Written In Stone

After dinner, I wearily left the base tent for my own bed. Christopher, eyeing me uncomfortably as I collected my small, black notebook, tossed my bag over my shoulder and left. I couldn’t shake the unsettled feeling as I walked through the flap on my tent.

You’re just being paranoid, I said to myself as I opened my laptop and began the process of linking up with our camp satellite.

My email notice began to blink and I opened it to find a response from the professor I had contacted. She opened with the usual pleasantries and then wrote that she had reviewed the images I had sent her with a gifted student of hers who had a particular interest in ancient occult history. She explained that there was a very old set of curse tablets, or “Katedesmoi,” attributed to the early Minoan society, that had only been partially translated. They dated from around 3000 BCE and bore some similar markings as my stone monolith. All of them were written in a similar circular pattern. She went on to write that Katedesmos were cast by a high priestess and that it was only used in the most extraordinary circumstances.

I could hear the blood rushing in my ears as I read aloud to myself, “These were usually used in burials and only if the individual had been very naughty in life. Used with the intent of keeping the individual bound up, never to walk the earth again and worse—never to join the afterlife.”

She also noted that they could be used as requests to the gods to compel them to perform an action on a person or object. Written in the language of demons, it was a secret language, not meant to be understood by average citizens. Only one who was ordained was allowed to learn and thus use it this way. She added that there was even rumor of a secret society still in existence today called the “Minoan Brotherhood,” and they were tasked with protecting the secrets of the ancient holy places and language. “In short”, she wrote, “I think you have a curse stone, or Katedesmoi stone if you prefer, at this site! You need to be very cautious with this information. Be careful who you share it with and extremely careful repeating any translations that you decipher. This information is considered rare, valuable, and sought after by various powerful organizations and governments. There have been criminal activities motivated by possession of this knowledge and/or artifacts”. She reminded me of her complete discretion in this matter as she signed off and added, “Oh…and P.S. the patterns of dot impressions intermixed are likely either numeric equations or perhaps they represent musical frequencies. Keep me posted on your progress, Maggie… or don’t.. Just please stay safe out there, alright? ~Lyn”

I closed my computer with shaky hands from excitement or maybe anxiety. I couldn’t tell at the moment, as my heart and mind were racing in sync. No longer tired, I felt exhilarated as I pulled my black notebook from my bag and began to go over my notes again. I paced a bit as I turned page after page. I could tell I was on the cusp of a breakthrough. I just needed to… I need to walk, I thought. The rhythmic motion of putting one foot in front of the other was usually all I needed to connect the dots when I was struggling to figure something out.

But what I really needed was a shower. It was late and dark but I had a bright battery-powered lantern, and I enjoyed the peaceful and secluded spot above the encampment where one of my teammates, probably Marcus, had chosen to locate an ingenious solar shower with a filtered hot water tank. Clean hot water was an unexpected luxury up here on the mountain. I threw my notebook and some clean clothes in my bag, turned on my lantern, and started up the path.

I pulled back the canvas curtain around the small bench and wooden grate on the ground. Above which hung a small shower head. I set my bag down just outside the curtain and draped my clothing and towel over the rope which held the curtain suspended. In the chilly air, I pulled the handle on the chain that opened the water flow. The shower water felt stinging hot on my cold skin for only an instant and then felt just slightly less warm than I wanted it to. I began thinking about the cryptic warning that Lyn had relayed in her message when from outside the curtain I heard a rushing sound coming from the brush just downhill from me. I startled and pulled the chain to stop the water.

Silence.

“Twenty thousand dollars isn’t enough for this shit,” I thought to myself as the lantern from outside the curtain flickered and went out. My vision hadn’t adjusted to the blackness of the mountain night just yet and I was temporarily blinded. I called out into the darkness, “Who’s there!” As I tried to keep my voice even.

There was the sound of rustling close by me now but I couldn’t determine which direction the sound came from as I tried to squint and adjust my vision to the dark. I felt for my clothing hanging over the rope and hastily pulled on my long nightshirt as I silently chastised myself for taking a shower in the dark without telling anyone at camp where I had gone. Just then, I heard the sound of quick footsteps followed by the distinct sound of a solid metal object making contact with a human head. I gasped as I saw two shadowy figures over the curtain about fifteen feet away as my vision slowly returned. One figure leaned down with a large round object in hand over a motionless figure in a heap on the ground.

I called out again, “Who’s there! What are you doing here!”

The leaning figure stood silently and came slowly toward me. I felt suffocating fear rise up from my belly and choke out any attempt to call for help. As he drew closer he said, “Maggie?”

“God, Lucas?” I said with a shaky breath of relief as single hot tear rolled down my cheek. He came into focus now and my eyes fully adjusted to the dark. I saw he had a cast iron skillet in his left hand.

“What are you doing? What the hell happened? Who is that over there?” I stepped out from behind the curtain, dripping wet, gesturing toward the figure on the ground.

“It is Christopher,” he said in his thick accent. “I saw you leave camp tonight. He followed you up here so I followed him. I think he was going to…” Lucas trailed off as he took in my appearance.

“It does not matter now. You are cold and wet. Come.” He gestured for me to walk with him as he gathered up my belongings, gave my lantern a quick twist, causing the bright bulb to spring back to life, and gave me his arm as we hiked back to the tents.

“But what about…” Lucas interrupted mid-sentence.

“I will deal with him. He won’t move for a while.”

***

I couldn’t remember falling asleep but I woke up suddenly startled by Marcus nudging me forcefully.

“SSSSHHH!” he said with his forefinger pressed to his lips and his eyes wide with panic.

“Marcus, what the hell?” I said in a groggy whisper as he interrupted me, pushing a finger to my lips and gesturing for me to listen. Feeling confused about the whole situation, I rubbed at my blurred vision and listened. I heard militant male voices yelling what sounded like commands just a short distance outside the tent, and the sound of helicopter blades thumping from some other distant location.

“I think this is a military raid!” said Marcus. “C’mon, get up. Quickly now. Get dressed, grab your laptop and whatever you can. We need to get out of here!”

I sprang out of my cot in my white camisole and panties. Feeling slightly embarrassed, I pulled my pants on hastily and said, “What military, Marcus? What are you talking about?” I hastily grabbed my black notebook and laptop, shoving them into my shoulder bag.

“Look, whoever they are, I think they’re here to shut down the dig,”he said. “I think we uncovered something they didn’t want us to find, and they will likely seize us and our research if we don't hide fast, so as much as I love talking to you while you’re half-clothed, get your stuff and let’s go!”

He moved quickly toward me and, all in one motion, wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed me firmly. My knees buckled a little and all my senses warmed and tingled as I kissed him back and for a fraction of a second time stopped. He gazed, brown eyes smiling gently, at my own shocked expression. “You must know I’m in love with you,” he whispered. “I’m trying to protect you. Come with me now.”

We paused for half a beat then moved swiftly toward the flap on my tent. He held out his hand toward me.

“Quickly now! We’ll do this together,” he said pulling back the flap and glancing around outside cautiously as I slipped boots on my bare feet. I threw my bag strap over my chest, grabbed my jacket, took his hand, and abandoned everything in my tent.

Over the next twenty-four hours, we hiked without sleep over the steep ridge and into a tiny town at the foot of Mount Olympus, where we stayed hidden.

We finally had contact with the team when we got an encoded email from Alexi, who told us that Greek soldiers, taking orders from an American official, had ransacked our encampment and taken all of our equipment and research. They had held our team for questioning for forty-eight hours before they released them all unharmed. Christopher had disappeared the night before the raid. Lucas had been seen boarding a helicopter lifting off as the raid began.

Alexi told us the American had asked them questions about my research and my whereabouts. Whatever I had uncovered was undoubtably what they were searching for.

I pulled out my black notebook with renewed curiosity. I opened it for the first time since we had fled the site. To my surprise, there were several pages of my research from the Katedesmoi torn out and a note scrawled across the adjacent page.

“Forgive me,” it read, “I do not take this to cause harm, only to protect you, Maggie. Your destiny will be revealed in time. You’re forever under the protection of the Minoan Magi. Continue your work in secret or you risk your life and that of those you love.We will be watching. We will protect you. You are the mission of the brotherhood now. ~Lucas”

I closed my notebook with a heavy breath. “Damn it!” I said and looked around warily at all the strangers passing on the street and the other cafe patrons wondering which one of them was watching me.

“Everything alright?” Marcus asked as he sat and placed a cup of hot coffee in front of me. We had shared every moment together, and a bed, for that matter, since we had come off the mountain. I could tell that he sensed a shift in my mood.

“Yes!” I said with a weighted breath. “Yes, in fact, everything is perfect.” And as I looked at Marcus seated across from me, an immediate and inexplicable feeling of calm drifted over me, releasing the unease I’d felt just seconds before. I knew in an instant he would always be with me and everything would be, truly, perfect for this fact alone.