“Ahem. May I be of any assistance?” A soft male voice spoke behind them. The monk, bowed in the customary prayerful greeting as they both turned around to face him, prompting them to bow in response.
“Choum Reap Sur, Bhante,” Alex greeted promptly as a sign of respect to the elder monk. “I am Alex Hunt, and this is Sam Quinn. We have been commissioned by your king to recover the stolen Golden Urn.”
The senior monk’s gaze lingered on their faces for a few seconds before he politely gestured for them to follow him through a small doorway on the other end of the large room. Sam, being over six feet tall, stooped over to get through the tiny space which then opened up into a generous room with a double-vaulted roof. The ceilings were elaborately decorated with gold flowers. It was jaw-dropping.
“Wow!” Sam sounded off.
“Shh! You can’t speak in here,” Alex whispered. “It’s the holiest most sacred place in the entire temple. This is where the monks gather for meditation and teaching.” She proceeded in a muted tone.
Again Sam shook his head in disbelief of her considerable knowledge of the culture. As far as he knew, she had never been inside a Buddhist temple before and yet; she knew precisely how to greet them and what not to do.
Up ahead at the very far end of the hall, a small group of monks sat cross-legged on purple mats on the floor. Their bright saffron robes along with dozens of lit candles around them illuminated the room to a radiant glow. Facing them sat a much older monk on a raised pedestal reading from an odd looking sheet.
The senior monk signaled for Alex and Sam to sit at the back of the group and placed his finger on his mouth instructing them to be silent. Alex was in awe while Sam shuffled several times in an attempt to cross his long legs. Civilians are never permitted to sit in on teachings, so this was an exceptional honor to be a part of. Alex couldn’t understand a single word the monk uttered, but somehow, her mind became a dull space of extreme calm. She could feel herself gradually losing awareness of Sam who eventually settled on one leg stretched out in front of him and the other half tucked underneath. She closed her eyes and listened to the soothing murmured teaching. Apart from the Buddhist priest’s voice, one could hear a pin drop. She had no idea how long she sat in her trance state, but it was only when the priest sounded a chiming bell, and the students got to their feet, that she opened her eyes again.
“Welcome back sleeping beauty,” Sam whispered close to her ear.
“Did I fall asleep?” an embarrassed Alex replied.
“Not sure. You were definitely off somewhere other than here. You might want to wipe the drool off your chin, though.”
Appalled, Alex’s hand shot up to her face as she vigorously wiped her chin with her scarf which covered her head and shoulders.
Sam chuckled. “Relax Princess. I was just teasing. You’re as pretty as the flowers on this ceiling.”
“Ha ha! Very funny Mr. Pretzel,” she bit back jumping to her feet while Sam unknotted his now numbed legs.“
Moments later the senior monk was by their side and ushered them in front of the priest. As they exchanged bows, Alex caught sight of the unusual looking sheet he had been reading from on the table beside them. There were stacks of similar sheets next to it. The Priest spoke to the senior monk in Mandarin who promptly translated accordingly. “Miss Hunt. My honorable Priest invites you to take a closer look.”
Alex practically jumped out of her skin with excitement. “Really? I would be honored,” she exclaimed bowing toward the Priest again.
“What are they?”
“They are ancient writings of Buddha’s teachings, Miss Hunt. They were written more than a thousand years ago.”
“Phenomenal. What is this paper?” Alex asked in awe.
“It is a fusion of banana leaf and rice paper. The ink is liquid gold.”
“No way!” Sam exclaimed. “Real gold ink?”
“Precisely, Dr. Quinn. It is ancient and was reserved for sacred texts only.”
Alex was mesmerized by the exquisite beauty of the sheets of banana leaf writings.
“What does it say?” she asked.
The monk picked up one of the sheets and started translating.
May I think of every living being
As more precious than a wish-giving gem
For reaching the ultimate goal,
And so always hold them dear.
When I'm with another, wherever we are,
May I see myself as the lowest.
May I hold the other as the highest,
From the bottom of my heart.
As I go through the day may I watch my mind,
To see if a negative thought has come;
If it does may I stop it right there, with force,
Since it hurts myself and others.
“How unbelievably profound. And this is what today’s teaching was about? Humility and kindness?” an equally stunned Sam asked.
The senior monk nodded and then placed the sheet back on the rest of the stack. On top of the sheaf, he proceeded to position a similarly shaped piece of wood and fastened strips of cloth around the pile in a tight bow before wrapping it up in a cutting of fabric.
“It’s a book,” Alex says excitedly. “A magnificently bound book of banana leaf pages and wooden book covers all wrapped up in a neat parcel. Absolutely astonishing.”
Sam turned to the monks and bowed prayerfully in gratitude, “Thank you for this honor. This was truly the most remarkable artifact I have ever seen.”
A still gawking Alex followed suit, bowing several times up and down.
“I think he knows how appreciative you are, Alex. One bow usually does it,” Sam said surreptitiously behind his palms that were still held together in front of his chest.
“Oh yes-yes. Of course. Ahem,” Alex cleared her throat switching to a more business-like tone. “Venerable, thank you for this honor. We need your assistance if you don’t mind?”
The Priest nodded.
“We have been tasked to recover the Golden Urn. Forgive me for asking, but there are rumors that the stolen urn was a counterfeit. Would you be able to dispel this by any chance?”
Alex felt her stomach somersault as she waited for the senior monk to translate her question; anticipating he would be highly offended at her cheeky question. There was a long silent pause before the Priest responded with a reply that caught them both off guard. “A pure heart cannot derail the sanctity of His Holiness. For an object remains cold and without a soul, but the heart of a believer conquers all.”
And with that, the Priest bowed and slipped out through another small door behind him.
The senior monk waited patiently for them to respond but neither Sam nor Alex spoke immediately as they digested his words.
“Oh don’t mind him, Sheila. The old bat always speaks in parables.”
“Ollie! Wh — what are YOU doing here?”
“G’day Mate,” ignoring Alex’s question with a firm pat on Sam’s back before turning to the senior monk embracing him firmly.
“Nice to see you again, Marut,” the monk responded.
“Marut? Who the hell is Marut?” a still dumbstruck Alex uttered.
“Ah, Sheila. No need to look so surprised. Roshi and I go way back. We’re practically brothers. Now, what brings the two of you here, hey?”
There was no way on God’s green earth Alex was going to give him the satisfaction of a truthful answer. Quick on her feet, she replied with a simple, “Nothing. Just taking in some tourist attractions.”
Alex threw Sam a warning look whom, on the other hand, could spill the beans to his new ‘friend’ very easily. Instead, he caught her stare and refrained from speaking. But it was evident Ollie didn’t believe a word she said as he quickly switched to converse with the monk in perfect Mandarin. Moments later, Ollie stood back with a grin so wide it looked as if the corners of his mouth was going to tear open.
“Well, why didn’t you just say so, Sheila? I told you two lovebirds I
could help, and I know just the man to help us.
“ ‘Us’? Oh no, Ollie or Marut or whatever the hell you call yourself. There’s no ‘US’ in this equation, thank you. This is a Hunt team expedition. You are hardly an expert on this subject!”
“Shh, Let’s not get upset in here, Sheila. This is a holy place. Let’s take it outside, before you lift the rafters.” Ollie pushed all her buttons with deliberate intent, and he relished in it.
It just about took all her self-control not to slap Ollie across the face. Bloody chauvinistic asshole!
“He’s right, Alex. Let’s go. We don’t want to cause a commotion.” Sam placed a firm hand on her elbow and ushered her toward the door and outside the stupa.
“Let go of my arm, Sam! I’m not a bloody child. What the hell is he doing here? I’m telling you, this guy is as slippery as those eels you buy at the night market. He’s not all he says he is, and why the hell are you siding with him?” Alex couldn’t decide if she was angry at Ollie or angry at Sam for supporting Ollie with his exaggerated patriotism toward him. She spun around toward the stairs, “I’m leaving. I don’t have time for this snake’s antics.”
“Alex. Wait!” Sam shouted after her. “Let’s at least hear what the guy has to say. Maybe he can help. He certainly seems to know his way around. Let’s use him in our favor to further our quest. Come on. Five minutes, then we leave. Ok?”
Alex wasn’t sure why Ollie crept under her skin the way he did. All she knew was to trust her instincts. As she stood arms crossed outside the stupa listening to Sam trying to convince her, she recalled something her Dad once taught her,
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer
Sam is right. They were there to find out more about the urn and Ollie did speak Mandarin, so it made sense to use him to their advantage. She kicked a pebble down the ivory stoned staircase.
“Fine” she replied finally. “But I’m out of here if he calls me Sheila again, do you hear me, Sam Quinn?”
“Agreed.”
Ollie was still talking to the senior monk as they walked back into the temple room.
“Ah, so you decided you need my help after all?” Ollie said with a sheepish grin on his face.
“Oh, don’t flatter yourself. We have a job to do, so get on with it. Who’s this guy that can help us?” Alex wasn’t about to let Ollie’s obnoxious ego derail her. She’ll play ball but only for the sake of their quest.
“Ahem,” Sam cut in. “Ollie, what Alex meant to say is that we would appreciate any assistance in the matter. We’re trying to ascertain if indeed the stolen urn was authentic. If it wasn’t it means that the original relic is still out there somewhere.
Ollie spotted Alex’s stern face. This was one female who wasn’t about to let him mess with her. This was his single chance if he were to find what he’s after. He looked her square in the eye, “I will offer you whatever assistance you might need. Just say the word, Alex.”
Alex wasn’t prepared for his comment at all. ‘Alex.’ The man hasn’t once referred to her as anything other than Sheila. Could it be that she has won this silent battle of authority against him? Perhaps standing next to Roshi in a sacred temple somehow penetrated his heart with compassion. No. He wasn’t to be trusted. Wolf in sheep’s clothing is what he was. She pushed her chin out and pulled back her shoulders. “Why don’t you start by taking us to whomever you were referring to earlier. Who do you know that could help us find the original urn?”
Ollie shifted and propped his one hand on his hip whilst whacking his hat against his thigh with the other. “Now, I never said he’d find you the original urn. Hell, we don’t even now if the stolen urn was a fake or not.”
Alex felt her hands ball into a fist. Something both Ollie and Sam noticed instantly, so Sam interjected calmly, “But this guy you speak of can somehow shed some light if indeed this was an authentic relic, correct?”
“Bloody oath, Mate. If anyone has the answer it will be my guy, Charlie.” Ollie was filled with pride as if he just bragged about his best friend.
Roshi nodded in agreement, “Ok, we go?”
Sam clapped his hands together like a car salesman who just concluded a deal. “We go, yes. No time like the present.”
“I guess I don’t have a choice in the matter, do I?” Alex said with reservation.
Chapter Five
Ollie and Roshi led the way down the stairs and past the ever mounding group of tourists. At the foot of the flight of steps Roshi veered to the right between the large trees on the edge of the forest. As the midday sun beat down hard on them, the small party headed east down the mountain between dense trees and shrubs before finally coming to a stop in front of a giant tree. Its thick roots were intertwined vertically like an impenetrable nest of vines reaching up into the heavens. It was the tallest tree they had ever seen. Lush green leaves poked through the coiled vines that seemed to grow on forever. There was something so majestic about it. The sun beamed through the dense leafy canopy above, illuminating and exalting it to its full glory.
“Ain’t it something, mates?” Ollie asked boastfully as he watched Alex and Sam’s thunderstruck faces.
“Something? It’s the most spectacular thing I’ve ever seen!” Sam exclaimed.
Alex’s mouth was still open in awe of this natural wonder that stood tall and strong in front of her. So much so that she completely lost focus of the supposed ‘guy’ Ollie said he was taking them to. “How old is it?” She finally asked.
“Many, many centuries, Miss Hunt,” Roshi answered. “But what you are about to discover has never been made known to the lay man. It is sacred and our monastery’s best kept secret. You must vow to never reveal this to anyone.”
Sam and Alex nodded in unison. Their individual heartbeats resounded loudly in their ears as they glanced at each other with an unspoken promise of something completely unknown to them. Whatever Roshi wanted to show them eluded to an ancient mystery that was about to unfold before their very eyes.
Roshi looked to Ollie for a final ‘are you sure about this?’ to which Ollie confidently nodded his approval in response. The monk took several paces to the left and pulled away a curtain of green shrubbery. There, behind the mass of leaves, was a hand-carved wooden door encased between solid stone walls and columns. Ancient symbols were etched out in the wood and stone. A veil of lightgreen moss crusted the stone further revealing with certitude that this was at least several hundred years old.
“What is this place?” Alex asked.
Ollie’s face lit up with impish glee in the knowledge that she would have never found this on her own. “It’s a hidden entrance to an ancient temple that no one except the monks who use it, knows of.”
An equally stunned Sam moved toward it and touched the carvings on the door. “And you know of this how exactly?” he asked.
Alex was so enamored of the scene before her that she never stopped to think how Ollie came to know of the secret passage until Sam mentioned it. “Indeed. If this is not known to anyone other than the monks, how come you know about it?” She pushed for an answer.
Ollie’s face turned to a sheepish grin before he flippantly answered, “Oh, it’s a long story, Sheila. Like I said, Roshi and I go way back.”
The question hung unanswered in the air as Ollie pushed the heavy door ajar. “Well, what do you say we go inside?” Ollie deliberately deflected from their question. “After you my friend,” ushering Roshi through the doorway first.
It was cool and slightly damp inside with hundreds of candles lining the floor of the narrow passage.
“Unbelievable,” Alex whispered under her breath struggling to contain herself. The secret passage was deadly quiet. One could only hear their feet shuffling along the terra-cotta tiled floor.
The walls of the secret tunnel was constructed with narrow clay bricks crumbling in places, leaving behind compacted red sand. The rounded roof was low and offered very little headroom for Sam who was as in awe as Alex. A mu
sty earthy smell tainted with only the faintest odor of burning candles lay thick in the air.
Alex glanced back at Sam with a mischievous smile bursting with excitement, to which Sam equally excitedly mouthed, “I know!” in response.
Alex was bubbling with questions and could no longer contain her excitement. “Roshi, how old is this tunnel?”
Roshi stopped abruptly and turned facing Alex before ever so softly answering, “It dates back to the 12th century, Miss Hunt, but please, we cannot speak a word inside these tunnels, and especially when we get to the Wat. It is very sacred and only the holiest of monks live here. They are vowed to silence so you may not speak at all.
Alex bowed in apology even though the gesture was completely unfitting to the situation. But Roshi bowed back and continued leading them through the stupendous tunnel. They were thoroughly awestruck by the beauty of the formation, and the profound knowledge of walking through a monk-built underground tunnel that is almost ten centuries old, took their breath away. The anticipation mounded as they continued through the subterranean tunnel which turned several corners before ending in front of a sandstone carved Buddha statue. At its feet were dozens of candles burning incense and small golden sacrificial urns which most likely contained food. The small chamber was completely closed off. There were no windows or doors.
Roshi turned around and handed them each an unlit candle.
“We have to pay our respects first.”
Ollie took a candle without any hesitation and went onto his knees in front of the statue. Alex and Sam watched as a usually cocky Ollie transformed into a melancholy being in front of their very eyes. His usual flippant, happy-go-lucky demeanor was instantly replaced by a deep sadness that didn’t quite match up to the Ollie they have come to know. Alex was certain she saw him tear up but chose to conceal her observation from him. She realized in that moment, that whatever first impressions she might have had about him was nothing but a smokescreen. There was more to this man than what met the eye. So she silently knelt down beside him.
ALEX HUNT and The Golden Urn_An Archaeological Adventure Thriller Page 5
