Prologue
Once upon a time, in the far-off land of Camden, New Jersey, I was kidnapped by a piece of jewelry I bought from a tiny old lady in the back corner of a this year's Geekycon. It started on a warm July day. July thirty-first to be specific. Harry Potter's birthday. What better way to spend to spend such a spectacular day than at one of the sources of the magic in the air, Geekycon. A convention meant for nerds and geeks of all things Harry Potter. That was a place meant for me.
On the last day of the convention I had been walking around the back, more sketchy booths of the convention. The booths, tables, and stands that seemed to sell the authentic pieces, but for some reason everyone else, but me, avoided. While I was wandering through the empty setting I felt a tug on my soul. The feeling attached to the tug wasn't threatening or worrisome, more like a completeness. So I followed it. The tug turned into pulling, which turned into full on yanking. When the feeling subsided I stood in front of a booth managed by a tiny old lady with an aged but regal face framed by slowly graying brunette hair.
Her booth was set up at a rickety, circular, table finished with an antique mahogany stain. The ancient stand was covered with a heavy tablecloth, the color of blood and trimmed with an aged gold thread. She sold beautiful pendants and rings that only seem to appear in movies and aged, leather bound books showcasing the strangest topics. Her warm gaze and mysterious aura seemed to draw me in. Looking upon her selection one piece of jewelry seemed to radiate power from its core. A Time-Turner. My instincts questioned my reasoning for purchasing the strange item, but nothing could avert my attention from the exquisite piece. The detail was impeccable and seemed to be hand crafted exactly to the books specifications. With the money I saved for the trip, I purchased the necklace, and a beautifully well kept book from her selection, and continued on with the last day of the convention.
It seemed that my luck was on high. Every day after the convention was over I wore the golden Time-Turner everywhere, and it was like I was floating on a cloud. I was so happy. The only times you could find me without the magical sands were in the shower and when I was sleeping. I could not risk the metal rusting, or any of the enchanted piece to get damaged. It had been a peaceful time for the next three weeks after my amazing experience at Geekycon. Then the pieces of that peace were scattered around me in pieces like the shards of a broken mirror when my birthday hit.
It was a normal day, I was at work. That's where the cracks started.
It was a busy day, as it was both saturday and the outlets, but nothing I couldn't handle. Around noon I went off for my lunch break. I wanted to splurge a bit considering I was turning nineteen. Of course, my bipolar luck seemed to flip from the good to the bad as soon as I stepped into the food court.
I was an odd girl. So of course I had some girls from school who really didn't like me all that much. Even though we graduated I was still their source of entertainment every time they saw me. And they saw me as soon as I walked into the food court. I quickly went to grab my lunch but of course when I turned around it was knocked out of my hand and slammed to the floor. This caused the food to splatter all over my new dress. Before I had time to recover from the shock the girls began to blettile me and drag me through the court. I was mortified and angry. I didn't know what to do. So I reacted on instinct and slapped the girls hands that were on my arms and I ran. My vision was blurred by tears and I didn't even know where I was going. I just wanted to get away. Away from the embarrassment and away from the horror of my "friends."
I ran and ran until I reached the parking lot. But still I kept running. I was so caught in my emotions that I didn't seem to notice the truck that was heading for me.
It was like a scene from a movie. The headlights had approached and everything happened in slow motion.
I was hit. It hurt.
I just wanted it to stop.
I didn't notice the chip in my time-turner or the golden glow that it seemed to emmit.
I was encased in the light.
I felt weightless.
It didn't hurt. It was warm.
The light was blinding.
The next thing I knew I was falling as the world blackened before me.
