The Time Stone, Third Edition (Extended Version)
Chapter 31

A homeless man walks by the main entrance to the airport terminal with a battered coat and full beard, covered with dirt and filth, smelling of a foul body odor. He wore a sign around his neck that quoted the popular bible verse John 3:16 that read underneath it “the end of time approaches.” Having trouble ignoring the chanting from the protesters outside, but managing their way through the crowd starting to block the entrance, James and Tina ran into the terminal building passing the poor man and feeling empathetic as they understand his plight, but have bigger things to handle now.

“I wish we could help him somehow.” James whispered.

“We got to help ourselves. I can get us aboard a flight. We got to sneak aboard from someone on the standby list.” Tina commented.

“Where are we headed?” James asks.

“Does it matter as long as it’s away from here? We’re wanted folks so outside of the country should be ideal.” Tina observed from her common sense.

“That’s true” replies James.

“I will be right back, wait here.” Tina whispered and ran off.

“Right, be right back. I will wait here” echoed James calmly and coolly. James sits on the ground by the cafe, where he waited patiently for Tina to return. He is grateful that they made it past the security screening without incident. He thought to himself. “It’s a miracle we weren’t recognized.” Then he saw a man in a black suit and sunglasses come out of the elevator in the airport lobby. He recognized him as the man Tina has pointed out in the bar and who she then saw in the coffee shop.He felt like following his gut instinct to run, but he sits and waited for a moment, sucking his teeth trying to act tough. He kept an eye on the man who walks along the corridor to the airport gates as if waiting for someone and stops at a sudden spot. The man did not even take a seat, but stands there motionless like an object, with no sudden jerks or movements. Tina walks over to James and plopped down beside him. James nudged her elbow slightly with his before she could open her mouth and motioned her in the direction of the gates and she looks over at the man standing there and froze.

“Oh my God, what does he want with us?” Tina speaks with her eyes widening.

“I don’t think it’s us he wants.” James answered.

Tina looks at him puzzled. “I’m scared.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you” James smiles.

“My hero” she whispered in a sarcastic tone.

They both calmed down quickly as the man in the black suit walked away towards a nearby gate and take a seat, opening a newspaper that rested on the seat nearby. “Phew, that was close” gasped Tina.

“Did you get us on a flight?” James inquired.

“Yes, Flight 842 to Brazil… you know the one in South America?” asks Tina rhetorically.

“I know. How did you manage that? And why did you get us to Brazil?” James asks.

“Easy… anything is possible if you know how to talk to people. We’re going to be subbing in for a couple on standbys that are supposedly eagerly waiting over by gate 11, but the flight is actually over there at gate 8. I switched documents on them after a quick distraction.”

“You’re such a criminal.” He joked.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures buddy.” She shrugged. “Also, Brazil is the furthest country on the current manifest. I figured its best we get as far away as possible, but you should know that Brazil has an extradition treaty with the United States of America for fugitives facing murder charges here.”

“How’d you know that?” He asks. “Wait, never mind… Great so we can’t get caught there either.” James speaks fearfully.

“It’s only temporary, Dude. We will find someplace else to go later. It is one step at a time.” Tina adds confidently.

“When did you become a legal scholar, Tina?”

“I was a student at Chronix Bay University taking some law courses for elective credit before I dropped out. I always wanted to go to law school… but it wasn’t in the cards.”

“And you sell yourself on the street for a living?” asks James.

“Well, I never graduated… life happens I guess.” She replies. “I guess I should count my blessings after hearing about how all those kids are having trouble finding jobs even with a law degree.”

“Oh” James acknowledged. “Why do you think we became what we became, Tina?” James asks curiously as they waited for the flight to be called and looking at their tattered clothing, disheveled exterior, dirty faces, and drained personalities.

“I guess it is because we do not have a place to call home, no place to go, no place to sleep, no vehicle, low income or no income, no strong family support, friends, or even a regular meal. That seems to fit the adequate definition of homeless and destitute” says Tina nonchalantly. “I’m used to living on the streets as I spent most of my adult life walking around the streets of this God forsaken town and seeing the same stuff over and over again, looking for food in trash cans and dumpsters, or just struggling to find a place to put my head down for the night, usually a cardboard box.”

“I know. I’ve been there. I envied those who lived in rat infested housing because at least they have a roof over their heads” replies James jokingly.

“It sucks living like this, but we are so at the bottom. You develop a sense of low self-esteem and worthlessness tied to emotional abuse from others and society in general, but that goes with the territory of being flat broke all your life.I remember sitting on the street corner rocking myself to sleep in tears.Some people took pity on me and gave me the occasional handout, but some were pretty cruel with their nasty remarks” says Tina.

“The good thing about being at the bottom is that you cannot sink any lower and you have nowhere to go, but up. “ James adds.

“That is what I thought at first, but I realize that you could always sink lower. I met a guy when I was twenty-two who seemed like a real good person.He did volunteer work for the Salvation Army and I met him at an event where I was expecting to get free food like many other homeless people.We started talking, he says I was pretty, and we started to go out regularly. What can I say, I was a hopeless romantic having spent my whole life with low self-esteem, and I went with the first guy who expressed interest in me. He let me stay with him for a little while and said he would help me get my own place and a job, but I unwillingly became a glorified prostitute.”

“Like your day job” James joked.

“How do you think I got started?” She says. “And that he has many others he was doing this to as well? I soon started to see him for who he really was, a real jerk who convinced me to give up my innocence and hurt my feelings for his own selfish purposes.”

“I’m sorry,” James says.

“I’m not,” she shakes her head brushing off the bad memories as she continues “he drank a lot, abused drugs, and gambled, not successfully, so he came home angry and takes it out on me with his fists and at first I thought it was my fault and so I took it without complaining, but I couldn’t take it too long and one day I had enough and ran out. His mother was sweet old lady who I met and who helped me dearly so we still look out for one another from time to time. However, about him, I found out from others on the street that he was still volunteering with the homeless shelters and was still with other women and was likely preying on their helplessness like he did to me. I can’t believe I almost married the ass.I hope to God that our paths never cross again. And that after being sexually abused at home by the man my mother married and who shipped me off to the orphanage when she passed. No wonder I developed sort of low self-esteem and hid myself in books. The library became a place of solace for me to hide from the discipline of the teachers and nuns, who punished me for acting out. I just enjoyed losing myself in books and learning as an adventure, like traveling to other worlds. That is how I know so much now, but it didn’t prevent me from ending up in the lifestyle I chose. The company I kept was responsible for that, but ultimately I know the choice was mine. Is it my fate? Maybe, but it all comes down to choices in the end.”

“You are very intellectual. I love your abilities and curiosities. How young were you when you first realize your mind could absorb information so quickly?”

“I was about eleven and I would go to the library to read everything I could get my hands on, fiction, non-fiction, languages, and travel books, even read the dictionary, thesaurus, and encyclopedia one summer.” She smiles proud of the childhood effort.

“And you dropped out of college?” asks James.

“I had no choice. I was doing great. “A” grades all the way and my professors said I was gifted and could get a scholarship, but I needed money and working the streets is the quick way. I needed to eat and I already told you about my pimp and I thought I loved the bastard.”

“Right, so what happened? How did you leave that world and the orphanage school teachers?” James asks curiously.

“Life happened. Anyway, new worlds in books were my escape, but Dr. Arnold Schiester is my hero.” Tina says.

“Who is that?” James asks.

“The man who became my mentor, surrogate father, and big brother all rolled into one.” She smiles. “He taught me about life, about helping people, making a difference, and learning, the thrill of climbing mountains in your mind to new peaks of greatness and perfection. He is the one who first said to me ‘knowledge is power’.”

“My dad says the same thing.” James adds.

“Dr. Schiester saw potential in me and became the father I never has who rescued me from a life that I thought I couldn’t escape from, except in books. I thought I was invincible when I was with him. It was awesome how he made me feel and he was older, but it was great how we would spend time together just being, drinking, smoking, listening to music, and learning multiple languages together like Spanish, French, Portuguese, Greek, Latin, and certain early African dialects, exploring the origins of humanity while having natural fun. Good times!”

“Did you ever … you know, with him?” James asks.

“This man was like my father. That would not have been… appropriate, but there was one night where we forgot everything and gave into our passions.” Tina uttered briefly.

“I see!” James smirks. “You never obtained your full potential due to your problems and involvement with toxic people.”

“Anyway, he turned out to be much worse. It was sort of like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire for me. He became a different person and an abuser when we moved in together and he almost killed me as well. I ran away in the middle of the night during one of his angry spells, I did it to save my life.” Tina says. “I dated a few guys after that, including this British fellow, but none of them seemed right. I couldn’t connect with anyone emotionally after what happened to me. That’s why I am so cynical sometimes. I don’t trust people easily now.”

“Sounds rough,” James adds. “Do you trust me, Tina?”

“I don’t trust anyone, but myself, but honestly, you and I are not that different, James. Maybe there is a reason our paths crossed again after so long. I do want to trust you, but I don’t know why. When you were going to leave me in that cell to rot alone, I felt as if a piece of me was dying. I needed to go with you, to be with you there. I can’t explain it.”

“When destiny calls, Tina…” adds James.

“Huh?” questioned Tina.

“My dad always speaks to me about destiny and finding your own way, a purpose in life.” James speaks philosophically for the moment. “Everything happens for a reason, Tina” says James.

“I never knew what it was like to be in a real loving family because everyone I got close to screwed me over. So I learned to look after only one person in life… myself.” Tina lectured.

“I have learned the definition of family truly is that you look out for one another above all else.” James adds.

“I think that’s ridiculous rhetoric. I have lost every family I have ever had. I do not know that definition.” Tina frowns.

“That’s sad. I pray you find that. Family is the most important thing.” James frowns. “I want that for you. You deserve a real family.”

“I don’t know if that is possible for me” says Tina frowning with an insidious glare.

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