The buried secrets of the medallion image
{The following story is a continuation of The Old Coffee Can Treasure. It is a short story. However, it will be spread out in a mini series style. This is chapter two and the next part in this strange tale.}
Benet thinks about the medallion as he walks to the bookstore. The afternoon is hot. The clouds in the sky are few and far between. Therefore, the sun blazes and bears down on him. He’s okay with it though. Soon enough the season would change and the warm summer days would be behind them. For now all he can think about is the medallion. It is safe at home. However he can feel its pull on him.
His brow furrows, as he walks. Does he feel a pull from the medallion? He ponders the internal question. Is it a pull? Or is he just obsessed with it? Seems like it should be an easy question to answer. He grips the large business envelope a little tighter. The old parchment letters, and the ancient and mysterious money, were all tucked inside.
After going through them, he decided a professional opinion might help him understand what he was dealing with. Furthermore, many of the old letters were in a language Benet could not understand. In fact, it looked like something from medieval times. Although there was no way for Benet to know for sure. The only thing he knew for sure was the medallion was in several of the letters.
The Medallion Image
An image of the medallion was in the letters. It was not a picture copy of the medallion. The letters were far older than the days of photographs. The hand drawn images in the letters are the evidence. Drawn painstakingly so, in some of them. The details were so spot on it was as though the author was a gifted artist as well.
The bookstore sits back from the street. Its entry door is as old as the building itself. Benet pulls the old door open and the old and worn hinges squeak noisily. Just inside the door Benet finds an old counter. Likewise, on the counter, are stacks upon stacks of books. Some of them look very old.
He is looking for Mr. Swinson. And judging by the stacks of books, he’s in the right place. Now to find the owner. Benet moves further into the store. Not only is the counter full of books, but also many places on the floor are stacked with books. Of course the old bookstore is old. It is located in the historical district of the city. Furthermore, its history is what led Benet to it in the first place. So deep is he in his thoughts that he nearly collides with the elderly gentleman at the end of the counter.
Buried Secrets
Benet watches the older gentleman study the letter. It’s the third one. And so far, he hasn’t said a word. However, he appears to be searching for something. He puts down the third letter and opens the fourth. After a moment he lays the letter aside and begins looking at the old and tattered money.
Benet watches the older gentleman examine the money a bit closer. And now, as he watches, he sees something he didn’t see before. There are pictures of the medallion on the old money. Mr. Swinson sets the stack of bills back on the counter and picks up another letter. Then, almost absently, he finally speaks to Benet.
“And you say you actually have, this…medallion?” He looks at Benet with old, but very alert and knowing eyes. Benet feels caught off guard. The man’s tone is urgent. He even sounds a little worried. Benet looks at him questioningly but responds nevertheless.
“Yes, I do.” Benet says this with slight caution. The elderly gentleman doesn’t hesitate a bit in his response. In fact, he almost sounds panicked as he looks at Benet.
“Then you must destroy it. Immediately.”
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