The Price Of Time Novels & Stories

Lyra shrieked, clutching her throat. "I'm liquidating the assets," I replied, my voice sounding like a thousand turning pages. I raised my hand, and the violet light exploded outward. It hit the pillars of the vault, turning the remaining hourglasses into dust. The "Time-Debt" that had fueled the South’s economy for centuries was gone. But the cost to me was visible. My skin was turning a translucent, marble-white. My hair was becoming strands of silver wire. I was becoming a statue, a monument to the debt I had swallowed.

I could still feel the anger I felt when I had read his reply. ‘The price you had in mind is too expensive. Since it is only 30 minutes, I think the price should be lower. As well as we could do transactions through chat or email only. You wouldn’t have to come here, which saves you both transportation as well as time. Since I am helping you save, you should help me save as well. I think $10 per problem would be enough. I would be sending pictures and I expect you to solve it within the time frame. If you are to solve more than one, then that would be great. I could probably add a few dollars in if you could, and that would be from the kindness of my own heart. – M’

"Urgh! This is disgusting! It tastes like blood! I'm going to puke!" Jack Lacroix patted Sandra Chambers on the head dotingly while looking at her as she sipped the liquid with furrowed brows. "Be good, Sandra. The doctor said that the freshest placentas will help with your period pain. If you take it, your period won't be as painful when you have it." Sandra placed the bowl down and hugged Jack around the waist. She said coquettishly, "Jack, you're the best! But are you sure Whitney won't be mad that you took this from her? The baby hasn't even come to full-term yet."

"Do you have any idea how much paperwork you have created? The ripples are causing headaches in the 22nd century." "I saved him," Cale said. "You delayed the inevitable," Mr. Grey corrected. "Entropy always balances the books, Cale. You know this." "I paid the price," Cale said. He held up his wrist. "I spent the marks. I gave up the memories." "Yes. You paid the transaction fees," Mr. Grey allowed. "But you haven't paid the principal." "The principal?" Elion asked. "The life," Mr. Grey said. "A life for a life. That is the economy of the universe. Cale borrowed time to keep you alive. Now, the bank is calling the loan."

"Good morning, boss." "You're late!" Now, that was what I was avoiding. "How many minutes?" "A minute." He furrowed his brows at me, and I recoiled, "At least before you sent me out again to knock." "You should know that we're talking about the minutes you entered fully." "Ten minutes_" "And_" "57 seconds." "How much is a minute?" "One dollar." "How much are you owning the company?" "Approximately, eleven bucks," I spoke with a voice under my nose.

Sadness flashes in her eyes. “Any cost to me is too much to spend when it comes to you.” I say. “I wouldn’t spend a single piece of metal. I wouldn’t even spare the moisture in my mouth to spit on you.” I turn to the door to leave. “Pray tell mother, or should I say Luna,” I say with merciless resentment, “is there a price too high for you to pay?” “With time comes understanding.” She says quietly. “One day with the perspective of time, you will come to understand—”

Zia Stephanie's POV I felt like time begun to lose its meaning. The passage of time felt like it was heavenly distorted where space time worked into different scale on the other dimension. What should only be a few minutes seemed like I had endured dew hours and what might feel like small width of time could be extensive.

It wasn’t cruel, but it wasn’t kind either. The older man stood and walked slowly around the desk, stopping just a step away from her. “Time,” he said, “is the most expensive thing in this world.” Elena swallowed hard. “You’re lucky,” he went on, his voice softer now. “Someone thinks you’re worth it.” Her brows furrowed. “What do you mean?” He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he walked back to the desk and picked up a small black envelope. “You’ll deliver this tomorrow morning. Personally.”

he said. “Name your price.” I said. “This is not about money but when the time comes be ready to give you whatever I ask.”

His voice came out sounding a lot less groggy than he thought it would. "An hour, Sir." The man responded, whispering the words. He met Cillian's gaze through the rear-view mirror and did a mini bow. "I apologize for not waking you up earlier. It's just," he hesitated, glancing in Bellatrix's direction. "You and the Madam looked so tired and both were enjoying the sleep so I..." He didn't get to finish his sentence, he didn't know what to say. He knew rich people valued their time very much. In fact, he'd heard stories that in the world of the affluent, time was more expensive than Money, because unlike the latter, time can not be earned back.