African Legacy

Jessica looked at the tattered map of Africa. It had been folded and unfolded so many times over the years, it was almost in pieces. She put it in the front flap of her backpack and hoisted it onto her shoulders. She wouldn’t need the map again, she was here, and she knew where she was going, and what she was looking for.1

Jessica’s grandfather had been in Cairo in the fifties, as an archeologist. Jessica had grown up with stories
of the pyramids, the sphinx, and of course, many ancient treasures. She had never questioned her grandfather about how some of these treasures had ended up in his den, even in her older, most curious years. She had always just quietly listened to his stories, shared his enthusiasm and never questioned anything he said. 2

The day Jessica got her degree in Egyptology, her grandfather gave her the map. He told her to study it,
and commit it to her mind. Jessica did just that, never asking why.3

Jessica was at her grandfather’s side the day he died. “The map.” he whispered. 4

“I have it right here, grandfather” she said pulling out the folded paper.5

“You must go” he whispered. “You must go to the villa on the map.” 6

“But why, grandfather?” Jessica asked.7

“The key, the key is there. It is hidden in the wall, between the kitchen and the back porch. Above the
woodstove. When you get the key, you can get the box open.” grandfather’s voice was fading. 8

“Maybe his mind is going too” Jessica thought, then asked out loud, “what key, what box, grandfather?”9

“You will see….” grandfather gasped, looked straight into Jessica’s eyes and said “promise me, you’ll go.”10

“I promise grandfather, but…”11

Jessica’s grandfather had closed his eyes and took his last breath, just as the words left Jessica’s lips.12

Now she found herself halfway around the world, walking into a strange villa, towards a strange house,
with no idea how to explain why she was there.13