The Box
The shrilled voice beckoned Leonardo and Mona to enter. The old woman was dressed in gypsy clothes. Her white hair pulled back and tied in dingy scarf. She smiled at Mona and Leonardo. Leonardo saw that the old crone's mouth had only a few teeth left. The crone was very thin and looked as if she would die if he spoke too loud.
"Bonsoir, Lisa." She spoke with accented Italian. "Please, get my things. Place them here. You, take seat." She pointed a bony finger at the seat in front of her. Mona scurried around the crone and went digging through her things. Leonardo took a sit, hesitantly. He glanced around the small dusty room. Trinkets from different lands decorated the walls. Ancient wooden dolls, miniature statues of goats and horned animal heads were scattered throughout the mess. Square shaped mask hung on one wall, styles Leonardo had never seen before.
Mona returned from her search a bit dustier, but with the things the crone needed. The Crone shook a small cylinder Mona handed to her. The cylinder rattle was like heavy rain on a tin roof. She was mumbling something in another language as she shook the cylinder. "Lisa." She called out. "Talk through me." The crone's accent was thicker than soup and Leonardo could barely understand her.
She spoke in fluently in her own language and Mona translated it flawlessly. "You are one that is good at puzzles."
Leonardo just nodded. She spoke again.
"Since, Lisa has brought you here I'll preform this for free." Mona said. The crone coughed. "Je vais faire de la vraie magie." Mona didn't translate the last sentence. The crone then passed the cylinder to Leonardo.
"Shake, then open." The crone spoke for herself this time. Leonardo didn't know what really was the point of all this. The pit of his stomach was roaring louder than before from anxiety. He looked to Mona. Her eyes were gentle and supported him. He shook the cylinder and tossed the contents on the table. The gasp that rippled the two women unnerved him and made him jump out of his seat.
"What?" He nearly yelled. The old crone stood up, far too fast for her age. She went searching in the spot Mona came from. All the while, mumbling in her foreign language. Mona looked in wonder at the table. Leonardo couldn't help but feel as though as he had done something wrong.
"This has never happened before. I've never seen this before." Mona looked in wonder at the jewels on the table. Shining stones of sapphire, ruby, onyx, even diamonds littered the table with the symbols on them.
"W-what? Mona please tell me what's wrong." Leonardo edged back from the table staring at the multicolored jewels. Mona looked at Leonardo and couldn't find the words for what to say. She picked up all the jewels that littered the table and placed them back into the cylinder.
"Leo, please pay attention to what I'm about to do." She shook the cylinder and tossed them out on the table. This time no jewels appeared but bones with blacken symbols carved into them. "This is what they usually appear to be with everyone. I..I don't-"
Mona was cut off by the crone's shrill voice. "II est celui qui peut le résoudre." The crone walked up close and handed Leonardo a box. She then spoke rapid fire at him. Mona did her best to catch up. "Umm…In this box is the casse…puzzle that will help you change your world. When the puzzle is solved, open it. But be prepared this box will want an exchange for the gift it will give you." Mona finished winded. Leonardo looked at the box in confusion. The crone sat down to pour herself a drink. She was fair paler than when they had started.
"Let's go Leo." Mona grabbed hold on Leonardo's arm and they left quickly out of the old crone's trailer. Mona rushed ahead without ever looking back. When they reached the trailer, Mona sat down in a chair.
"What does it mean?" Leonardo asked. His body shivered from the unknown.
Mona looked at Leonardo. "I think it means your special." Mona motioned for Leonardo to come closer. "In this box is something the old woman wouldn't even let me touch. She said it was ancient magic, some of the first humans developed. She would never give that to anyone."
Leonardo looked at the box and went to open it. Mona stopped him quickly. "Don't. This is for you, not me. Go home and open it. If I were meant to see what was inside I would've seen it ages ago." Leonardo could only look at Mona in bewilderment. A task for him to do and do it alone for him to receive what he wanted most in the world.
"Thank you, Mona. You are a good friend."
"No thanks necessary, Leo. I'm glad to help you finally." She gave him that smile that was solely hers. "It's so late Leo. Would you like to stay the night?"
"No, I shall be going now. Have a goodnight, Mona."
"Travel safe." Mona said as Leonardo departed.
Leonardo arrived safely home. It was near dawn and Leonardo hadn't slept on the way back home. His stomach was far too full of knots. He was both excited and nervous and scared all in one. He looked around his studio. The familiar atmosphere was what he needed to calm down. The smell of chalk and paint was enough to easy his raked nerves.
He walked to a work table and set the box down. He slowly opened it, freighted of anything that might pop out at him. When nothing did he let the lid fall from the box. Inside were dozens of small pieces of metal. On piece was a long snake like set of cubes with symbols etched into the four faces of each square. This is the puzzle he would solve to grant his wish?
Leonardo did not know what to make of this, but he was sleep gnawing at his head. It was time for bed not matter what he needed to do. Everything would wait till morning.