Everyone in the neighborhood told stories about the strange teenager, tales that more sober-minded individuals ignored and dismissed. It would have been better if everyone had realized that Billy Blaylocke was a psychopathic genius with a penchant for sowing sadistic chaos in his wake. But who would have ever imagined that the young man with a lack of emotional control would get his hands on a Chronivac? Billy had wanted one of the devices ever since he learned of their existence and an indulgent uncle giving him a sizable check on his recent birthday had given the youth the financial means to indulge his desire.
Billy walked with an undeviating stride through the neighborhood, not giving any awareness to the display of gold, red, brown leaves on the trees, the occasional giggles of clusters of children in costume scampering along the same sidewalks, or the chill in the gathering evening breeze.
The Chronivac had arrived only a couple of hours ago. Billy had unpacked it immediately, in awe at the sleek functionality of the device. He mastered the instructions in no time. He had always been at home with technology, almost in inverse proportion to his lack of comfort in the society of his fellow human beings. He took the device in hand and exited his home, knowing exactly who he wanted to make the first target of his brand-new Chronivac.