CHAPTER 4
I can’t believe it...is this truly happening. Or is it just an illusion? Newton stood on the sea’s ground, he blinked his eyes behind his goggles numerous of times as he caught again a glimpse of the chest, he swallowed through his throat and glanced steadily at the chest. Could this be happening? He took a sharp small breath through the pipes connecting to the oxygen tank on his back, he lifted a leg and followed the sea’s underwater current and both his legs stood up. He pushed himself forward to something which he felt to be his start of success. And in his mind, considered old fairly pirate stories of treasure hunts, Newton was certain that the chest contained gold. And if melted, will make him rich and wealthy to the point he would no longer find the need to scrub boats.
Newton pushed himself forward. And he was a foot away from the treasure chest which seemed to had been planted on the ground. And inches buried in the sea’s dust. He stretched his hand and rested his hand on the upper surface of the chest. A half cylinder figure that shaped the top of the chest. his mouth forced to twist into a smile which shook the mask on his face. Gently, he begun to slide his hand on the top surface of the chest.
Just to be certain, let me get this thing open before taking it up...his thoughts snapped as he begun to pull the half cylinder-shaped cover of the chest’s top. It’s stack. Newton yet thought again and decided that the best way to open the chest was above the waters, he walked a few steps back and grabbed Lordwell King’s lucky fishing stick, and forward again Newton grabbed the chest. He swum to the top and kept the fishing stick in his hand, and the chest he locked between his arm and rib cage--he glanced above and saw shadows of floating boats.
A silent swim until he met the boat which he had been commanded to clean by Lordwell King. Newton glanced up and saw it clear through his transparent goggles. And upon getting his head above the water, he quickly lifted his hand which had the fishing stick, and made the fishing stick swing up--he tossed the fishing stick to the floor of the boat.
And lifted the chest and slid it on the boat’s floor. He still floated on water, he took off his mask and tossed it too on the boat’s floor. He glanced clearly at the chest and smiled. He had convinced himself that the finding of the chest was a beginning of something big and great, but what he did not know was of the dangers he was soon to face the moment he decided to take the chest along with him.
To Newton, that was a treasure chest. A luck which he had concluded to had been waiting for him since the time he had begun working for Lordwell King. In his glance he saw a treasure chest which had small plants that grew on it, and the chest which looked to had stayed in the water way too long. Carbon dating? Longer than time itself.
Newton pushed himself up on the boat and slid away the fishing stick with a single kick. His interest then was that he got the chest open and get to see what luck it had for him. And Lordwell King was the least he could think of then. Newton walked to the control room, zipped open the sea diver’s costume--and the oxygen tank which he had carried on his back, he placed it back on the boat’s floor. He got dressed again in his attire, and walked back towards the chest.
Newton puffed between his teeth as he glanced at the chest, he gently bent and held it by its top surface as he rubbed the small plants on it and slowly smiled to the convincing fact that the day was a blessing to him. He sat on the floor and started to force open the chest. Futile.
He glanced around him. And all he could see then were bare bars of metal attached to the boat. His eyes narrowed when again he glanced at Lordwell King’s fishing stick.
He shook his head and glanced away. “No--Lordwell King will kill me if I try to temper with the hook.” Newton said the moment he realized that his thoughts had begun to drive him into doing something shabby--opening the chest with the hook of Lordwell King’s lucky fishing stick, was a silly thought.
After minutes of trying to figure out how, what it was that he had to do in order to get the chest open, he stood up from the floor and walked towards the control room. He scanned the room, the floor and its roof. But all that did not pay off. And Newton realized that there was no way he was getting the chest open. This can’t be opened, at least not now. Not here. He thought and lifted the chest from the floor and begun to walk towards the control room.
This was the only option he had--hiding the chest until he was sure that Lordwell King wasn’t around the harbour areas. Only then would Newton be able to leave the harbour with the chest. Only then-- Newton stood firm, right in the middle of the boat and stared at the five boats at his side, which he was to clean by Lordwell King’s orders. Newton clamped his mouth tight and tried to sort through his thoughts-- As he tried to decide what he had to do. Stop working? Or work only for that single day? These thoughts and more kept exchanging in his mind as he tried to figure out what he had to do.
The fact that I have a treasure chest doesn’t mean that I have the treasure yet. Newton reasoned as he stood firm on the boat. Him, although much dumbfounded by the sense of him discovering the chest, he wasn’t ready to risk his job just for the sake of a treasure chest, which he had not opened yet. He swung his glance towards the control room where he had hid the chest. His eyebrows begun to ache mischievously as he tried to figure out the right thing to do.
And after a minute of nothing but glancing only at the control room, he swung back his glance and begun to stare at the waters ahead. And decided that it was pointless working anytime more.
“I have already wasted enough time on this boat, and in the sea...there is no way I will be able to clean the remaining five boats and two ships...there is no way I can...it’s much better if I don’t tire myself in cleaning a less number of boats if I will get fired at the end of the day. It’s a share waste of time.” Newton continued after he had shifted his glance and stared at the fishing stick he had tossed on the other side. And fastened his glance on it. “I just have to clean this up...after all...it’s my fault that it’s in this way. Let me do one single deed before I leave.”
The afternoon sun, dried his curled wet hair as he stood to decide what it was that he had to do. He lifted his hands and placed them on his face. He pressed tight the mask skin covering his face and nearly gripped it off when he felt mixed feelings surge through him. He slid his hands down to a glimpse again of Lordwell King’s lucky fishing stick which sat in length on the boat’s floor.
Newton took a deep breath and walked towards the fishing stick...he bent his back slightly and grabbed the stick from the floor. He glanced at the fishing stick with a blunt of thought. He stared at how dirty it’s black coloured handle had become. And a sharp glance he narrowed which awakened the need to fix the stick quick. When he saw that the line of the fishing stick had twisted itself and formed a series of knots, he walked at the far end of the boat with the fishing stick in his hand. Newton begun to remove small plants that had got stuck on the hook--and tossed the light green plants back into the sea. And he gently tilted his head to face his behind where he could see the control room which stood in his glance.
And then only figured out that the room could be a perfect spot to sit and try to untie a series of knots on the line. Step by step he begun to walk towards the control room.
He held tight the fishing stick, he ducked his head...not to a sign of exhaustion but to glance properly on the line of the fishing stick.
He leaned to the metal wall of the control room as he begun to do everything he thought could help him fix a mess he had done on the fishing stick. He had been certain that if Lordwell King had to find the fishing stick; Lordwell King’s lucky fishing stick, in a bizarre state-- Newton was likely to be destined for doom.
Newton puffed between his teeth and griped on the edges of the line, his eyebrows shook as he got a glimpse of another knot, right in between the line. He forced his fingers on it; though his fingers being not that thin--Newton tried hard as to make the knot loosen up. He bit on the knot as he felt the need to and that he thought to had been a perfect plan to getting rid of
the knot. He glanced outside of he control room and got a partial glimpse of just how time had ticked. Newton had still not done half of the work he was commanded to do by Lordwell King. But rather, Newton decided that it would be the best of him if he doesn’t do any of the remaining work, after all; he was certain that even if he had stressed himself, he was never going to get the job done in only a couple days. Cleaning six boats and three large ships was no joke...and Newton had confirmed that when he witnessed how stressful it was only getting work done on one boat, and a partial dirty ship. His heart had raced upon cleaning the ship...and worse when he had decided to work on the boat. His body had been weighing him down, and only did he regain his normal temperature when he had dived into the waters. Newton had a way of working, cooperativeness, effective plans to clean and fix boat and ship engines, and to attend to guests as well; but he did all that with help from dozens of his workmates. But now that he found himself working alone, with no one to assist. Not only on one ship, but required to attend to all three ships and boats which Lordwell King owned. When Newton could hardly get the job done on the ship. He stood silent and kept his hands on the fishing stick as he thought on how much work Lordwell King had made him do, and what he was expected to do the other day as well. Newton formed his chin into a square as thoughts scampered in his mind. He bit on his teeth hard and tried to figure out a way he had to get out of the stress. Newton was at that moment not thinking of the chest he had found on the sea’s bed, but rather kept on having tormenting thoughts on how ill he had been punished by Lordwell King. This was quite an important step that for once he chose to forget all about the chest. At least then he had thoughts that rambled in his mind. Thoughts that reminded him how Raymond had betrayed his trust.
Why? Newton gnashed his on teeth and turned around to face the metal wall behind him. He hit the metal wall twice as mixed feelings surged in his heart. He paused and dropped the fishing stick on the boat’s floor. He gnashed hard his teeth, a sounding clench from the teeth at the back of his mouth; nearly forcing his bare gums at the end of each jaw to meet when he hit again the metal wall with his head.
Newton was not sure who it was he had to blame. He ducked his head, He slid it gently on the wall as he thought. Not being able to connect his thoughts as to find some solution and a course to what had happened to him and a verge of collapse of what he had thought to happen to his job.
It certainly was his fault but Newton was that time not ready to accept that fact. At first, he knew that if it wasn’t for his rising rage which forced him to speak back at Lordwell King--nothing could have gone wrong by now. He he not screamed ‘Damn!’ at Lordwell King’s face, Newton deserved all that came to him.
This is all Raymond’s fault! If he had not told Lordwell of my disappearance, I wouldn’t have been here doing all this dirty work. Alone. This is no one’s but Raymond’s fault...I hate it that my best friend could have done something so shameless as this. Newton lifted his head as thoughts exchanged in his mind, his eyes had become wide as he glanced at the wall at his front. Thoughts which continued to exchange, and a glance which he fastened at the white painted wall at his front--if he made a mistake by telling on me, he should be here, helping out. But no--he just had to leave, he has better things to do than assist his own friend. What does he find in clubs anyway?
Newton lifted both his hands and placed them on his face and rubbed sweat off which had come out of tension. He lifted his hands again and rested them on his face--his fingers touched half of his forehead, while his thumbs brushed his ears, his mouth shut tight by his palm. For a couple of minutes he stood silent and remembered of the way...just how humiliated he was when Lordwell King announced to everyone that Newton was to work on the ships and boats alone. And Newton remembered just how less his colleagues cared when they heard that the work was to be done by Newton and Newton alone and give the rest a couple of days off, something which Lordwell King had failed to grant Newton. Newton swallowed in his throat as thoughts surged in his mind--him being denied a single day off, and Lordwell King felt not bothered that all the workers were to stay home for a couple of days. Why did Lordwell do such? I have always served him with respect. Only a single mistake and he wants me to work stress-out in cleaning and fixing his possessions? Damn! What does Lordwell think of me? Newton’s face was heavy with anger--his eyes had become wide and his mouth tight until “Ah!” Newton screamed as thoughts snapped yet again in his mind. Lordwell King wants me to fix all his possessions right? Then it’s fixing I shall grant this too!
“Let me fix this as well--” Newton spoke in an angry tone and stepped hard on the fishing stick. The fishing stick which broke in the control room; right at the corner of the control room where it had landed with a harsh kick that Newton gave afterwards. And in the dark surrounding were Newton partially got a glimpse of it. He gnashed his teeth as mixed feelings rose in his throat, he looked at the roof of the control room.
And faced his surrounding and realized that he had no more reason to stay on the boat any moment longer. Nor even stay on the harbour of Transtevator. He shifted his glance as he faced his surrounding and then got a partial glimpse of the fishing stick he had smashed seconds ago. Newton took a deep steady breath which he released slowly on a count of four seconds. His glance slowly faded to the glimpse. He rubbed his face as he got a far more bitter glimpse when he decided to narrow it. The fishing stick was broken, and it was all Newton’s fault. And something that he felt good about. Newton twisted his mouth into a tiny smile as he stared at the fishing stick and just how badly he had damaged it.
Who’s lucky now! Newton’s thoughts mocked as he stood still and glanced at the fishing stick which Lordwell King said to had been his prized possession; the lucky fishing stick, and Newton destroyed it in a second lifting of his leg, and and a drop on the fishing stick, and a single kick to get the work done. And surely not to fix it-- Newton kept his mouth twisted into a tiny smile as he glanced at the fishing stick one last time.
I have no business here...my job here is done. Lordwell felt good to had punished me...cleaning that ship and this boat is far more tiring enough to make an old man drop dead. And he wants me to fix and clean six boats? Two more ships? No way am I doing such. Newton loosened his mouth as he thought. After a second he had received bewilderment thoughts, he stood upright and stared at the chest; the chest which he had concluded to had held something valuable. And convinced himself that gold had been locked inside the chest.
He twisted his mouth into a smile again and walked towards the chest. Slowly, he begun to squat in order to reach for the chest which sat motionless on the boat’s floor. And yet again Newton convinced himself that the chest contained something way valuable than working at the harbour. He had his mouth twisted as he stared at the dusk and eagerly waited for the moment he was going to leave for home and put an end to the mode of curiosity he felt. He convinced himself that the chest had gold which he had already concluded considering the size of the chest and the chest’s weight he had felt when he had carried it up on the boat. I’m rich! Newton thought. And we will see what Lordwell will do about it. He fixed a smile on his face-- His thoughts snapped yet again; and then remembered what Lordwell King said a moment ago. The same threatening words that had forced Newton to work to that extreme--forcing himself to clean a bulk tone ship and a boat, and was about to clean more. Thanking the Lord then that he had found the chest. Soon. And Newton concluded that moment to had been a blessing. For many seconds, Newton squat still on the boat’s floor and fantasized what he was yet to find and then cursing the day that he had gone to New York City. What did that women think? She wanted me to quit my job as a ship attendant, after her getting to know that I will soon be getting big. What a fortune teller...you can’t trust nobody these days. I’m on my own. If I did as the fortune teller said...where could I have been now? Jobless? Hell no! I will go back home and prove to Jessie just how wrong that fortune teller lady was when she mentioned something about me bein
g in danger...actually, I wouldn’t have found the chest if I wasn’t working for the old man...and thanks to him, I will rub gold to his face, and buy two of his ships. I will--and until that day I shall not step a foot here.
Newton took a deep breath as he sorted through his thoughts, his mouth was sealed tight, and still had kept ownership of that smile he had employed seconds ago. But tiny then that he had remembered just how Lordwell King humiliated him in front of his workmates--a day that Newton shall never forget. And then setting his goal to melt the gold he had not seen yet, but was confident enough to find inside the chest. Confident enough that the chest was held a lot of it. I will build my mansion right at the start of the harbour, so that every time Lordwell comes here, he will just have no other option than to stare at my mansion. Newton tilted to stare at Lordwell King’s lucky fishing stick...he fastened his glance upon it and chuckled and stood up from the boat’s floor.
Newton walked out of the control room. He slipped both his hands into his pockets and begun to stare at the surrounding. He lifted up his chin and a glance which he could at times flushed above his shoulders.
Afternoon was slowly passing its farewell. And a gentle welcome of the evening begun to show up. Newton’s glance was swung at all positions until he fastened it on the ship were he had left Lordwell King. Newton lifted one hand from his pocket and slapped it on his face. And a gentle rub which made him think the impossible considering his soon to be net-worth. I will buy all your ships and boats, Lordwell. And we shall see who is the nobody when that time comes. Quite impossible, considering the fact that Newton was a nobody. And an empty chest could not change that fact.
He slid his hand to touch only his chin as thoughts whirled in his mind. Bewilderment thoughts that sure awakened his ego for revenge for all the humiliation Lordwell King had rubbed on him.
The boats around Newton, gently shook by a smooth current...Newton stared at the boats which had paraded in front of his eyes. He stroked his chin and forced a smile on his lips. And imaged of how much he will be worth when he melts the gold that he thought to find in the chest. Billions I guess.
And we will see who will be able to stop me then. Newton sorted through his ugly thoughts which until then surged in his mind.
After a short thought of just how rich he was to get, he puffed out loud and focused on to carry the chest home.
Newton turned around and begun to walk back into the control room, he sent a penetrating glance through the transparent glass ahead and gently dropping it to stare at the broken fishing stick which sure guaranteed him no return to the harbour any time soon until he was certain that he was worth billions like he imagined.
Newton shifted his glance towards the chest which sat on the boat’s floor. He grabbed it--placing it below his armpit and made certain it didn’t slip to fall. He walked prudently out of the control room. An maintained a tiny smile, he walked to the other side of the boat. Right next to the wooden path, away from the harbour.
A gentle smell of the morning evening blew right in Newton’s nostrils, and lifted some of his top curled hairs above his head.
On the wooden path he trod on, he paused to take a deep breath--which he released slowly to a count of seconds when he swung his eyes back open and stared at the floating ships at his side. He opened his eyes wide and directed a glance at the large ships.
A gentle puff and he again begun to walk--but this time only wished that he met his drive soon, which was meters away.
He kept the chest pinned tight under his armpit. His mouth was clamped tight, thoughts had whirled in his mind. And his head ducked as he stared at the smooth sides of the chest which he could glance upon while he had kept it still and below his armpit. He held the chest and soon dropped his hand to brash his jeans.
Newton had a way with money...he was greedy...but when he got a hold of it, a week was quite a long period of time to keep the money circulating. But upon getting married to Jessica Holland, things did change. Jessica managed all the moneys of the house made certain that Newton stops with the unnecessarily squandering of his paycheck--and a lot that both saved. But Jessica wasn’t being aware that Newton’s old talent was rather hidden and not destroyed. He will always be the greedy Newton he was before.
Newton walked slowly, the weight of the chest added up to the stress he had already endured.
He knew well that if it wasn’t for the fishing stick dropping in the sea, he could have not met his destiny...and he could have not found the chest. And without the chest, he would still be working...scrubbing floors and doing all the dirty work.
The chest was heavy, Newton held it tight. And squeezed it below his armpit and nearly broke his rib cage, but a pain he felt when the metal edges of the chest pinned to his side bars. And pulled his skin, nearly ripping his skin off his body.
Steps closer to meet his car, Newton puffed out gently. He puffed a warm air which he could feel hit gently the down surface of his nose. Newton’s step was sabotaged by the heavy load he had carried from the boat--meters away. And the stress he had after working on a ship and boat which added a lot to his staggered step towards the car.
Newton staggered, he slid his feet on the wooden path and had his head lifted up--and a faint glance he stretched towards his car. He glanced at his ride and counted how much more staggered steps he was from the car.
Enduring all the stress and the exhaustion of a whole day work, Newton glanced at the car and a snap of thought which guaranteed him that he was a couple of meters close to the car.
He lifted his hand and held the chest and helped his other hand which nearly broke from the hard pinning--the pin of the chest under his armpit and made certain that the chest didn’t fall from his holding. Newton wrapped another arm around the chest and gave his other arm a bit of help room for it not break due to the hard pinning. The pain was intense, but Newton had faith that all his efforts weren’t going to go in vain. And considering that he had dragged a chest full of gold; it sure was worth the pain.
He staggered his way towards the car and took steady breaths which he had released slowly, he glanced again at the car ahead. He tilted to face his behind, but couldn’t. Only faced his sides. And facing his behind was only going to force him to turn around. But he was not ready to delay any second in reaching the car.
Newton’s heart raced, rampant beats on the bars of his chest--but that and more just couldn’t stop him from moving any closer to the car. Then in aloof of only a couple of steps-- He stopped to take a deep breath, and a gentle release of warm air as he stood still and formed a hero stance. He turned around and glanced at the boats that stood floating afar, his mouth twisted into an exhausted smile. His chest burnt with exhaustion; he quickly turned around and lifted the last two staggered steps to meet his ride home.
“Finally!” Newton battered. He puffed between his lips and gently let go of one hand from the chest. He slid his hand into his pocket and got a hold of a bunch of keys. And opened the door. He fixed his mouth with a smile and walked first the chest into the car as he placed it on another seat. And walked in second.
Newton was still within, as he gnashed his teeth, he gripped on the steering wheel with one hand and glanced at the road ahead as he took quick breaths and released each slowly--he increased the car speed as he drove off the harbour neighborhood. Destination? Home.
An hour of driving, Newton was a few yards close to his house, he griped tight on the steering wheel with both hands and sent a sharp penetrating glance through the front glass of the car. And at times shifted it to face the side mirror. His eyes were thin and his mouth clamped tight as thoughts surged in his mind and only looked forward to open the chest. Newton had already concluded of what he was to find in the chest. And it wasn’t a mystery chest to him anymore. Gold was all that he was looking forward to melt; bars of gold. Just like in most action films; money was all that could be gained from such an exquisite raw material. And Newton was only ready to tell a story of just how lucky he had bec
ome--as to get rich overnight. Making that day as the luckiest day of his life; 20th August of 2009--and he sure will be remembering this day.
Newton tilted to glance at the chest which he had rested on the other seat next to his. He slowly twisted his mouth into a smile and returned his glance towards the road ahead. He kept his hands gripped on the steering wheel and kept his mouth twisted even more.
He gently let go of one hand from the steering wheel and stretched it to touch the upper surface of the chest. He kept his glance fastened at the road ahead--his other hand on the steering wheel and another resting on the chest when he chuckled to a sound of victory. Victory over what? Newton sat that way until he begun to rub the chest to nearly stroke the metal side parts of the chest.
And in front of his drive, he could see his house afar. He lifted his hand and as well rested it on the steering wheel. Right at the small plank fence, he could as well see Jessica waiting for him who stood afar with both her hands resting on her curved hips. Newton chuckled as he got a clear glimpse of her. And pulled-over right next the small fence.
He got out of the car with a smile on his face as he strode towards Jessica and wrapping his arms around her. He screamed.
“Baby, am rich!” His mouth widened with excitement.
Jessica was surprised, but rather smiled along. She looked straight into Newton’s eyes and waited so that Newton explains the reason to his excitement. She stared at Newton with a smile which she as well formed on hers, Jessica waited for seconds so that Newton would explain.
Newton stared into Jessica’s eyes; his mouth, ear-to-ear with joy, he held Jessica by her waist and gently slid his hands to touch Jessica’s hips. “We are rich, baby, what do you want me to get you?” Newton asked as he still kept his hands on Jessica’s hips; and a smile which grew ear-to-ear each moment he reminded himself of the chest which he thought to had held treasure. And lots of gold in it.
“What do you mean, Newt?” Jessica asked, she rose both her eyebrows as she stared at Newton, she stood firm and wore a wry smile, not knowing what it was that had made Newton dance to a tune of money.
“Just mention anything, anything and I will be glad to get it for you.”
“Huh--” She rose both her eyebrows even further.
“Yes, Jessie, first thing tomorrow morning.” Newton confirmed.
“Let’s hope you’re not planning on emptying our bank account. Tell me it’s not that, Newt, we have spent months raising that money for our child. And now that it is confirmed that we’re expecting a baby...” Jessica said, but was cut off by Newton who shook her with excitement.
“What did you just say!? A baby?” Newton screamed with excitement as he wrapped his arms yet again around Jessica. He pinned her tight and in a minute time, unwrapped his arms. And opened his mouth once more. “When, darling? When?”
Jessica glanced at Newton and cleared her throat into a smooth voice. “Early this morning when you had left for work. I wasn’t feeling OK. I was about to reach you, but I chose not to, considering that you had missed work yesterday, and it would be inappropriate of you to miss work today as well.” Jessica paused and looked straight into Newton’s eyes. And begun when she saw a ‘come on tell me,’ grin which Newton stretched towards her. “So I decided to go to the clinic...I could have taken some aspring or panadol pills, but I thought and remembered what the fortune teller said...that we will be expecting a baby. I wanted to see if she was really telling the truth...so...I...”
“That lady--” Newton said. He dropped his smile and ducked his head as thoughts reminded him more of Mama Lina.
Jessica lifted her hand, she pressed her finger on Newton’s lips. “Wait a minute, Newt, don’t say another word,” Jessica continued and injected a smile in her voice. “And the doctor confirmed that what the fortune teller said was true. I’m pregnant. A month pregnant.”
Newton held Jessica by her waist and lifted her up, his mouth twisted again into a smile as he swung Jessica round, and excitingly glad that he was soon going to be a daddy. “I will be a dad! Am gonna be a dad!”
After a complete turn, Jessica dropped to her feet and looked straight in Newton’s eyes. “The doctor said that it was too early to state whether it is a boy or girl.”
“It’s gonna be a junior; Newton Shetani, my first child.”
“Huh--aren’t you forgetting someone?” Jessica lifted her eyebrows.
Newton chuckled, and pulled Jessica close, he locked her in his arms--”Our first child.”
“The fortune teller mentioned that it’s going to be a girl.”
“Oh--the fortune teller. That black lady--” Newton said in a low faint tone.
“Yes, Newt, what’s up with you and black people? Is it because they contain more melanin than you and I do? Great swagg? Or you envy them for something different...huh...tell me, Newt.” Jessica bumped on Newton’s shoulder.
“Let us not ruin the moment, Jessie, we are expecting a baby. And that calls for cerebration.” Newton continued. “And I need the whole world to Know about this wonderful news.”
“What do you want to do, Newton?” Jessica asked the moment she saw Newton walk away from the car and pushed his way toward the open road and stood right in the middle of the wide neighbouring road.
It was in the evening and everybody was having family moments in the comfort of their homes, and some who had already slept. The streets of Transtevator were quiet and Newton had noticed that too. He could notice that every day the clock turned to a five in the afternoon, the whole city of Transtevator ought to be silent. Newton came to know of this when he and Jessica moved to this neighborhood.
Newton stood right in the middle of the road. He lifted his hands up and made them cup his mouth as he gently begun to form his hands into a bowl. He opened his mouth and took a deep breath and shouted to the awake of everybody who had slept in their houses along the road. “Am gonna be a father!”
Mr Boxer swung his window open and glanced at the road as he met Newton’s glance. “Shut up thou ass hole!” He shouted and swung the window panes back closed.
Jessica walked towards Newton and rested her hand on Newton’s shoulder and asked. “Newt, what was that all about?”
“I did actually expect that from the old man.” Newton fixed a smile on his face and held Jessica’s hand “come on, let us get back to the car.” He said.
He and Jessica walked towards the car. He glanced around and wondered why he had not gotten an insult too from Mrs Boxer. I’m sure she should still be upset with what happened. And worse, what I did to her yester-morning. Newton lifted his shoulders and swung his glance ahead.
Jessica stopped by the car and glanced back at Newton.
“What?” Newton snapped upon getting a hold of Jessica’s fastened glance.
“Don’t tell me you have been following me around, Newt, I wouldn’t want to hear that.” Jessica said, she folded her arms below her bosom and tightly pressed her breasts cupped inside with the top she had wore.
“What do you mean, Jessie, why should I follow you? I was at work the whole day.”
“You were more than excited than I was and before I could even inform you about the test results of I being pregnant.”
“What are you saying, dear?”
“That you were excited that I was pregnant, even before I told the news to you, about me visiting the local clinic.”
“Yes, I’m.”
“You did follow me right?” Jessica lifted her eyebrows and kept her arms still folded below her breasts, and a wry smile she had wore at the time of the questioning.
“Nope--you think that...no! I was talking about something else, darling.”
“Something like?”
“Something big, Jessie!” Newton injected a smile in his voice.
“Did you win lotto?”
“No, baby, something way big.” Newton still wore a smile as he walked close to Jessica and held her by her waist and pulled her towards the car. “Come on...co
me and take a look.”
Next to the car, Newton gently let go of Jessica. He took a deep steady breath, and before he could open the car doors--he glanced at Jessica and fixed a smile yet again on his lips. Slowly, he begun to open the door of the car--and made Jessica get a clear glance of the chest.
“A box!?” Jessica lifted both her eyebrows in mute supplication.
Newton was dumbfounded, he sent his glance back at Jessica as thoughts whirled in his mind. Did Jessica just call a treasure chest, a box? A thought snapped real hard in his mind-- He shifted his glance--a quick swung and glanced at the chest which was still on the seat; just as he had placed it before, he swallowed in his throat and turned around slowly to look at Jessica with a glance of complete certainty that it wasn’t a box like she pictured it.
For a second, Newton kept Jessica in his glance as he got a glimpse of just how dumbfounded Jessica was at that moment. Jessica had seemed to had been lost in her thoughts and as well needed an explanation to what Newton had just showed her. A box she said yet again.
Newton took a deep steady breath as he received Jessica’s startled glance. He gently lifted his hands and rested them on top of Jessica’s shoulders. He stared at Jessica up-close and waited for a perfect opportunity to explain that it wasn’t a box Jessica had been staring at. And now at least wished that Jessica could as well rejoice to the fact that he had found a chest which he had believed to had held lots of gold pieces.
“Listen to me, Jessie,” after a second to study Jessica’s face, Newton opened his mouth and tried to high-lightened Jessica’s curiosity and ignorance.
Jessica, for seconds stood silent and only fastened her glance at Newton as she tried to get what it was that Newton talked, she dropped her hand to brush her curved hips to every swung her hands did to every word she heard from Newton. Her eyes lit up with a more liking of the subject and a wanting to know more of the box she was again staring at. And what value did it have for it to had found its place in Newton’s heart.
“It’s a treasure chest--” Newton snapped.
Jessica cleared her throat and fastened her glance at Newton; intense bewilderment thoughts sure scampered in her mind as she again got a glimpse of the chest which sat motionless in the car.
“What is a chest doing here?” Jessica asked, she rose both her eyebrows as she got yet again the same glimpse.
“By that you mean?” Newton asked.
“This is the 21st century, Newton, remember? who goes around carrying a chest?” Jessica continued, speaking to every little bit of curiosity to know what it was that was locked inside the chest. “And by the way--who could have given you a chest?”
Newton paused--he glanced upon Jessica as thoughts exchanged in his mind, his mouth was clamped tight; the thin line of his mouth which had slowly begun to disappear to the dislike of what Jessica was saying.
Who made fun of what he felt to had been a stepping stone out of Transtevator. Newton glanced at Jessica who at that moment continued to insist to know who could have given him such a gift. “An old fashioned witch?” As she asked in an irritating manner. And made a mockery of Newton’s interest for the chest to be opened. Jessica made fun of the chest and asked if Newton was to keep the chest as souvenir. “Not in this house, Newt,” she said. One arm brushing her hip while her other hand rested on top of her curved hip. And Jessica’s gesture which proved to Newton that the chest was never getting inside the house if he had delayed to justify himself and the chest’s far fictious importance to him as well to Jessica and their unborn baby.
After a minute of nothing but silence and only staring at Jessica, Newton tilted his neck, and glanced at all corners of the bare street surrounding them. It was getting dark afar; and them only being in the middle of lamp posts-- Newton stared back at Jessica. Still not willing to just let go of a perfect moment of his life like he had picture that moment upon accomplishing his last wish of getting the chest opened. And all Newton could see were dollar signs--and some pieces of gold he planed to keep as souvenir to help him remember of the great time he had when he first had a glimpse of a chest in the sea.
Newton fastened his glance at Jessica as he tried to sort through his thoughts.
“I found this chest where I work.” Newton finally sounded after minutes of silence.
“Did you steal this thing? Is it your boss’? It’s your boss’ right?”
“No--none of that you said is true, “ Newton continued. “I found the chest in the sea. On the sea’s floor.”
Jessica rose one eyebrow as she stared at Newton. “How did you get in the sea in the first place?”
“Will you at least let me explain” Newton continued. “I found it deep in the sea--the chest was actually on the sea’s bed, I got the first glimpse of it when I dived in the waters to get Lordwell’s fishing stick.”
“Oh! So what...” Jessica begun to speak, but was cut off by Newton who lifted his hand and pressed a finger on her lips.
Newton turned around and glanced back at the chest; he rested his arm on the car’s open door and glanced back at Jessica, flushing a smile right at the edge of his shoulder.
“This you see here, Jessie, is a treasure chest.” Newton snapped and glanced again at the chest in the car.
Jessica chuckled-- “Don’t tell me that thing has treasure.”
Newton slowly twisted his mouth when he glanced at Jessica and injected a smiled in his voice “Not just any form of treasure, Jessie, gold. And lots and lots of it.”
Jessica chuckled yet more. She paused and swallowed through her throat-- And Sent inside the car her glance of disbelief which she swung back at Newton in a minute time. For seconds she stood silent and recalled what Newton had said a minute ago-- She tried to find some sense in what Newton had said, the thin line on her eyebrows deepened as she sorted through her thoughts. Her eyes slowly became dark to the fact that she was not finding it easy to judge if what Newton said was false or maybe there was some truth behind every sentence Newton had said in order to convince her into believing each word he said. She looked straight into Newton’s eyes and tried to reason with what Newton said.
“You’re not joking right?” Jessica asked, she dropped her hand which had been resting on the open door and rested it on hip.
“If I was joking, how will you explain this?”
“What?”
“Lift it from the car seat, and you will surely believe that what I say is the truth. Lift the treasure chest.”
“OK--” Jessica snapped. “Step aside, Newt.”
Newton shrugged and shifted behind after he had opened the car door wide to allow Jessica to walk in the car. He stepped aside and watched as Jessica struggled to lift the chest up from the seat. Newton chuckled every moment he could see Jessica drop the chest back on the seat.
After minutes of trying to carry the chest out of the car, Jessica walked out; she wore a wry smile when she glanced at Newton. She puffed out loud and stared at Newton who at that moment laughed to her struggle to carry the chest out of the car. Jessica took a deep steady breath before she could open her mouth.
“Newton, what have you been feeding this thing?” Jessica asked.
“We’re yet to find out.”
“Are you telling me you haven’t yet seen what is in the chest?”
“Ya--” Newton continued right after he walked half way into the car and lifted the chest. He exerted himself and made certain to show no least sign that him too was finding it difficult to lift the chest from the car seat...and that he was gnashing on his teeth. At least not in front of Jessica “I’m yet to find out as soon as I get this thing open.”
Jessica shrugged.
“Lock the car, will you.” Newton said and begun to walk towards the small fence.
Newton gnashed his teeth as he felt the harsh sliding of the chest which he had placed right between his lower armpit, and the chest he pinned between his arm and the bars of his ribs. The chest which slid and pulled his skin. Newton glance
d behind and saw Jessica beginning to follow him from behind with her hands again resting on her hips.
He shifted his glance and faced at the door of the house. He puffed gently between his teeth and fastened his glance at the door ahead.
And a thought which made him chuckle.
Money, money, money…Hey! Money, money. Hey!
It’s a rich man’s world.
And formed it into a rhythm as he giggled in his chest. His mouth softened to outer the words he had been thinking, but decided not to until he had opened the chest.
Only giggling to a rhythm Jessica could hardly hear.
Jessica rushed towards the door when she had noticed Newton stop, she opened the door and walked in first. After seconds of waiting until Newton had walked in too inside the house; Jessica shot her last glance through the open door and got a glimpse of the car which Newton did park right at the entrance of their small gate.
And Jessica slowly locked the door behind her before she could proceed towards Newton--she dropped both her hands and begun to walk majestically in the large living room; towards Newton who sat on the couch and only stared at the chest he had placed right in front of him on the center wooden table.
Jessica glanced at Newton-- Seeing past how much exhausted Newton had become. She strode and stopped right in front of him.
“Newt, don’t you think you should take a shower first?”
“No--”
“I will keep you company, I did not take mine, I was hoping to take a shower with you--what do you say?”
Newton stiffened on the couch, he shifted his glance, a slight lift to get a clear glimpse of Jessica’s fine body. Even in her clothes, Jessica looked stunning--shaped and quite tempting enough to make Newton loose focus. But not this guy. Newton quickly loosened his glance and shifted it away from Jessica.
“We will, as soon as I get the treasure chest open.” Newton responded.
“OK.” Jessica snapped. And begun to tread away, towards a couch which sat opposite to the couch Newton had sat on.
Newton loosened his stiff and glanced again at Jessica. He wanted to get over the curiosity which kept burning inside him. “Jessica, get me something to get this thing open.” he said, his voice muffled with stress; having to had not eaten since yester-night...and worked at the harbour of Transtevator. He sat and stared at Jessica, and expected a quick response of grabbing him something just like he had asked.
“What--” Jessica rose both his eyebrows as she stared at him.
“Anything--just find me something which can break this chest open.” Newton continued in a silky tone. “A knife for example.”
And shortly after he had said, he watched Jessica stand up from her couch and walked out of the living room into the kitchen. He kept Jessica in his glance and stared at her buttocks as they swung up and down to her stride out of the room. He escorted Jessica with his glance and waited eagerly for her to return from the kitchen. And a minute was all that took Jessica to assemble every tool she thought could assist Newton open the chest. Newton got a glimpse of her again; he watched Jessica walk back towards him; carrying a tray of sharp tools in her hands.
Jessica who walked slowly towards Newton with her eyes fastened at the chest and Newton who sat on the couch at her front. Her mouth had clamped tight and not willing to outer a word; her mind still recollected her thought of what was happening. She walked close and broke every aloof between her and Newton, she stretched her arms and handed to Newton the tray which seconds later Newton close to rest on the table; right next to the chest.
“I sense something wrong.” Jessica confirmed with a suspense sensation which rose in her upon staring again at the chest.
“What is wrong, Jessie?”
“Everything to talk of the chest. Everything.” Jessica snapped. And kept in her glance still the chest on the table.
“It’s only a sensation like you mentioned.” Newton continued, “what could be wrong with the chest anyway?”
“I don’t know--” Jessica continued in a silky tone. “Maybe the chest doesn’t contain what you expect it to have.”
“There is always a solution to that, Jessie, if the chest doesn’t contain treasure, I will put away with it...what could be difficult with that?”
“No, Newt, I was just saying...I feel kind of strange about all this.” Jessica continued in a faint voice and tried to state a point from what she felt “try to think of it, Newt, the fortune teller mentioned something of us, that we will be expecting a baby. And soon after we had returned home--not even days have passed by, and the doctor confirmed that true this morning; that I’m a month pregnant. And the fortune teller as well mentioned...”
“Demons?” Newton chuckled. “There is no such thing as demons. If that myth was true... Why would demons hide inside a chest anyway? Be real, Jessie.”
“Not that I’m trying to make it hard on you, Newt, the fortune teller said that you will find torment if you choose to go back to work; and you did go back to work this morning. And you brought home this chest.”
“I already got my torment at work. But demons?” Newton chuckled once more. “You are just being superstitious, dear.”
Newton beamed forward and pulled both the chest and the tray of tools close to him. He glanced at Jessica and chuckled yet again when he reminded himself of Jessica’s procrastination. Demons? Newton glanced back at the chest and slowly he grabbed from the tray, a pair of scissors and then begun to try to force the sharp edges of the pair of scissors to stub through the thin line on the chest, but the scissors slid away and proved to Newton just how difficult it was going to be in order to get the chest open. He stretched his hands and grabbed a chisel, he beat on the thin line between the lower case and the upper half cylinder-shaped cover of the chest. Still not worth it. He lifted his glance and looked at Jessica who stood right in front of him, and gently Newton dropped his glance back on the chest.
After minutes of trying-- He decided to pull the chest even closer and the tray which he pushed away. He exerted himself and lifted the chest and rested it on his laps, he sharpened his glance to figure out a way he was to open the chest. Then, that he had tried almost each tool on the tray. And found no benefiting result.
He gripped on the metal part of the chest as he tried to force open the chest by pulling both ends of the chest’s half cylinder-shaped cover and the down part.
Suddenly, the chest slipped off his arm and laps and landed on the floor. “Damn!” a sudden shout when he had watched the chest fall on the floor. To his and Jessica’s surprise, the chest divided open.
And a harsh wind blew in the living room. Which hit them both. And Jessica more who had most part of her thighs stripped. Jessica stood still as the wind blew pass her, she lifted both her arms and wrapped them around herself, just below her bosom as she wanted to feel a little warmth after being slapped by harsh winds.
“What was that?” Jessica asked seconds after the wind rushed away.
Newton stood up from the couch and lifted the chest from the floor.
“There is nothing!” Newton snapped and could feel that the chest’s weight had dropped. It was heavy a minute ago. Anyway, I shouldn’t have put my hopes high.
Jessica walked close and grabbed the chest from Newton’s hands “this thing has lost its weight. It wasn’t like this seconds ago. I couldn’t lift it. What exactly happened?”
“Science has answers to that, Jessie.” Newton snapped.
“But what can you explain about the sudden wind which occupied the room seconds ago?” Jessica asked, dumbfounded, and still held on to the empty chest.
“I’m pretty sure science has an explanation to that too.” Newton continued, “take it to the basement, I will find time to throw the damn thing. I shouldn’t have put my hopes high thinking that the chest had gold in it. Anyway...shit happens.”
Newton gnashed his teeth and walked away.
But both not knowing that the chest had demons rooming inside--and New
ton just freed them from the chest which they had been locked in for more than a century. And the demons were set free. And only looked forward to torment and oppress the young couple-- The demons stayed in the house and waited for a perfect moment to strike, not in favor of both Jessica and Newton. Jessica and Newton who had no idea that their house had just been abducted by five angry demons.
The Haunted Chest Page 5