(I thought I'd use this thread to introduce some new characters, and maybe a new direction for the wishing stone).
Crystal Lewis shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Her high heels were killing her, it seemed like she'd been standing in line forever. She and her husband, David, had been married for less than a year, and the young couple bought a nice house in the suburbs. Crystal had just recieved a job as a secretary, but was beginning to regret her current choice of employment. She always found herself running errands for her boss, and today was no exception. This time, she had to send out his mail and pick up a package from his post office box. Only one problem: she needed stamps.
Crystal looked at her watch. It was almost two o'clock. "Two hours," she thought, "just for stamps. Ugh." She had come here during her lunch break, and was sure that Mr. Willis, her boss, would chew her out once she got back. The guy was kind of a jerk, but Crystal knew that with the economy the way it was, she'd never find another job in this town. Finally, at about quarter past two, she made it to the front of the line, paid for her stamps and dropped off the mail, then made her way to the post office boxes. She found the box that matched the key Willis had given her (616), and opened it. As she pulled the package from the box, something fell out onto the floor.
Crystal picked up the rock and looked at it more carefully. It looked a bit unusual, but certainly not too strange. She briefly thought about turning it in to the front desk, but it didn't look valuable, so she tossed it in her purse. "My friend Janine could make a nice necklace out of this," she thought. Already late, Crystal hurried to her car. While fishing for her keys in her purse, she muttered under her breath, "Damn, I'm so late. Mr. Willis is going to have my neck. I wish I hadn't taken so long at the post office." Of course, she had to go past the stone to get to her keys.
She felt the breeze shift a bit, but thought nothing of it. Finding her keys, Crystal climbed into her car and started on her way back to the office. But on her way she noticed something very odd. The clock radio read 12:45, but she was sure it was past 2. "Strange. I set that clock just last weekend. Oh well." She then checked her watch, but the time was the same. "What the hell is going on here?"
Crystal finally made it to the office, and practically ran inside, Willis' package in hand. But Willis wasn't in his office. Turning from the doorway, she saw him strolling into the front entrance.
"Sorry I'm late, Mr. Willis. The McMaster report is in the mail, and here's your package."
"Thanks Crystal," he said as he walked into his office, before adding, "You're not late, you still get an hour for lunch."
Now Crystal was really confused. The clock on her computer was the same as her watch. She wasn't sure why, but her mind suddenly drifted to the rock she'd found.
"No way..." she thought. She took the stone back from her purse and held it in her hand. Crystal spied a robin hopping on the ground outside a nearby window. "Hmm..." she said quietly. "I wish that robin was a bluejay instead." Crystal felt herself compelled to look away from the window, and when she looked back there was a bluejay right where the robin had been.
"I don't believe it! This thing actually grants wishes..." Crystal's mind began to bristle at the possibilities this presented...
