrinkles on the woman’s face display wisdom beyond years and she jingles a handmade necklace made of turquoise colored beads, bits of straw, and a green pendant shaped like a pentagon at the end of it. The woman makes a stern glance at James as he walks by.

“The strength of the spirituals is with you,” the woman says extending the pendant to James, but he avoids contact and keeps walking.

“Maybe later” James nods with a grimace as the woman’s voice echoes in the distances of his mind as James continues walking by thinking, “what a nut case.” James suddenly feels a shiver, as a gust of wind kicks up around him and he turns with a sudden jolt to learn no one was there.“What the heck?” James turns and keeps walking.

James arrived at a rundown alleyway near an apartment building in the center of downtown Chronix Bay. James used to reside in the building, but was evicted two weeks ago because he couldn’t pay the rent. He has been staying in the alleyway every night telling himself it is only temporary until he found a job to get back on his feet. As the dusk began to roll over the skies above, James decided to settle in for a good night’s sleep at the location near his former home.

The next morning James is awoken by a loud banging on the front door of the building of his former residence. James struggled to get up to get out of the alleyway and to the front door of the building to see what is going on and who it could be. He saw no one by the time he arrived. James looks at the door instantaneously and found a stack of papers tacked to the front door.“Notice of Eviction,” the papers read. ”Someone else’s misfortune” James muttered as he shakes his head, thinking that the city’s homeless population is going to increase. James crawled back into the alleyway and went to sleep.

Hours later in the same morning, James is awoken by another loud noise. James struggled to get up to get to his feet, and minutes later he heard a series of sirens in the distance. Then, gunshots pierced through garbage cans in his alleyway. “Oh my God” James ran out and ducked trying to avoid getting shot or getting arrested.