Sam struggled immensely as he tried to quit using his time powers cold turkey. The temptation was always there, simmering below the surface, ready to be tapped into.
Walking down the school hallway, Sam fantasized about stopping time and pulling pranks on the mean vice principal. While taking a boring history test, he imagined freezing the classroom and cheating off his neighbor’s answers.
The urges were so strong it took all of Sam’s willpower to resist. He had to constantly remind himself of the aging consequences. He pictured his wrinkled elderly face in the mirror to scare himself straight.
Emily could see Sam’s internal struggle. “You can do this,” she encouraged. “It’s just like any other addiction. Take it one day at a time.”
Sam made it through a few days without using his powers. Then a week. But soon his craving returned stronger than ever. After a particularly bad day, Sam couldn’t take it anymore. He stopped time in his bedroom just for a minute, relishing the relief.
But Sam was horrified to see he now looked in his 60s. The brief time stop had drastically sped up his aging again.
Emily came over, her eyes widening when she saw Sam. “It’s getting too dangerous,” she said worriedly. “Is there a way to get rid of your powers completely?”
Sam shook his head sadly. “Trust me, if I could give them away, I would. I just have to stay strong.”
Emily could see Sam’s psyche collapsing under the pressure. She knew he needed a change of scenery to avoid temptation. “Let’s get out of town for a few days,” she suggested. “My uncle has a cabin in the woods we can stay at.”
Sam sighed but agreed. Some isolation away from normal life was probably his only hope at this point. He packed a bag and left with Emily, determined to regain control over his abilities once and for all.
Life's Adventure 