As she was getting ready Dorothy took a deep, soul searching look in the mirror. Then she picked up the sparkling blue-green amulet and admired it for the 100th time today. She smiled at it and it seemed to wink back at her. Dorothy knew her looks were not quite good enough to entitle her to the mind boggling adventures the amulet offered her. The middle aged women knew that but it didn't matter. She had gotten prettier. Dorothy took another look in the mirror and realized that since she started her adventures her looks had become more and more refined and her skin gleamed. She was a satisfied woman and she adored the feeling.
The amulet had saved her. It had made her life exciting and interesting. The diamond encrusted gem gleamed back at her. How such a small item could change someone's life so dramatically, she didn't understand.
Dorothy was in her mid forties. She was reasonably fit and reasonably attractive, with blond hair. She wasn't the kind of girl the average guy would decide to pursue, or to flirt with for that matter. Dorothy had a pleasant personality and average looks but sometimes there was an edge to her personality. It was like a hard, impassible cliff that surfaced when tension was needed in her job. It was a learned skill but her relationships suffered.
As a lawyer she used it as a skill to her advantage and won a lot of cases with her cutting edge; but that wasn't the case when it came to love. Dorothy had been unlucky in love, that is, until the amulet came into her life after she found it during an archaeological dig that her friend had coaxed her into going to. Her mind took her back to that time.
"The gem has unique abilities," her friend had said.
Several months ago, during the dig, around high noon, Dorothy had witnessed the hint of a sparkle in the sunlight in the dirt, at the dig site in Rome. It was a big dig with forty to fifty people working it at one time. Her and her friend had sections side by side.
How she slipped the gem into her side, leg pocket without getting caught, Dorothy didn't know. Everyone was distracted with a find and the opportunity presented itself, so she seized it with one swift movement. Dorothy couldn't believe her luck.
The participants in the dig had their own privately chartered plane home. All were fast tracked but because the importance of artifacts not leaving the country was of high priority, all the bags were searched. Dorothy had put the artifact in her jewelry.
When Devon, the customs officer, had stared at the shining blue-green gem in Dorothy's jewelry collection he felt his mood and attitude suddenly transform. Despite his transformation the routine questions he usually asked still came to mind.
"Where did you get this from?"
"I bought it from a local merchant. Here is the receipt."
Dorothy presented Devon with the fabricated document with an authentic letter head she had absconded from a local store.
"There is nothing wrong here, let it go," Dorothy said sternly looking deeply into Devon's eyes.
"Yes, you're free to go," said Devon obediently.
An hour cab ride later, Dorothy had found herself in her apartment with a priceless gem that was legendary. That was six months ago. Now the local prey had become predictable. It was time for a vacation.
The small seaside resort the "Cooler Girls" had grown up in was picturesque and attracted many local and foreign travelers. Playing in the water, surfing and making big cash was the agenda for most days. Their self made resort job was a perfect opportunity to strut the beach and make some outstanding cash. What male tourist could resist a thirty dollar, breast nuzzle body shot of tequila. Even husbands managed to sneak their fair share in. The girls wore bikini tops that pushed their tits together so a shot glass could easily be suspended between their bronzed, voluptuous mounds.
The girls were well liked and respected in the community they grew up in. They felt safe knowing if things went south they would be backed up by the locals they grew up with.
Ever since they could remember life had been very good and very easy for Cerise and Kia. The Spanish seaside resort, Zadu, with its endless rows of cabanas that were, off and on, filled with tourists, offered a very profitable source of income. Walking in the sand, in the sunshine made both their fit bodies, golden brown. The girl both complimented long flowing hair, cute features, and bikini perfect bodies. They displayed their assets proudly in neon, barely there string bikinis.
The tips, proposals, and sometimes dirty looks from wives and girlfriends were abundant. The brunette beauties simply ignored most of it, and invariably spent a fair amount of time holding hands and giggling innocently more often than naught. When the naught did happen the women would swap stories and inevitably they would come to the conclusion that during the act of love making the men could have tried harder, or been more generous to the women's needs. Then one afternoon an opportunity presented itself.
"My amulet, oh no, help me, help me find my amulet," a middle aged, blond, pudgy tourist said as she ran around in earnest digging in the sand here and there.
She was so frantic that both Cerise and Kia took it upon themselves to comfort and help her. They had performed many good deeds to help tourists and took pride in being helpful. But this tourist was in tears and wouldn't be consoled.
"You don't understand. My amulet does more than just protect me. It does so, so, much more," Dorothy wailed.
"Lady, you're okay, it's okay bella, we will help you," said Cerise in a comforting tone.
"I'm Cerise and this is my friend Kia."
Dorothy looked at the two young beauties before her. She judged them to be in their late twenties. Both had long dark hair, big brown eyes, and hour glass figures. That they were kind as well as beautiful astounded her.
There was sincerity in their eyes in their offer to help. Dorothy made up her mind not to tell the girls about the true value of the precious amulet. It was more temptation then anyone could handle.
The three women looked vigorously in the sand and the surrounding area for a couple of hours. Then it got dark outside.
"I'm sorry but we can't be on the beach when it's dark. It's not safe. You should go to," said the girls to Dorothy.
Dorothy looked around and noticed that the beach had cleared out. There was no one around. She resigned herself to resume her search the next day. Then a realization struck her.
"What about the tide? I have to find it," Dorothy muttered as she again began clawing at the sand in earnest.
Dorothy had resumed her search for her life changing amulet in the darkness with a key chain flashlight and would not be persuaded otherwise.
The girls knew that soon security would guide Dorothy off the beach; their shift was about to start.
Dorothy's features were frequently contorted when she repeatedly told them, as the days passed, "I can't stop looking."
"Thank you for all your help girls. I appreciate it. I'll just keep looking until I find it."
That had been months ago. On the last day of her vacation the girls saw Dorothy still searching. The next day she was gone.
Tourists came and went. Interesting stories were shared and laughter reigned on the beach, but eventually the tourists all had to go back to their jobs so they could come back to paradise once more.
