Magical Hourglass: Billie Baloney's Adventures, #8

By Dave Alto

What if you could stop time... but at a cost you never imagined?

When Charlie stumbles upon a mysterious hourglass hidden in his grandmother's attic, he discovers it holds incredible power—the ability to freeze time for an hour each day. But as Charlie uses it for mischief, pranks, and even a few daring adventures, he soon learns that this power comes with a chilling price: every second beyond the hour ages him, bringing him closer to an irreversible fate.

Enter Billie and Max, Charlie's best friends and aspiring amateur detectives. Determined to save Charlie and unravel the secrets of the hourglass, the trio embarks on a thrilling journey that leads them to the Timekeeper Council—a hidden society tasked with protecting the balance of time. Along the way, they face dangerous trials, ancient prophecies, and a shadowy rogue Timekeeper with sinister plans of his own.

But what happens when the line between ally and enemy blurs?

Packed with heart-pounding twists, daring adventure, and the unbreakable bond of friendship, "The Hourglass Paradox" will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. But beware: once you pick it up, you won't be able to stop time from slipping away...

Will they save the timeline—or lose themselves to it forever? Dare to find out.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dave Alto
• Release date: Apr 11, 2025
• ISBN: 9798230130895

Dave Alto

Dave Alto, Ph.D., is a provocative thinker and writer who tackles contentious issues with boldness and clarity. Before becoming an author, Dr. Alto devoted his career to advancing human health as an engineer and scientist in the field of medicine. His analytical expertise and commitment to uncovering the truth drive his exploration of today's most polarizing debates. Combining sharp logic with a dedication to reason, his work challenges conventional narratives and offers fresh perspectives on the pressing issues of our time.

Book preview

E:\material for book formatting\design\a-removebg-preview (1).png

By Dave Alto.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form what so ever with out written permission except in the case of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form, or by means, electrical, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the written permission of the publishers.

Book and Cover design, AI assisted by Dave Alto

Billie Baloney has been registered with the US Patent Office

This cover has been designed using assets from Freepik.com

Dedication

For : Rose, Jeff, Eva, River

––––––––

THE HIDDEN DISCOVERY

1

Charlie found himself bored on a dreary day at his grandmother's house while his parents were away on business. Seeking excitement indoors due to the relentless rain outside, he ventured into the cluttered

Charlie finds a strange Hourglass

attic where he stumbled upon an antique wardrobe nestled ,in a corner. Curiosity sparked within him as he opened it up to reveal moth-eaten clothes, forgotten hats and an hourglass covered in dust. Enchanted by its delicacy and mesmerized by its shimmering golden sand inside Jack turned over with hesitation only for time itself to freeze around him. This left Jack free to move about whilst everything else remained motionless including mid-fall raindrops and lingering thunder sounds outside.

With harmless hijinks already playing through his mind as soon as Jack realized he had altered time itself without knowing how big of discovery it was yet; with much anticipation surrounding what awaited exploring this frozen world without anyone noticing pranks could be pulled or things could be rearranged for Charlie’s amusement. His first target: swapping out grandma’s salt and sugar shaker. Laughing softly to himself, he pictured how she would react when she unwittingly put salt in morning coffee. Then moving stealthily, he went into the living room and arranged his dinosaur toys for a mock battle situation frozen in time. Charlie couldn't resist carrying on further with his mischievousness by sneaking around school halls which seemed eerily still despite being usually buzzing with activity. On entering one of the

Charlie stops time and does pranks. Putting sugar in a salt shaker.

classrooms undetected, he rearranged both desks and chairs into a unique giant labyrinth formation that had him giggling at how puzzled classmates would feel if they caught sight of it later. In a moment of reckoning, Charlie realized that punishment was imminent as