Hellstone
There was a knock on the door, and Gabe sighed. Who the hell could that be? Probably some stupid door to door salesman, but if he didn't answer it now, they'd probably just try again. Getting off of the sofa, (his number-one spot to sulk out artist's block) Gabe opened the door.
To his surprise, it was a guy about his age. "Hey there, I live down the hall," he said, pointing at the door opposite the elevator doors. "This is kinda embarrasing, but, I...uhh, can I borrow your phone?"
"Hmmm? Oh, sure." Gabe walked into the kitchen to fetch the cordless as the guy continued.
"I didn't bother paying for the landline, since I've got my cell phone, y'know? But the darn thing's out of battery, and I'll be damned if I can find the charger. Whoa, what's this?"
Gabe turned the corner to find that the guy had stepped into the entryway, and was currently examining the stone. He had taken it out of the bag, and was holding it in his hand. "Dude, no!" Gabe blurted out. He didn't really believe what that weird woman had said, but he didn't see any reason to prove her wrong, either.
"Alright, alright, sorry," he replied. "Here, take it back, then." He threw the stone back at Gabe, who caught it without thinking. Suddenly dizzy, the world went black, and Gabe felt rather sick. When his eyesight returned, he found himself on the other side of the room, looking at his body.
Gabe just stood there, calmly and silently freaking out. His neighbor, who hadn't received an unsettling warning from a crazy lady, totally lost it. "What the fuck happened!?" he shrieked, dropping the stone. The crimson rock fell to the ground with a crack, and a flash of light. Gabe watched in horror as the person wearing his body paled, convulsed, and fell over onto the ground.
Gabe rushed over, but his body's eyes were cold and listless. They were unfocued, distant eyes of a dead man. He tried to feel for a pulse, but couldn't find one. Frantic, and frightened out of his wits, Gabe nearly fell backwards when the sound of a voice startled him.
"I don't have all day, you know. He did scream, and in a few minutes, that old lady next door will have brought the landlord to come check what's going on in here." To Gabe's simultaneous confusion and relief, it was the woman from the magic shop who had sold him the rock. As he slowly rose to his feet, the woman pulled a yellow rubber cleaning glove from her pocket, and picked up the stone. "C'mon, follow me back to the shop. I can explain there."
To his surprise, it was a guy about his age. "Hey there, I live down the hall," he said, pointing at the door opposite the elevator doors. "This is kinda embarrasing, but, I...uhh, can I borrow your phone?"
"Hmmm? Oh, sure." Gabe walked into the kitchen to fetch the cordless as the guy continued.
"I didn't bother paying for the landline, since I've got my cell phone, y'know? But the darn thing's out of battery, and I'll be damned if I can find the charger. Whoa, what's this?"
Gabe turned the corner to find that the guy had stepped into the entryway, and was currently examining the stone. He had taken it out of the bag, and was holding it in his hand. "Dude, no!" Gabe blurted out. He didn't really believe what that weird woman had said, but he didn't see any reason to prove her wrong, either.
"Alright, alright, sorry," he replied. "Here, take it back, then." He threw the stone back at Gabe, who caught it without thinking. Suddenly dizzy, the world went black, and Gabe felt rather sick. When his eyesight returned, he found himself on the other side of the room, looking at his body.
Gabe just stood there, calmly and silently freaking out. His neighbor, who hadn't received an unsettling warning from a crazy lady, totally lost it. "What the fuck happened!?" he shrieked, dropping the stone. The crimson rock fell to the ground with a crack, and a flash of light. Gabe watched in horror as the person wearing his body paled, convulsed, and fell over onto the ground.
Gabe rushed over, but his body's eyes were cold and listless. They were unfocued, distant eyes of a dead man. He tried to feel for a pulse, but couldn't find one. Frantic, and frightened out of his wits, Gabe nearly fell backwards when the sound of a voice startled him.
"I don't have all day, you know. He did scream, and in a few minutes, that old lady next door will have brought the landlord to come check what's going on in here." To Gabe's simultaneous confusion and relief, it was the woman from the magic shop who had sold him the rock. As he slowly rose to his feet, the woman pulled a yellow rubber cleaning glove from her pocket, and picked up the stone. "C'mon, follow me back to the shop. I can explain there."