3 Years ago - Izzy Hunt
"Charles! Hurry. I think we found something. Look!"
Charles hurried to his wife's side. "Izzy, can it be? Eric, hand me the camera. Quick!" he added.
"Be careful, Charles. We don't know in what condition it is. Here, perhaps the margin trowel will work better. Careful," she cautioned.
Izzy's breath was caught somewhere between her lungs and her throat. She watched as her husband meticulously scooped away the spoil from what looked to be an ancient weapon.
"Is it a piece of a sword, you think?"
"Hard to be certain at this stage but it looks too short for a sword. Unless the blade broke off or something."
"Ah, then maybe a knife? It was one of the most popular weapons back then. Do you realize this could very well be it, Charles? Finally! I mean, if this weapon is from Rhapta then that means it would have to be somewhere here. If we find it, we would be unlocking an immense amount of lost history. A piece of history that the world deemed was buried forever. Do you know what that means?"
Charles Hunt chuckled. "Of course I do, Izzy my dear, but let's just see first shall we?"
When Izzy first heard about the city that vanished into thin air, she was roughly fifteen years old. She recalled how her father had sat in his chair clicking all sorts of funny sounds with his tongue. He read it in the paper and mumbled inaudible words to himself.
'Sweetheart,' he said. 'Perhaps you'll be the one to find the lost treasures one day. Then I can finally go on retirement and take your mother on that boat trip she's always nagging me about.'
Little did he know that his one single sentence would set Izzy on a course of a life-long adventure. Determined, she made it her quest in life to get them that boat trip. She was so intrigued and fired up, she spent hours in her room planning her perfect exploration. Fantasies of climbing through chasms and secret chambers in her quest to find the lost city of Rhapta were her normality. She as much as lived at the library doing copious amounts of research while plotting her course. Now, years on, both her parents had passed away, and she never managed to get them that boat trip they had always dreamed of. She silently wished her father were still alive to see just how close she was to finding Rhapta.
"Well, what do you know?"
Charles sat back, hands on knees and cap in hand staring at the ground.
"Blimey, Izzy, it's an ancient weapon indeed. Pinch me. I must be dreaming."
They were at it so long that the excavations almost became mechanical. Like breathing. Something you just do without thinking about it. Day in and day out in the treacherous African sun. None of them ever thought of quitting. They all just kept going in the hope and anticipation that someday… one day… they'd find the lost city of Rhapta.
"We need to keep digging, Charles. If we found a weapon, then we might have hit the spot. There has to be more." Izzy tried to contain her excitement.
"Easy there, trooper. You can't rush these things. We have to clean this up very gently. Eric, peg this off but be careful not to step just anywhere."
"Yes, sir."
Izzy relished in how Charles always succeeded in keeping her rational. She was someone who could charge like an African wildebeest without a second thought for the consequences. He on the other hand seemed to have the patience of Noah when he had to build the ark. There was no way she would have seventy-five-years' worth of patience in her to complete any task but Charles did. He had been at it since they first met in his final year at uni. Those were her tumultuous years when her father rejected her impulsive decision about her switching majors. Somehow, through the daunting teenage years and breakout parties, she managed to receive a scholarship to Cambridge; something her father boasted about for years as the first in a line of family members to ever study at a university.
It was love at first sight with Charles. During hazing, she was meant to carry his books around and call him 'Master Charles, The Helper of the Cows.' It was a joke playing on the real Charles, Prince of Wales' tribal name given to him during his then-recent trip to Tanzania. Quite apt now that she thought of it. As soon as they dipped the corners, Charles would take his books from her and carry them in secret. They would sit for hours under the trees in the garden deciphering the myths and new clues found by the earlier researchers in Tanzania.
"We should just do the dig ourselves," he joked one day.
"Sure, I mean why not? If they can do it, we can do it better, right?"
"Indeed, Izzy, I feel it in my bones. The two of us will find Rhapta as sure as eagles fly. Together as one team, we will go down in history for the greatest discovery yet!"
And with that, he somehow managed to persuade the chancellor to sponsor a small group of them to fly to Africa in the hope of making the discovery. It was sure to have the university go down in history for discovering the world's most coveted lost ancient city.
For the next couple of years, Izzy found herself flying back and forth alongside Charles who, soon after graduating went on to become the uni's top archaeologist. It was kind of unavoidable for Izzy to not go with him on all his expeditions, being his steady girlfriend and all. The girls envied her having the privilege of being by the infamous Charles Hunt's side. Izzy grinned as her mind wandered back.
"And that smile, Izzy? What's going through that pretty head of yours?" Charles asked, still carefully brushing and cleaning off the relic.
"Oh, nothing, Charles. I was just thinking back on our journey together."
"And what a journey we've had, my love. But the best is still to come. I can feel it in my bones."
Izzy laughed. "You always say that, Charles. But this time, I think my bones agree."
They both sported a laugh so loud and infectious that the excited crew soon laughed with them, despite not having the foggiest clue as to why they were laughing. That set Charles and Izzy off into another laughing episode. They always laughed when they were together. It was the one thing they took most pride in with their marriage. Laughter was good. It somehow cleansed their souls of all the sadness that came with them battling to fall pregnant.
Thirty minutes later the relic was fully excavated from the soil and completely unscathed.
"It's a beaut, Izzy! I'm almost certain it dates back about eighteen hundred years or so. I can't be sure until we run the tests, but it looks as if it's ivory."
"I would agree with you, Charles. There are striking similarities to it being ivory. I mean it's not impossible knowing that they mainly traded in ivory and tortoiseshell. But see these jagged edges. That must have been hand carved. They would have needed their tools to be able to slice the meat from their hunts—baboon, hippo, and so on. Their skins are quite tough."
"You're a walking encyclopedia, Izzy, do you know that? I love you!" He smacked a kiss full on her forehead with excitement.
"It's how you got me into all this remember?"
"Ah, you love finding treasures, Izzy. You might have started out researching, but I saw that twinkle in your eyes when we first went to Egypt. You have that hunger in you. Never needed any persuasion from me to go on any of our relic hunts. Excavating is one thing, but chasing! You're a natural, my love. You have that instinct no textbook can ever teach you. How many students have you seen come and go, huh? They all think they have what it takes. After their fortunes, if you ask me. But, patience, ha! That's the one thing this job of ours tests you at the most. And that daughter of ours, let me tell you. She has it in her too. Chip off the old block."
Izzy smiled with glee. Charles was right, of course. She loved chasing after ancient relics. The sheer danger and excitement were enough to make a cat laugh. She missed it most during those days when she finally fell pregnant with Alexandra and couldn't travel much. It was a void she battled to fill with only researching and watching from the sidelines. Not that she would ever give up falling pregnant with Alexandra; not for anything in the world! She was a miracle child after all.
They had battled for many years to fall pregnant; all those doctors' visits and pills and potions in the hope that she would one day fall pregnant. Then, Africa became their solace. Their way of escaping London and the sadness and pressure of wanting a child so desperately. Working hours and hours in complete silence, side by side. Busying themselves with their ongoing quest to find Rhapta. Somehow their Swahili tribe became their family and gave them the much-needed solitude they desperately needed to heal their broken hearts. Perhaps the fact that Izzy couldn't speak much Swahili was a blessing in disguise. Back home it was a constant, 'I'm so sorry, Izzy' and 'why don't you just get a puppy or two.' As if!
She found herself looking across their campsite to where an all-grown-up Alexandra sat working at her laptop. She was fervently at it, eager to acquire as much information as possible on their discovery. She was nothing but a beautiful blessing to them. A delightful young woman with the same burning fire in her heart. She was worth the wait, that's for sure.
As far as Izzy was concerned time had flown by far too quickly. She remembered so vividly how they had found the first pieces of pottery by the river the very day she realized she was pregnant with Alexandra.
Izzy strolled over to Alexandra and leaned in over her shoulder.
"Find anything yet, sweets?"
"Nah, nothing much. At least nothing more than we know already. The first batch of tests should be finished soon, then we should at least know for sure if it's ivory or not. Once that's established it is fair to say it could very well be a Rhapta relic."
"Oh, Alexandra! A relic such as this one is a great find. We are so close I can feel it!"
"Izzy! Come quick. They found something else. Tell Alexandra to bring her computer. We're going to need those fancy programs of hers on this one."
Charles and Eric were hunched over something in the ground when Izzy and Alex joined them.
"What is it?" Izzy asked.
"Not sure, my love. In all my years I haven't quite seen anything like it. It's a wooden box of some sort, but there is no opening to a lid or keyhole or latch; nothing, just a piece of wood."
"Hang on. Let me clean it up a bit more. Hand me that small brush, please?"
With a steady hand, Izzy brushed off all the debris and sand while they all watched with bated breath. It didn't take long to get it out of the ground, and a small, rectangular wooden box revealed itself. It was so quiet they could hear cells dividing.
"Hand-carved for certain."
"It would have been ebony wood. They carved anything and everything from ebony and then polished it till it shone. Masks, household items, animals… pretty much anything frankly," Alexandra offered, beaming with enthusiasm. "See if you can open it though. They used to hide things of value in boxes like these and then buried them."
Talk about an encyclopedia. Alexandra was a born historian. Where she stored all that information only she knew.
"Hmm, this box is a strange one though, Alexandra. Look here. I can't seem to find an opening anywhere. I've never seen anything like it. It's solidly closed off on all the sides but there's definitely something loose inside."
"Here, let me see."
Izzy watched as her daughter meticulously inspected the wooden box and minutes later jumped up in elation.
"Do you realize what this is?" she shouted out to Charles like she was opening her presents on Christmas morning.
"It's an ancient puzzle box! Do you know what this MEANS? They only ever put items of significant value in these! Trade secrets, family heirlooms, or keys to hidden treasures. I've only read about these and seen pictures of one found in Egypt, but to hold it! I can't wait to tell Jelani."
"Well, can you open it, dear? We'd all like to see how this gadget works and if there is, in fact, anything hidden inside."
"It's not that easy, Dad. It's most often crafted with extreme precision and has hidden sliders and drawers and latches. It's like a combination to a safe. I have to follow a perfectly executed sequence, or it goes nowhere. Like those Rubik's cubes. It can take hours. Days even. Not to mention that it has been buried in the ground for centuries. There's just no way of knowing how long it will take. It might take me a bit, but I'll figure it out."
"I don't doubt that for a minute, sweetheart. You're not our daughter for nothing." Charles flashed her a smile.
Over the next couple of hours, they worked the site inch by inch in the hope of finding more relics. Alexandra, on the other hand, ferociously continued at it with the box. A successful day indeed! Two remarkable relics in one day was a spectacular find. Archaeologists can go at it for weeks, months, or even years and not find a single artifact.
Izzy looked up at Charles who was grinning from ear to ear.
"You know what's happening here don't you, Charles?"
"Oh, I know, love. Once Alexandra opens that box we're going to have to start the chase. If it is an old safe as she claims it to be, then chances are there would be a clue in there. Hopefully, one more clue leading us to Rhapta. Let's push on for another hour before we finish off today, just in case we find one more. It always happens in threes remember? Tomorrow the crew can carry on with the dig, and we can plan where to go from here."
He looked at his wife with a slanted smile while he dusted between the pegs.
"You just can't wait can you?" He laughed. He knew his wife, and he was right. Izzy loved strapping on her boots and crawling through caves.
"You know me too well, Charles Benjamin Hunt. I'm running on pure adrenaline right now. How I'm even going to sleep tonight remains to be seen. What's more, all three of us are together this time. If you think I have ants in my pants, wait until that daughter of ours figures out that box and opens it. She has not put it down once since we found it. It's only a matter of time before she cracks it."
"Yes, that daughter of ours is bitten all right, and may I just add a walking Wiki-thing."
"You mean Wikipedia."
Charles was old-fashioned and still trying to get acquainted with all the online terminology.
"Exactly, Wikipedia. I have a sneaky feeling we might need to decipher more than just a box though. I can feel it in my bones."
Izzy couldn't help but giggle at his coin phrase again. Somehow, through all the years though, his bones had never lied.
"That's it! I got it! Dad, I think I actually got it!" Alex shouted from the tent.
"Are you sure? Open it! Your mother can't bear the suspense." Charles winked at his wife as they joined their daughter in the tent.
Alex slowly pulled back a wedge and flicked up a matchbox-sized block that sent off a click and subsequently released the bottom of the box.
The air, thick with anticipation, had them all silent as they poised over the box and watched as something dropped out from the drawer onto the table.
"What's that?" Eric spoke for the first time after he had been silently hovering in the background with his camera for days.
"A sort of papyrus scroll I think," Charles answered. "We're going to have to be very careful with this one, Alexandra. The paper is quite brittle. Look. There seems to be a seal of some kind on the box."
The question lay heavily on all their minds as they simultaneously looked up at each other. Charles spoke first.
"Bugger that. I say we do it."
"Charles! Have you lost your mind? We can't. It will destroy any value it might hold."
"Where's your sense of adventure, Izzy? Come on, my love. How long have we been at this? Whatever is written on that scroll could lead us directly to Rhapta."
"Or not! We should only open it in the lab, Charles. We don't know if the writing is well preserved or not."
"I agree. Open it." Once again, completely out of character, Eric spoke, which piqued Charles' suspicions that the guy was acting a little stranger than usual.
"Just saying, boss." Eric excused his behavior and snapped a couple more photos.
"Izzy, think about it. If we go at it with care, it should be just fine. We can't leave it now. That makes no sense."
Charles had a point. They had come too far and risked too much.
"Fine. I guess you're right, I suppose. I mean this is what we've been after isn't it? A solid clue or trail to follow," Izzy agreed.
"Open it, Alexandra. Just be careful with the seal. Try slicing it off," Charles said eagerly.
With the precision of a brain surgeon, Alex used the scalpel and separated the seal from the paper. It came off with ease and remained intact. She unrolled the yellowed paper scroll and stretched it open.
"Blimey, it's another riddle. Go on, my girl. Read it," Charles exclaimed.
What has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps, Can run but never walks, and has a bank but no money?
"What uncanny twister is this one?" Charles exclaimed in annoyance before having a stab at it. "Has a bed but never sleeps. Perhaps a kind of animal?" he guessed.
"No, that doesn't sound right, Charles. Let's just think about this for a second. Running down a mountain… running thin… run short… run fast. Perhaps it is an animal. Like a cheetah or something. They run fast, don't they?"
"No, Mum, any animal can walk. See, it says, 'can run but never walk.' Can't be anything with visible legs. Besides, they all have beds too. We're looking at something figuratively. Like running for cover. But then it also says it has a head. It's quite confusing."
"I think you're on the right track, Alexandra. It could be parables, nothing literal. We need to think beyond the physical here. No actual objects. '…has a bank but no money…' "
"It's on the tip of my tongue, I tell you. I can feel it in my bones, " Charles said before they all bellowed with laughter.
Another hour of deciphering went by before Izzy yelled out. "It's a river!"
"Look! It has a river head, a river bed, a river runs and it has river banks. It's a RIVER!"
"Izzy, my old darling! See this is why I married you!" He hugged his wife for cracking the riddle.
"Okay, great. So we know it's by a river or perhaps in a river but which one? There are a gazillion rivers in Tanzania. We're missing something here. Alex, look for another hidden drawer or something."
"There's nothing, Dad. I've looked."
"Where is that seal, Alexandra? Let me have another look at it," said Izzy.
Izzy took the seal from her daughter's gloved hand and inspected it with a magnifying glass.
"It looks like a strange kind of cipher or something, written in Greek, I think."
11525
"A combination perhaps to a lock?" Eric chirped again.
Izzy found herself wondering how Charles found Eric valuable to the team. The uni had insisted they take a photographer for the project for 'publicity sake,' but Eric had been deathly quiet for weeks, never saying a single word. Now all of a sudden he was bubbling with interest. Izzy smelled a rat if ever there was one. She always had a sharp gut instinct. Charles felt it in his bones but Izzy, on the other hand, perpetually sensed when something was wrong in the very pit of her stomach.
"They didn't have combination locks back then, silly. Certainly not like we have them at least," Alexandra spat at him.
"But one thing's for certain," Charles added. "I'm convinced we need a key of some sort. A key that will open up an entire other existence."