She handed me the box as if it carried gold.

It was pitch black,as dark as her eyes,as saturated as her cloak.

"You must solve the puzzle before sunset tomorrow. If not, meet me at the bridge,and be prepared."

She said this in such a stern yet loving manner. I have never heard her tone this way,flowing with paradox. I could hear her worry, but I also heard her confidence in me.

She smiled with her eyes this time,but her brows showed a hint of stress.
I watched her walk away as if she wasn't walking at all. She had an ethereal ,yet intense presence.

I sighed and brewed a cup of coffee. Dark roast, no sugar ,no cream-the usual.

I opened the box

"Kajal, a piece of coal, a black pen, coffee beans,and an embroidery that had extra uncut thread"

The embroidery stitching read " I hold two clues ,the first one is a part of me...the second clue is "look up when daylight sleeps""

It was written in black thread .
I took a sip of my coffee and noticed how I was drinking one clue...

I couldn't see the connection between these oh so random pieces..

I started pacing and played with the pen.... frantically.. it was soon to be sunset ,then I would have less than 24 hours left ...

I closed my eyes and remembered her,she was the only person who could calm me , ironically despite her seriousness . I recalledmy last sight of her ,dark cloak ,dark eyes...

"Darkness..."

I thought I solved it ,but I remembered she told me the puzzle was several sentences long ....

Ok ? What about darkness? We drink coffee.Some apply Kajal ...coal? Some random thread?

A yawn eventually escaped me ,it was past sunset .I looked up ,all I saw was the fan that desperately needed dusting. Would she really write all that embroidery just for me to see the ceiling? What else could it be?

I heard a knock and a lady was selling sweets as usual,she rarely ever sells the same sweets. I wasn't craving them but I bought it from her anyways . I needed someone to talk to in order to look at things later with hopefully a fresh pair of eyes..

"Today's special is dark chocolate cake " . She quietly said.

I invited her to sit down with me as I brewed us some more coffee.

She had high emotional intelligence and her personality was just as sweet as her desserts ,I adored her.
She studied my face and asked me what I was worried about...I said this box..She said you're smart you'll figure it out, and gave me a pat on my shoulder .

It was such a beautiful night ,dark with stars twinkling. I took a bite out of the cake though I wasn't hungry . It was out of this world,how could I describe it. Decadent , velvety? sweet but with the perfect kind of balance. I have never tasted a chocolate cake this delicious,this rich.

I asked her what she put in it ,she laughed and said "oh the usual,and a special ingredient"


I asked her what it was ,she said "maybe the stars will tell you ".
She stood up and thanked me for the coffee and prepared to leave..

I looked up... I looked up .."look up when daylight sleeps "

"Stars!" I thought... " Dark sky ... illuminated by the stars"

"Come on please tell me what it is ,you know I don't even like desserts that much anyways what's the secret ingredient?" I asked the lady again.

She pointed at the coffee cup in my hand "you're drinking it silly "

"Coffee? how would coffee ,something pretty bitter taste so good in a dessert "
I waved her a goodbye and went back inside ,elated I sorta cracked some clues but I still wasn't quite there yet..

Kajal,coal,a pen,and a thread are left

"So close yet so far " I thought ....

I decided to go to bed , and look at things with fresh eyes.

I woke up and decided to go to my aunt's clothing shop. She was just opening her store,bright and early and was applying Kajal. It's amazing how it made her eyes appear more lively, appealing and brought out her best features.

"So I have ten hours left to crack this or else...I feel more confused than before though I gained more knowledge" I said .

"It happens ,don't worry ,what do you think of this dress I'm made? It's a surprise for my neighbor." ,she said

"It's such a cute black dress it will suit her so well,can you make me the exact same one too next time ,I think I'm in love with it" I said

Theres something so classic about a little black dress ,eternally timeless.

I glanced at the dress again,I saw a long black thread coming from the dress

"Hey you forgot this " I said

" Yes it still needs some tweaking " said my aunt

I randomly told her "thank you " as a connection erupted in my chaotic mind..."thread....black dress"

I decided to walk through town and figure out the rest of the clues I had left ,as I only had a few hours left til sunset.

I had to figure out the coal,and the pen

I walked and walked ,searching for signs ,playing with the pen in one hand and sipping water in another .

I went to shops, different places ,but my mind couldn't see any meaning.

I grew more furious and more worried . "If I couldn't figure out the mystery ....." I thought...
Then I shook my head ,I didn't want to think about what would happen after sunset if I didn't solve this. I formed a few years,and one shed.

I sat on the sidewalk daydreaming , knowing I had several minutes left . I do that when I'm stressed.

I heard an older man cough and that woke me up from my daydreaming."He needs some herbal tea I thought ,that sounds like a horrible cough"

I realized I was now in a part of town I didn't recognize. Worry took over me,there was no one around and shops were closing . It was just this old man and his dark shed , sipping tea.

It was getting darker . I ran towards this old man,he was sipping tea in a dark shed ,there was barely any light just a bit of a glow from the soft fire . I asked him where was the bridge . He made movements with his hand and didn't speak a word. It took me a while to figure out he was deaf .

He saw me being frantic and he ushered me to sit down on the stool next to him. I did. I didn't know how to communicate with him. He gave me tea with his shaking hands and put some coal over the fire to make it grow. " Coal! "I thought.But what about it? He gave me a piece of paper and made some hand motions. I still couldn't understand him. He took his finger and made invisible writing on the paper . Oh! Writing ! I remembered I had the pen and gave it to him... He wrote very close to the fire in order to have some light as it was getting dark out and his shed was even darker.

He wrote the directions in the most beautiful handwriting I've ever seen. I anxiously gave him his tea cup back and thanked him with a smile . I was late and I don't think I could make it in time. He pointed at the raggedy bike and told me to take it.

I smiled once again at this helpful man. And rode away..

I had to figure out the puzzle on the way. "Pen helped me.... but what about the coal?"...

I thought and thought and thought...

Ah! I've figured it out as I run towards the bridge . I see her all in black ,but oh how her face glows amongst the dark attire . She smiles quietly and asks me if I've figured it out .

"Dark things being out light,and sometimes are light , they can enhance us and guide us. The embroidery gave me clues , the black dress was made from black thread and looked stunning. Without the bitter coffee the chocolate cake wouldn't have tasted so amazing ,the Kajal brings out the beauty of the eyes ,without the coal there would be no fire ,or any light to warm me and for me to read the old man's directions ,without the black pen ,I wouldn't have communicated with a deaf person in a place in town I didn't know,and I wouldn't have arrived here "

She sat down next to me ,relieved just as I was . Proud of me just as I was . She patted my back, knowing we passed this,this time, and she started humming .






© Monarch94