nearby “that’s the truth” going through the routine of checking and rechecking the climbing equipment for safety and delivery. It's his coping mechanism to have routine, as it is mine, I wonder if he likes loud music too?
“Well I’ll be...” we hear a cry from behind us, happy it's not about me any longer. The Professor has spread the knotted string onto the floor of the cavern, he has switched his torch for a smaller version attached to a soft elastic strap and fits around his head. I fumble for my headphones, I need quiet. “You see here, these knots aren’t just random, they are…” too much information....?
“The constellation of Orion the warrior,” I interrupt, putting my Bose’s on my head and plugging in my phone. I don't sit along with the others, instead I play very loud Marilyn Manson to quieten my head.
A little irritated at the interruption but continues nevertheless, “yes, Orion.” Looking up at my retreating form, “see?” And his audience nods in amazed agreement. “Now watch what happens when I overlay this onto this from Daniels old drawings.” He arranges the string piece over the paper carefully, “some of the stars line up with this image,” straightening the mesh finally, “and do these lines look familiar to anyone”?
I see much waving of arms and pointing, animated conversations, Nigel lecturing, Daniel listening, Kurt yawning.
I sit quiet for two songs, sipping more tea, feeling calmer about being me. The group are hunched over the map still and pointing and talking excitedly amongst each-other. I see flashes from photos being taken and assume something interesting must be afoot.
I can see something, I take my headphones off. “It’s a contour map,” I say with a definite tone, the once animated group now still and quiet looking up at me. Bloody hell.
Suddenly everyone sees it! “Exactly” Nigel says “it’s contour of the mountain.”
“And the river that runs on the surface!” Says Kurt. We have all stared at the map long enough in the past few days we know it inside out. Except me of course, it just looks like a jumble of wavy lines to me. “I’ve got a headlight like that,” I say to Nigel.
That’s another thing I can do, my mind will put complex problem solving to one side, while it works on it, and I can be my usual random self. So coming finally over music turned off, happier now, and quieter now. “I use it for doing the horses in the dark.” I glance quickly at the Professors discovery laid out on the ground. “X marks the spot after all then?” I ask.
“What?” Says the Professor.
“The map you have found, it's a location.” I drink my tea, it's not tasty but it's good nevertheless.
“Location?” He peers up at me not understanding. They haven't noticed then? Bloody hell.
“About twenty miles down from here.” I say matter of factly, pointing to what I mean as down, since down is not a legitimate geographical form of reference, “I judge to be significant because it must have taken a great deal of time to lay this clue out.”
Everyone is now staring at me, and I’m beginning to wonder if I am speaking in a foreign language. I can’t speak those. A plain looking girl with horses and a peculiar way of looking at the world, nothing special. “What location, where?” Nigel asks me.
“I thought that’s what you'd found?” I’m sorry, I say aloud frustrated but used to it, I begin to explain the thread that only I can clearly see.
“Please tell us what you see, because all we see is the shape of the mountain and river with a star map on top.”
“Yes, but look at Orion’s sword, it's pointing to a specific location, it's the next clue.” Thank you Marilyn Manson.
After a few seconds Daniel face begins to show a flicker of understanding as his brain catches up, “it definitely does Tharie's right.” Daniel says, “Let’s plot a course tomorrow as soon as we're clear of this place. I check my phone whilst they make their plans, I don’t do plans, I’m more of a now, seat of my pants type of girl.
TC: “How’s the love life?” What time zone am I in?
PF: “Have you any idea what time it is!” Oops!
TC: “Why are you sleeping with your phone?” Good one.
PF: “I’m on a plane, one where we can use our phones, it’s awesome!” Just like Daniels plane.
TC: “Where did you two decide to go after all?” Paris? NYC? She