by Elisa Thompson
Long have I awaited to find my life long search; the city of gold. Rumored to be in Greece, Italy, Egypt, Incan Temples, and buried beneath the ocean itself I meticulously narrowed the desperate search. Digging and digging everyday of my life and building a team of the greatest and most determined archeologists like myself. Over years of research I dissolved the rumors until there was just one place left: Rome, Italy. But how could a city of gold and treasure be hidden beneath the numerous civilizations built on its surface? My crew lessened and gave up their hope due to this fact alone.
The final days of our funded investigation were coming close. One month left to find my riches. We start our search digging and digging until astonishment struck us all. The echo. The oh so faint echo hinting at a tunnel below our feet. Everyone paused in bewilderment. What have I found? Hastenly I grab a mallet and strike the ground ignoring protocol and customs. The ground caves inward and I am saved by my quick crew. We grab a ladder and file down into the newly discovered tunnel forgetting the proper reinforcements we are forced to make by law. The few of us left are all too eager with anticipation.
The tunnel opens and reveals a vast cavern. I have never seen anything like it before. Hundreds of miles it seems to take up. It is beautiful, but there is no gold, no treasure, no reason to find this hidden cavern. We move with caution, the effect of this find wearing off as we survey what we could in the little time we had left; one week. Nothing in sight could be any treasure of any kind. We find rocks, more rocks and plenty of rocks. How could this be? My senses leave me in my field of grief.
Within the cavern there is a ledge I walk to it and stare into the empty space. It’s blackness and twilight. I begin to wonder what I would see if I dropped my torch so I do exactly that. As it falls into the abysse I can see how far deep it really is. Finally upon reaching the bottom colors of yellow, orange, and gold intercept my view. The fire dances and sings it’s beckoning songs. It’s beautiful. No, it was more than beautiful. “I found it!” I shouted to the others, “I found the city of gold!” They rushed over and peer down. The looks of their faces describes what I really found. Dismal and fearful they turn away. I forget my senses thinking of only the bright colors down below and the long strenuous journey I took to find it as I prepare for my final descent into my greed. As I leaned over the edge a hand grapses my arm, “No, you didn’t find the gold,” my teammate said, “You found Hell.”
This writing is part of a collection featured in the 2020 Celebrate the Arts Writing Contest, an annual contest hosted by The Arts Council of Westerville, Westerville Public Library and the ThisWeek Westerville News & Public Opinion as one of many events organized by the Arts Council to mark April as “Celebrate the Arts” month in Westerville.
