FicWad

They were supposed to do a show in three days at the Civic Center. In the meantime they were on a little break-only three days; so they really didn't have the time to return home. Tom, Brad and Joey had already left for a little excursion to see some car museum and a race.
Steven invited Joe for a little 'excursion' of his own. In the old days, that could have meant some incredibly wild times but now, it meant shopping.
Joe was hoping to sleep in. "Where are we going?" He was still a bit groggy.
"This shop, I heard the roadies chicks talkin' bout it. There's all sorts of spiritual, New Age stuff." Steven exclaimed as opened the door of the cab.
Sometimes Joe had found some amazing stuff in shops like this; anyway, it beat staring at the TV. The cab drove them along the busy streets.
"After this, we can go hit that gun shop." Steven said.
"Yeah, I kinda had my eye on this Colt." Joe remembered it from a few months ago. He could have kicked himself for not buying it then.
They were stopped at a red light. "Whoa, Joe! Check her out! Man, I love those tits!" Steven pointed at the young blond with all the right curves. She was standing, waiting to walk across the street. She noticed them, then gave them a glare as she passed the cab.
"Oh, yeah, she's nice." Joe remarked as the girl walked away.
"She looks just as good from the back, too." Steven's eyes watched her even as the cab pulled away. "Oh, my God! It should be a crime to look that good!" As they went father, he noticed that the traffic was thinning out.
The cab stopped. Joe looked out; this neighborhood had seen better days. It was Joe's turn to pay; he also asked the driver to stay. That costs him extra, but it was worth it. He was certain that there wouldn't be any cabs around when they got out. Steven bounded out and looked around.
"What's it called?" Joe asked, as he zipped his leather jacket up. He looked up and saw the blackening clouds. He could even smell it in the air; a storm was coming.
"Uh, Footprints on the Sands of Time, I think." Steven looked around, "Oh, over there! We're on the wrong side of the street."
'Leave it to the roadies to find this place' Joe thought as he followed Steven across the street. A cold hard wind picked up; Joe was wishing they were back at the hotel.
The inside of the store looked like on of Steven's outfits, exotic and bold. The air hung heavy with the smell of incense. Tables were lined with meditation rocks, touchstones, trinkets and boxes. Candles lined the wall, along with little cheap statuettes of Buddha. There were books stacked everywhere. A stuffed crow stood guard on the counter.
"I don't know about this, Steven." Joe looked around, he was getting some really bad vibes. His gut feeling told him to leave.
"Huh? What's with you! Humor me, and we'll go to that gun shop. I promise I'll be outta here in a minute!" Steven exclaimed. He started going through the store, carefully examining every little thing available. Joe followed, he still wasn't happy. He knew Steven's definition of a 'minute'; this could take hours! He looked out the plate glass window; the cab was still sitting there.
Steven browsed through most everything, but he hadn't really found anything to his liking. Steven either, 'I got one almost like it' or ' I already have it'.
"Well, then, let's go." Joe really wanted out of here.
"Can I help you?" A woman's voice called out.
They turned; Joe had seen her before. She was the girl from the red light, the girl that Steven had been checking out.
"Oh, yeah, honey. I was hoping to find something different." Steven walked up to the counter. His eyes went down to the front of her blouse.
"Hmmm. Different," she repeated. "I see that you like jewelry."
"Oh, yeah, baby!" Steven laughed. "That's a nice necklace you got on!"
"Is that what you were staring at?" she retorted.
"Hmmm," Steven contorted his mouth, "Well, that and a couple other things."
"Wait here." She walked through a beaded curtain to the back of the store; she returned quickly. "I do have some things that are special; things that I don't put out for the general public." She opened a small black velvet bag. "And this, is very special."
She held up a necklace. It was a smooth, pale green oval stone fixed onto a larger oval silver medallion. The medallion had some strange hieroglyphics; the entire thing hung on a strong silver chain. Joe stared at it; he felt himself shiver again.
"Wow, it's incredible." Steven was entranced by it. He took it and ran his long finger over the stone. He looked at it for a long time. "What's this writing?"
" I'll read it to you, if you're going to take it."
Steven frowned a bit; Joe took a step forward. "C'mon, Steven, give it back to her. We got the cab waiting! Let's just go!"
"No, I like it. How much?"
"Fifty dollars." She said, unflinching.
"Fifty buck for that?" Joe exclaimed.
"I'll take it." Steven said giving Joe a dirty look. "Cash Okay?"
"Fine."
Steven handed her payment for his new treasure. She scrawled out a receipt and handed it to him. She took the necklace from him, opened the clasp and put it on him. "I told you that I would read it to you." She ran her finger around the medallion as she read it. To Joe, it sounded like some kind of Latin. When she was done, she smiled at Steven.
"What's it mean?"
"You'll find out. Thank you, goodbye." She motioned for them to leave.
Joe walked out quickly; the sky was beginning to darken. He looked at Steven and that God-awful thing around his neck as they returned to their cab.
"What in hell made you buy that?" Joe exclaimed.
"I don't know; I just like it." Steven shrugged. "You didn't have to be so mean in there! Cut the girl some slack! She was really hot."
Joe grunted. There was just something about her that made him feel uneasy. And that damned necklace; he didn't even want to get started about that!
"You wanna go to the gun shop?" Steven asked.
"Nah." Joe was done shopping for the day. "Besides, it looks like it's gonna storm."