The Amulet- A Work of Fiction

"Time was when you could trust people," said the old man, still denying the theft that was evidenced by the video tape and the turning out of his pockets.

"Why are you picking on an old man?" wafted in from the crowd gathered in the back of the bus, no one wanted to be identified as the speaker.

"No one is picking on this guy," the transit cop said, "now shut your mouth or you'll be going with him."

The metal floor of the bus clanked when the amulet dropped, hitting one of many areas where the rubber floor mats had been worn down to nothing. The bus driver threw the transmission in park, causing the cop to almost fall.

His broken down body twisted and contorted at the hands of the much larger and younger patrolman. Someone had called in a "Suspicious Character" report after having seen the elderly gentleman trying to sell the antique on the street corner. The old man had decided to ride the bus to another stop to re-try his luck.

In his zeal to make the arrest the cop had not noticed that the amulet had been picked up off the floor. He felt a twinge of regret when the old man began to cry, heaving his shoulders and wailing in a tone that the other riders knew came from the fathomless depths of his broken heart.

The speed at which the old man collapsed surprised everyone, especially the cop, who could do no more than watch. He bent down, trying to remember his CPR training as the man clutched his chest and gasped for air that would not come.

It was then he realized the amulet was gone, but only because he saw it in the hands of a young lady, no more than 18 years old. She had opened her hand to show him she had it, then, closing her hand over the stone, placed it over the mans failing heart.

The crowd silenced as the stone began to glow; first red, then green and finally a deep purple. The old mans breathing became less labored, his arms slowly slid to his side, and he smiled.

The young lady looked over the man as his countenance shone, observing his wrinkles melt away, and pleased his body not only no longer struggled to live, but even showed increasing signs of youthful vigor and hope.

"I thought I had lost you, my love," the man said to his young bride.

"You did," she replied, "but I promised you it would only be for a little while."

She bent down as he turned his face towards her and their lips met. His hand reached to stroke her hair, trailing sparks of white and amber that appeared from nowhere, increasing in number and surrounding the couple in a swirling cloud.

Then the cloud dissipated, and they were gone. Only the amulet remained, cold and silent on the floor.

The transit cop reached down and picked it up. Tears ran down in rivulets as he turned to leave the bus.

45 years have passed since that day. The old man pleaded with strangers to give him something for the stone before he grew too old to remember her face.

She took the stone, and it began to glow