Quest for Horizon
Richard startled in his usual dream. Dark blue sea, high waves and his ship - 'The rider' cruising through, defying death.
Where is he heading to? Why can't he reach his destination?
"Please granny, tell me anything you can recollect. You said he talked about pearls, gold and antiques. Dad described how grandpa's pirate friend gave him all for saving his life in the tornado. This is the only way we can clear dad's debt."
"Stop questioning me again. Your great- grandfather was lunatic. He created stories from dead blue sea with fortune to puppets coming to life. Being a sailor, he stayed out for days and when he came he acted strange. Please don't tread on that path. You'll end up disappointed" Richard's grandmother killed his curiosity once again.
On his 22nd birthday; he inherited his great grandfather's heirloom- A gold ring with huge ruby.
Grandpa Bill was unbeatable. His study was full of sailing books - journals to autobiographies. But the most intriguing piece was his compass, in a red velvet box.
"Why are you always in his study? Everyone says he was cuckoo."Said Richard's mother Branda circling her finger around her forehead.
"Grandpa Bill was a fascinating man mother. Look at this portrait, isn't he phenomenally handsome? His compositions are simply thrilling. All I do is scroll through his collection."
"Then why do you have his compass with you? Do you need it to find your way across our home? Well, I don't even want to know. Your favourite salmon rice is ready. Come to the dinner table" signalled his mother.
"Wow mom! You are as precious as Grandpa Bill." Richard smiled.
Later in the night while reading a book he picked up a glass of water. Clingggg went the red velvet box.
"Oh no! Hope the compass didn't break."He thought and picked it up to find every piece intact. But the bottom of the box had a hole.
"Well this is new, how come I missed it?"
Deep hole- size of a bullet, he turned the box from all sides. Puzzled he kept it back and started reading again. He flipped through the page, and his ring caught his eyes.
"Can this be true, or am I daydreaming?" he questioned.
He picked up the box, dusted the hole and tried fitting his Ruby in the hole as accurately as possible.
Voilà! The ring fixed. And the box made some mechanical noises.
Faux bottom opened with a thud and out came a crushed red paper.
To the one reading this:
Sail to where the compass tells you,
Sea will be unforgiving, profound dark blue.
Once you reach the shore, soft grey sand.
It is then you'll find the jewels, deep inside the land.
**************
'The rider' halted at the island shore where Richard's compass stopped moving.
His spade banged against metal, and his eyes lit up.
What is more precious this glittering trunk or the expedition?
Future generations will now have an unprecedented anecdote.
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