The waves of Rice Bay

(Chapter Three) Rice Bay was beautiful this time of year. It was secluded yet popular. Many of the tourists were here for the first time. The small resort further inland was a big tourist draw. Every year they show up to start the summer season. Then, in the fall they leave.

Jennifer tosses the small piece of driftwood back onto the beach. It wasn’t quite what she was searching for. Then she continues walking along the beach. The waves roll in, then retreat, creating a rhythmic sound that soothes. However, the day is overcast and windy, and she needs to hurry.

With this in mind, she moves a little further inland away from the cascading waves. The wind is blowing steadily this morning. Furthermore, this part of Rice Bay was more secluded. Her chances of finding her missing piece, were greater here.

The waves of Rice Bay

Jennifer is an artist. Her studio is in the city, on the mainland. However she grew up in Rice Bay. This is her home no matter where she lives in the world. She picks up another piece of driftwood, this one is close but not it. Tossing it, she decides to keep searching. She feels certain she will find it. It’s almost an intuition.

She needs to make haste this morning because she is meeting clients this afternoon. Furthermore, they’ve requested a big project. However, they are unclear on what they need. It will be a sculpture. And it will be for a rather professional institution. Therefore, they are highly selective.

The wind intensifies, and the sky is filled with clouds. She hurries along the beach now. Surely there are more prospects. With this in mind, she begins walking along the sand dunes that line the southern side of Rice Bay. She had found some of her favorites around these dunes in the past.

Today the beach is less forthcoming with abundance. She frowns slightly as she strolls along. This was turning into a big zero trip. She decides it might be time to turn back. Furthermore, this project could wait. She really wouldn’t mind getting an early start at her studio. She turns to go back, and almost trips over a piece of wood jutting from the sand.

The Waves

It isn’t a piece of driftwood. In fact, it is a piece of shaped wood. Furthermore, it appears to be only part of the whole. She kneels down and begins removing sand from around the piece of wood. After a few moments she has uncovered what appears to be a small chest or box. It is weather-worn, and looks very old.

Within minutes she has the chest uncovered enough, to tug it free. It is solid for its age and comes free from the sand easily. Jennifer studies the old box. It is wooden, yet still intact and sturdy. Additionally it is very old. That is evident from its damp musty smell, as well as its appearance.

There are a couple of old rusted latches and Jennifer tries to move these. She is surprised when they slide open with raspy scrapes. Feeling very intrigued now, she takes a breath, and opens the lid.

She blinks at what she sees. There is an ornate bottle of glass inside. It is engraved and delicately adorned with an elaborate wax seal at its top. Jennifer traces her finger along the engravings in the glass. It has the feel of being extremely old.

Rice Bay

She pulls the glass bottle free from the chest. There is a scroll inside. She examines the very ornately decorated bottle. However it is absolutely sealed, and so old, she is certain it is antique. Perhaps even valuable. She marvels at how it came to be here as she looks it over carefully.

The glass is of some finer quality, and the engravings on its surface are detailed. Furthermore, the designs carry all around the glass bottle. Even the wax seal has them. Jennifer turns the bottle around again and this time she notices some writing she recognizes along its base. It is Latin. Two words to be exact:

“Incipimus iterum”