Chapter 14 - A compass that doesn't point north.
If all went well Jack would be arriving home shortly before his birthday. Sidi wanted to buy him the perfect gift. She and Courtney ventured into London to shop. It was exciting. Sidi had never been in a big city before. They visited many different shops but Sidi could find nothing suitable. Courtney bumped into some old friends that begged her into lunch at the hotel.
"Darling, do you mind terribly?"
Sidi smiled. "Go Mum. Have a good time. I'll do more shopping. I'll be fine!"
Sidi felt free. She loved Mum but it was nice being alone. She wandered up and down the street looking in windows. (Oh blast. Ghosts.) She looked up and decided to cross the street to avoid them. If they recognized her they would never let her leave. They just never stop talking.
She wondered what it would be like to be like those who didn't see them and could walk right through them with no worries. It not that she didn't appreciate the value of . Her thoughts stopped as a store window caught her eye.
A spyglass!! That could be a good gift! She entered the establishment.
The shop carried a nice selection of new things and old things people were trying to sell. She picked up the spyglass.
"Oh this is nice." She said aloud.
"Sailor in you life Miss?" The proprietor of the establishment smiled.
Sidi beamed. "My husband. Its his birthday."
The man nodded. I'm Mr. Morris. Should you should need anything more please feel free to call upon me for assistance."
Sidi was excited. "This is so elegant." She handed it to the man. "Will you hold this while I finish looking?" Mr. Morris took the glass.
Sidi continued to browse. She giggled. Maps. Not a good gift.
"Husband is a sailor and a map is not a good gift?" The man standing next to her said. She looked up.
"I should think a map to be a delightful gift for a sailor" the man continued.
She smiled. "Not for this sailor."
"Ahh. I see perhaps then Miss a good set of books?"
She sighed. "No. I'm afraid he can't sit still for much reading."
The man nodded knowingly. "Do you know what this is?" He opened a small black box he retrieved from his pocket.
"A compass?"
His voice lowered to a whisper. "Yes, but not just a compass miss. Men have died looking for what only this compass can give. Imagine miss an island of gold and jewels. An oasis of treasure, more wealth than any man can imagine".
Sidi said nothing.
"This box offers a treasure so great that men can't help but spend their lives searching for it, happily giving their lives up for it only to find themselves rewarded with defeat, empty lives and death as only those who know where it is can find it."
"Treasure!" Sidi was intrigued. The spyglass was a wonderful sensible gift but now she found a most exciting gift!
"How much is it?" She wondered if she had enough money left for such a valuable piece.
"This is not for sale Ma'am." The man placed the black box into her hand. "It is destiny." He put his hand on her shoulder. Sidi stiffened and gasped feeling the familiar energy surge.
She pulled away from the man and ran out of the shop. Standing out in front trying to catch her breath she realized she had left the spyglass in the shop and had run out with the compass in her hand. Timidly she reentered the shop. Mr. Morris looked up and smiled.
"Is everything alright Mrs. Sparrow?"
"Yes thank you." She held out the compass.
Mr. Morris took the box from her hand, opened it and inspected the contents "I'm afraid I can't accept this Ma'am. It's broken." He handed it back to her.
"Where is the other gentleman that was here before? The other one who assisted me?"
Mr. Morris' face was kind. "Mrs. Sparrow I have been alone all morning."
"Of course you have." She clutched the box. "I am so sorry to be wasting your time Sir. I am feeling a bit tired. I will take the spyglass please." He wrapped it up for her as she paid and left the store.
"Destiny" she said. But did not understand.
NEXT: Oops, There Go Some Brain Cells
If all went well Jack would be arriving home shortly before his birthday. Sidi wanted to buy him the perfect gift. She and Courtney ventured into London to shop. It was exciting. Sidi had never been in a big city before. They visited many different shops but Sidi could find nothing suitable. Courtney bumped into some old friends that begged her into lunch at the hotel.
"Darling, do you mind terribly?"
Sidi smiled. "Go Mum. Have a good time. I'll do more shopping. I'll be fine!"
Sidi felt free. She loved Mum but it was nice being alone. She wandered up and down the street looking in windows. (Oh blast. Ghosts.) She looked up and decided to cross the street to avoid them. If they recognized her they would never let her leave. They just never stop talking.
She wondered what it would be like to be like those who didn't see them and could walk right through them with no worries. It not that she didn't appreciate the value of . Her thoughts stopped as a store window caught her eye.
A spyglass!! That could be a good gift! She entered the establishment.
The shop carried a nice selection of new things and old things people were trying to sell. She picked up the spyglass.
"Oh this is nice." She said aloud.
"Sailor in you life Miss?" The proprietor of the establishment smiled.
Sidi beamed. "My husband. Its his birthday."
The man nodded. I'm Mr. Morris. Should you should need anything more please feel free to call upon me for assistance."
Sidi was excited. "This is so elegant." She handed it to the man. "Will you hold this while I finish looking?" Mr. Morris took the glass.
Sidi continued to browse. She giggled. Maps. Not a good gift.
"Husband is a sailor and a map is not a good gift?" The man standing next to her said. She looked up.
"I should think a map to be a delightful gift for a sailor" the man continued.
She smiled. "Not for this sailor."
"Ahh. I see perhaps then Miss a good set of books?"
She sighed. "No. I'm afraid he can't sit still for much reading."
The man nodded knowingly. "Do you know what this is?" He opened a small black box he retrieved from his pocket.
"A compass?"
His voice lowered to a whisper. "Yes, but not just a compass miss. Men have died looking for what only this compass can give. Imagine miss an island of gold and jewels. An oasis of treasure, more wealth than any man can imagine".
Sidi said nothing.
"This box offers a treasure so great that men can't help but spend their lives searching for it, happily giving their lives up for it only to find themselves rewarded with defeat, empty lives and death as only those who know where it is can find it."
"Treasure!" Sidi was intrigued. The spyglass was a wonderful sensible gift but now she found a most exciting gift!
"How much is it?" She wondered if she had enough money left for such a valuable piece.
"This is not for sale Ma'am." The man placed the black box into her hand. "It is destiny." He put his hand on her shoulder. Sidi stiffened and gasped feeling the familiar energy surge.
She pulled away from the man and ran out of the shop. Standing out in front trying to catch her breath she realized she had left the spyglass in the shop and had run out with the compass in her hand. Timidly she reentered the shop. Mr. Morris looked up and smiled.
"Is everything alright Mrs. Sparrow?"
"Yes thank you." She held out the compass.
Mr. Morris took the box from her hand, opened it and inspected the contents "I'm afraid I can't accept this Ma'am. It's broken." He handed it back to her.
"Where is the other gentleman that was here before? The other one who assisted me?"
Mr. Morris' face was kind. "Mrs. Sparrow I have been alone all morning."
"Of course you have." She clutched the box. "I am so sorry to be wasting your time Sir. I am feeling a bit tired. I will take the spyglass please." He wrapped it up for her as she paid and left the store.
"Destiny" she said. But did not understand.
NEXT: Oops, There Go Some Brain Cells