Search for the Golden Pepper Pot

 The first 2k words of this story

It all started one Sunday afternoon in June. Zara was attempting to clean out the attic of the house that her Grandparents had left to her some eight months earlier. Both her estranged grandparents had died in suspicious circumstances, and Zara was the only living heir.

A solicitor from London sent her a return train ticket, and an address, plus a time to visit their offices in Mayfair, explaining only that they had some incredibly good news. Taking a day off as a Picker at Asda Bolton, she went to London.

Two months later, an estate agent erected a for sale sign on the wall of her one-bedroom apartment, so with her cat stinky, she moved into the five-bedroom house, set within three acres of land.

Sneezing from years of dust, Zara stumbled and fell face-first on a green chaise longue with a gold fleur-de-lis pattern and gold branding. Righting herself and moving a dust sheet she uncovered an old shoebox, the box had a red ribbon tied around it, placing it to one side, after doing all she could Zara dropped down to the landing floor below two carrier bags, in them were old newspapers and a jigsaw box with pieces missing written on the lid. Taking the shoebox, she climbed down and then pushed the ladder back up into the attic space before closing the hatch.

Sitting in the garden with a large glass of lemonade, Zara untied the ribbon and took a deep breath before opening the shoebox. Stinky was winding himself around her legs and meowing for attention. “Not now, stinky,” she said while pushing him away with her leg.

Looking out over the well-manicured garden and the orchard beyond the stable block, she wondered how all this could be hers. All she knew about her grandparents was what her late mother had told her: they travelled a lot, they collected antiques, and, in her words, they were worth a bob or two. From what Zara had seen around the house, they must have been collecting for years.

Lifting the lid off the shoebox, Zara uncovered some documents rolled up and secured with more ribbon, a map, a compass, and a notebook.

Opening the notebook and flicking through the pages, Zara thought she would have to take a good look at it later. Unfolding the map and blowing off some cobwebs, she had a good, hard look at it, and then it hit her. “South America, the Amazon”, she said aloud, moving the shoebox and her glass to make room for the unfolded map. Standing to get a better look, then pointing to places on the map, Zara said to stinky who had now jumped up and was sitting on her chair, “Look stinky someone has put red circles around” now pointing to the arrears circled “Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu and a town called Manaus, Mmm, I wonder why?”

That night, Zara went to bed with the notebook and a cup of hot milk.

Stinky was asleep at the end of her bed when her alarm went off. Stretching out a yawn, then patting Stinky on the head, “Look at that sunshine, Stinky, it is going to be a lovely day. It is a pity I must go to work,” Stinky meowed.

Two hours later, after feeding Stinky, having a shower, and driving the thirty minutes to work, Zara parked up her newly acquired Morris Traveller. According to the registration documents, DOLLY Zara had named the car was sixty-two years old and still ran like new. Her best friend Gill was waiting to greet her, “O-M-G Zara, I love the car, it’s so retro”, she said.

Zara walked around to the front of the car and bent over the bonnet like a supermodel, “Yeah, it's fab! It came with the house”

“Gosh, I wish I had someone leave me a fortune, hope it doesn’t go to your head and you leave”

Walking over to Gill, she pulled down her skirt that had ridden up a little too high for her liking. “Don’t worry, it won't go to my head; I hope not.”

“Talking new house,” Gill picked up a holdall, “Here, put my bag in the boot, can't wait to come back with you tonight,”

“Good, I’m glad you are. I have found a map and a notepad, and I want you to have a look”

“Sounds interesting, I have packed a bottle of wine and some Vodka so we can have some shots later”

“Oh, you shouldn’t have. I now have my very own wine cellar, hundreds of bottles from all over the world”

Holding the door open, Gill smiled, saying, “This is going to be one good weekend”

Arriving at the house after dark, all the security lights had been activated. “It looks a bit spooky in the dark”, Gill said, retrieving her bag from the boot.

“It's ok, there are cameras fitted all over the place, I haven't yet, but I can sync it to my phone, come on, let's get in out of the cold”

After the grand tour, Gill sat at the table with the map fully open and reading from the notebook, Zara was taking Pizza out of the oven.

“So,” said Gill," according to the notebook, your grandparents were looking for a golden pepper pot that has been lost for hundreds of years”

Placing the Pizza on a part of the table not covered with papers or the map,” Yes, and it looks like it's in a village near Manaus, north of Machu Picchu”

Picking up her glass, Zara pointed to the notebook “Look, all the information is there, we have the map, we have directions, and look here,” opening one of the pages in the notebook, “We also have the name and number of a local guide”

Taking a slice of Pizza, Gill ran a finger across the map “It would be good to take several weeks from work to go exploring; I suppose you would have to fly to Venezuela or Colombo, then down to Manaus”

Zara was on her phone, tapping away with her thumbs. “We could fly to Barbados and then down to Manaus?”

“Yeah, and pigs can fly, pass me the Vodka, I need a stiff drink,” said Gill, “Anyway, what about work, we’d have to book time off, and you know Setu won't let us have the time off together”

“Leave him to me,” Zara said with a smile, “I can twist him round my finger”

By the time the clock struck twelve, all the Pizza had been eaten, the empty bottle of Vodka was on the floor, and the two girls were tucked up in bed.

After breakfast, Zara took Gill over to look at the stable and the orchard. On returning to the kitchen, Zara picked up her phone, “GOD I have nine missed calls and a dozen messages”

Gill picked up her phone to see similar missed calls and messages “What did we do last night?”

“Looks like I booked two tickets to Barbados and a connecting flight to Manaus, then I texted Setu and told him to stuff his job”

“Looks like I filled in a holiday request and had it approved. When are the flights booked for?” Gill smiled.

“Errm just a minute…… Monday noon arrives in Barbados, five thirty. Zara flicked through the emails, “The flight to Manaus is Tuesday, seven-thirty in the evening. Oh God, I even booked a hotel for Monday night in a place called Long Bay just outside Grantley Adams Airport.

Gill looked flustered, “I can’t do this, how am I going to pay for it? We should never have opened that Vodka.”

Patting her on the arm, “Gill, do not worry about the money, I have it covered…well, not me, the inheritance. It's just sitting there in a bank; we might as well use it.

Rubbing her hands in her hair and walking in circles, “Yes, yes, but what about clothes, you can't go walking around the jungle in my ASDA uniform?”

“OK, it's Saturday, let's go shopping” Zara grabbed her bag, her keys and her coat after locking the door as she walked towards a double garage. “The cars over here”, Gill pointed.

“Yeah, I know, let us go in style” Zara pressed a button on a key fob, and one of the double doors opened. Inside was a silver Mercedes convertible; the registration plate read DP 21. “Wait here, I’ll pull her out”

“Her, do you have a name for this one as well?” Gill laughed.

“No, not yet, this will be the first time I’ve taken her out” The car came to life with a single flick of the key, and as Zara exited the garage, the roof of the car folded back. “How old is this one?” Gill inquired.

“They bought it back in 1964. I could not find any receipts, but it has a full-service history. Right where to first”

 After a full day of shopping, Zara dropped Gill off at her house. She had to get someone to look after her love birds, saying she would return first thing Sunday morning to start preparing for the trip.

Chapter 2       

The waiter passed Gill and Zara their third cocktail, “This is the life, I cannot believe I am in Barbados sitting by the pool drinking cocktails at a Monday lunchtime back home” Gill said as she eyed up the waiter,

“Looking at this map it's going to be a hard slog through some rough terrain” Zara took a drink, “God these are good, Oh, just a minute my phone is buzzing” Zara put the glass and map down to retrieve her phone, “I don’t recognise the number it could be Pablo the guide, I left him a message earlier after sending an email to the address in the notepad,” In the email, Zara had explained about her grandparents the map and the notebook plus finding his details, pressing receive then the putting the phone against her ear,

“Hola, Zara speaking” Zara nodded her head as she listened to the caller asking her questions, moving the phone away from her mouth and saying quietly, “he sounds fit” Both girls laughed……. “Si, we arrive in Manaus at nineteen thirty tomorrow, the flight we had booked for today has been cancelled” Looking at Gill, who had raised her glass to a full day by the pool.

“Yes, I have sent you our rough itinerary and a copy of the map. Can you tell me how we will get from the airport to Manaus and then on to the village of Asdoina?” Listening to Pablo, Zara took another drink. She mouthed to Gill, “This is stronger than the last. Is he trying to get me drunk?”

Gill raised her glass and whispered, “Cheers”

“Yes, ops sorry Si, I understand,” Zara started to repeat what Pablo was saying so Gill could hear, “A taxi driver will be waiting near a coffee shop called The Big Bean just outside the terminal building, he will check the arrival times just in case there are any delays” both girls looked at each other and gave the thumbs up as in agreement. “Thank you, Pablo, and the price we haven't discussed payment yet?”  

Zara listened for a few minutes…………. “Oh, oh, are you sure, we can agree, ……… But……… Ok, Pablo, if you are sure?”

Gill sat up, curious about what Pablo was saying,

“Ok, ok, we will see you tomorrow evening… and adios to you, Pablo”

Now standing next to Zara, Gill asked, “Well, what did he say?”

“He wouldn't dream of charging me for his services as I am the granddaughter of his dear friends. he said he was sorry to hear of their passing, and he has some items which belong to them at his home, and he will bring them when he meets us tomorrow.”

“Well, in that case, I think we should get that waiter to bring us more drinks,”

“Do you think he’ll rub my cream on my back?” asked Zara

                                 ----------

While Gill and Zara were sunning themselves and eyeing up the waiter, over one thousand eight hundred kilometres away, in the village of Asdonia. King Mitadon and his wife, Queen Jackidon, were preparing the chapel for the upcoming wedding of their daughter, Princess Melrose and De-Shawn. De-Shawn was from the neighbouring village of Burnden, and they lived a similar lifestyle to the Asdonians. One thing that stood out about the people from Burnden was that they were all Ginger.

“People of Asdoina,” Mitadon said in his rough authoritarian voice, holding his hands aloft to get their attention.

“In, a few days,” he shouted, “We will be celebrating not only the wedding of my beautiful daughter Princess Melrose” turning and smiling at her as she blushed “To De-Shawn the Prince of Burnden but the joining of two villages. As you know it had been, several years since the village had had such an occasion to celebrate” at that moment the floor started to shake, trees were swaying and some on their huts crumbled to the floor, “Run, run for shelter,” shouted King Mitadon their leader, “The volcano she is erupting, run I tell you”

Mitadon grabbed hold of a young child and herded the others towards the clearing, a place of safety they used last time the volcano erupted.

                                      ----------

Back in Barbados

Both girls woke up with a hangover. Zara and Gill spent the next day by the pool, only drinking fruit juice and water. “What did we get up to last night?” asked Gill.

“I can't remember, but I have a bruise on my hip”, Zara lifted her sarong to clarify.

“I think we should just sit here by the pool and chill… and sleep it off”

“Good thinking”, replied Gill as she closed her eyes.

Later that day, the reception had booked a taxi to take them to the airport, it would be there in one hour. The two girls were sitting in the foyer, rucksacks at the ready, and they were both drinking coffees. A cool breeze from the Caribbean Sea wafted through the hotel. “I still feel rough, I hope this plane has a toilet,” said Zara.

“Do you think we’ll get a meal? I’m starving?” Gill said, rubbing her stomach.

Seven hours later, they were sitting outside another coffee shop in a place called Boa Vista, the flight to Manaus had been cancelled again, and this was the nearest airport any airline could get them to. Gill with an Iced Tea and Zara were on water, still feeling rough from the night before and the bumpy flight.

A taxi pulled up at the kerb, the driver shouted, “Miss Zara, Miss Gill?”

“Yes, that is me…. well, us”, replied Zara, standing.

The driver jumped out of his cab, popped the trunk and walked to help the girls with their bags.

“Hola, my name is Kieran”, shaking both their hands “, I will take you to Pablo, it's not far, just six hours”

Zara and Gill both repeated, “Not far, just six hours.”

“Si, we can stop for a break, for toilet and food, for anything” looking at the camera around Gill’s neck, “You like to take photos, yes! I know a good spot, come”

“God, I hope this cab has aircon and good suspension,” said Gill as she rubbed her back.

Sat in the back after their rucksack had been secured in the trunk, “So”, Gill asked inquisitively, “Kieran, is that not an unusual name for someone from around here?”

Looking in the rear-view mirror, “Si”, the driver selected first gear and drove off. “I grew up in an orphanage, and all children had European names. The priest was from your Ireland”

Gill and Zara looked at each other and nodded. Zara whispered to Gill, “Does he mean our Island or Ireland?”

Gill shrugged her shoulders and looked out of the window, not wanting to think of being stuck in this car for six hours.

Driving away from the small airport, they soon hit the open road, lush fields of sunflowers on one side and poppies on the other. Even though it was nearing Nine O’clock, the temperature was still in the late twenties. Kieran opened a cool box on the passenger seat that had a cable plugged into the cigarette lighter on the dashboard, and he passed them both a refreshing bottle of water.

“Thanks, I need this”, taking down half the bottle in one. “That was good,” Gill said as she wiped her brow with her sleeve.

Looking over to a mountain range on the right, Zara asked, “Is that a volcano? And to me, it looks like there's smoke coming out of the top?”

“No need to worry, Ms Zara, it is a long way and there is a big valley and river in between here and Manaus.

Both girls turned to each other with a look of shock.

THAT WAS TWO THOUSAND WORDS OF "SEARCH FOR THE GOLDEN PEPPER POT" IF YOU LIKED IT, YOU CAN READ THE REST ON AMAZON.

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