The Search For 26

The box lay shimmering in a pool of water, slightly unearthed. It had obviously been buried a long time ago, judging by the black smudges of dirt. The rain had probably washed it up.

“Are you okay?” asked Kiwi while staring at the strange box. Cobalt was trying to dig it up with a rock. Unsuccessfully.

“Wow, it’s in good! Must be clay around it.” Said Cobalt as he continued to try to pry the box out of the hard packed earth. He bent over and tried to kick it out. Yet still no reaction. “Penrose.”

Penrose stood attention.

“Go get the shovel.”

“Yes Cobalt!" saluted Penrose.

Cobalt and Kiwi waited, occasionally staring in the direction of the little gold clad box.

“This is boring!” whined Kiwi.

“Too bad.”

The two sat for a few minutes, Kiwi occasionally let out a groan.

“I’m back!” mumbled Penrose as she raced along the path while waving the shovel frantically through the air, clenched

“Wait! Watch out for the b-“

Thunk!

Penrose had tripped over the box again and flew, landing face first into a fir tree.

“This isn’t fun anymore.”

“Nah, it's okay. You didn’t miss much.” Cobalt said glancing at the wooden crafts slowly floating down the river.

The effort for the shovel had been wasted though. Penrose’s second show of intelligence had not only given her a face full of needles, but also jarred the box loose of its anchor in the ground.

“I loosened it up for you.” Said Cobalt as he picked up the shimmering cube. “look, there's a keyhole in its side!” He tried to peer into the cube.

“It’s made of solid gold too.” Observed Kiwi.

“Let’s take it to the locksmith and see if we can crack the lock.” Offered Cobalt. “we could get some gold for it.”

The group walked off.

* * * * *

“I don’t see how this works.” Said the puzzled locksmith. “every key doesn’t work, and I couldn’t pick the lock!”

Kiwi glanced at the melted iron tools. "Maybe we need a special key.”

“Rock would work.” Said Penrose.

“No, it won’t mold.” argued the locksmith. He frowned. “anything else?”

“No thanks.” Penrose mumbled downheartedly.

* * * * *

“I still can’t figure out what this is for.” grumbled Cobalt as he crawled into his upper bunk.

“Maybe the prince knows. He’s wise,” offered Penrose.

“Yes, but can we trust him?”

“Oh, of course. He rules us all.”

“But your forgetting his evil twin.”

“He was banished to the Outer Islands long ago, if the books are right,” justified Penrose.

“Okay, well see him tomorrow then.”

“Yes.” then Penrose rolled over and went to sleep.

* * * * *

The prince started as the large wooden door to his quarters creaked open. But it was just two colts and a filly.

“Hello, what can I help you with, friends?” asked the prince kindly.

“This box, we found it out in the southwestern shores. What’s in it?” asked Kiwi.

The prince took the box and turned it repeatedly in his hooves, studying every detail. Then a look of sheer terror came across his face.

“T-take it back! P-please!” he cried.

“Why?” questioned Penrose.

“Inside this box, one-hundred years of winter and darkness are locked up! Each year winter is captured. That’s why we can grow food all year.”

“Really? I thought this was just a long summer.”

“Yeah, one-hundred years of summer is natural.” laughed Kiwi.

“No, it is not. However, this box makes it possible! My brother must not get it!” Said Blazewing.

“Once again, why?” asked Penrose.

“If he gets this box, he could- well, I’ll show you. Follow me.”

“I thought he was banished.”

“No, he came back.” Said the prince as he led them down multiple dark hallways. Soon a large wooden door loomed before them. He removed his crown and pressed it indo an indent in the wall. With a large moan, the door swung open. Then he led them inside. Inside was a giant library, the shelved stocked with books and endless corridors. Golden chandeliers hung from the silver lined ceiling. Light streamed in from large stained glass windows. The prince pulled out a jewel-studded book and hunted for the right passage.

“Ah, here we are, read this.” he said.

“Okay.” the three friends walked over to the open book.

Inside it read;

Inside this box

This box made of gold

Lies many winters

Of hundred years old

And darkness and fear

And death to be told

Alone lie in wait

In this box made of gold.

“Wow, that’s kind of creepy.”

“I know, there’s more.”

Unleashed by a soul

Of hate and despair

The darkness will spread

To cover the air

The blizzard will rush

Through the forest wind tears

The land of green lush

No green it now bears

Twenty-six cubes

All thrown apart

Can be held together

By an honest lone heart

Travel the lands

With hopes up high

For if thee fail

The world will die

“So if your brother gets this box, he can use it to destroy the world?”

“It is true.”

“But if we don’t let him have it, he can’t do just that which you speak of.”

“Supposedly no. Just knowing that the box is back worries me.” sighed the prince.

“Maybe we should leave.” Offered Kiwi.

“Fine, but one more question,” said Cobalt. He turned to the prince, “what does your brother look like?”

“Just like me, but his eyes are dark, and lifeless.”

“Thank you for showing us your library.” Penrose Said to the prince.

They then walked out of the library and out of the castle. Meanwhile a steady drizzle had started. This was unusual.

* * * * *

On the way home the drizzle had become a downpour. Each running step squelched in the sticky, gooey earth. Well, it was earth, now it was just mud. The group hurried through the center of town and over the river bridge. The water rushed down the street in the gutters and cascaded into the river. Thunder crackled in the distance. Penrose didn’t look so good; she had the same complexion as a fish out of water.

“Hey, are you okay?” Kiwi sounded worried.

“I think I’m sick” groaned Penrose. “Please get me out of the rain.”

Cobalt and Kiwi held her arms as they helped her underneath a large hazel tree. Nearby was a patch of strawberries. Kiwi dug out a hole and reluctantly placed the cube inside.

“I hope the strawberries don’t mind” Said Kiwi.

“I hope the gardener doesn't mind it… or find it,” moaned Penrose. “Most of all, I hope the Prince doesn't find it.”

“Why?” asked Cobalt.

“Oh, I’ll tell you la…, no just forget it.” Then Penrose closed her eyes and immediately fell asleep.

Even as the rain pounded harder, the area under the large tree remained dry and comfortable. They sat for a while and watched the ships in the harbor slowly sail away. Secretly, the three of them wanted to sail away in one of those big warships and explore the world. Penrose was still asleep, so they left for the beach to see if anything was still hidden there.

“I know there has to be something missing in this puzzle,” Kiwi said, “except we just don’t know what it is.”

“So? Just leave Penrose a note or she’ll think we've left her or something. She probably will anyway.”

* * * * *

Penrose woke up several hours later. It was still raining. That was very unusual. Usually rain stopped an hour or two after it starts.

“Hey, Kiwi. Kiwi?”

She stood up.

“Where are you?” she shouted. Her shout was killed by a thunders drum roll. She shot off down the street towards the castle. No, they had already been there. She ran back to the tree. She saw the note.

Penrose, we’re at the beach, help us look for more stuff!

Best        COBALT

Wow. She thought. She blasted off towards the beach. She had to tell them.

This could not be a secret.

* * * * *

“Do you see anything?” growled Kiwi.

“Nope, just shells and crabs.” Cobalt glanced at a group of scuttling shells. He liked hermit crabs.

The rain still came down, but less ferociously.

“Anything at all and I’ll be happy.”

“No, still nothing.” Said Cobalt.

“Aaarg!” screamed Kiwi.

Waves pounded the shore. Each wave dropped endless shells and washed the previous batch away, creating a constant kaleidoscope of shell and starfish.

“Complete waste of time. Look at my hooves!” Kiwi hissed. Unlike Cobalt's, they were covered in the wet sand. “Ugh.”

“Look, maybe there’s a box with a bunch of summer in it, so if the evil brother opens the winter box, we can open the summer box.” murmured Cobalt.

“I admire your optimism, but it is summer.”

“Oh.”

They looked at the beach for a few minutes, then Penrose came soaring down over the hill waving her arms and shouting. Cobalt waited for her to stop running.

“The – the – uh - the,” Penrose was gasping for air.

“Speak English.”

“The prince is not the prince.” she gasped.

“Huh? Why would you say that?” asked Cobalt.

“That’s rude!” Said Kiwi.

“His eyes were so, so dark.”