THE PHOTO TRAVELER (THE PHOTO TRAVELER SERIES - BOOK 1)

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

It’s my first time at any of the museums and my expectations are pretty high. I have a pad with me, prepared to take notes on any exhibits I may want to… revisit. Truthfully, I’m hoping something will jump out at me that will lead me to my parents. I had hoped to get there before Mario, but when I arrive he’s already lounging on the steps with his oversized metallic red headphones around his head and drumming at his legs to some melody. I run up the steps, greet him and then we make our way into the wildly massive building.

            “Close your eyes. I want to catch your reaction when I show you something,” he says.

            I obey and he leads me into what I can immediately sense is a huge, open space.

            “All right. Open.”

            When I open my eyes, a twelve-ton elephant is staring right back at me. It gives me the creeps.

            “Pretty cool, huh?” Mario grins. “When I first saw it, I thought it was awesome.”

            “Hell, yeah, it’s awesome! That thing’s enormous!”

            “Yeah, that’s exactly what I thought... I was thinking we could start in the geology, gems, and minerals galleries—get some great shots and put them together to resemble a giant necklace, like they would be in an exhibit. Something like that.”

             “Yeah. Sounds good.”

            We climb the stairs to the second level and take shots of the most amazing crystals, gems, and jewels I’ve ever seen. Colors I never knew diamonds even came in. Rings so large I imagine it would take four fingers to hold them up.

            When we get to the Harry Winston Gallery, the Hope Diamond blows me away—the way it does everybody, I guess. The brilliant deep-blue diamond in its new Harry Winston–designed setting is surreal. The smaller diamonds on the necklace sparkle under the exhibit lights, creating a solar system of radiance around the Hope. I’m drawn to its mystery. I’ve read the legends about its supposed “curse” before and its travels through historic family wealth. I’d give anything to see the things it has seen.

            Mario pulls me out of my daze by nudging me and gesturing at the line of people waiting behind us. I don’t want to step aside, even though I know we have to. Reluctantly, I back away still staring at the diamond, but as I turn I bump into someone behind me and end up stepping on his foot.

            “What the hell?!” he yells, bending over and grabbing his foot. His right big toe is bleeding all over his sandal. I must have torn the toenail when I stepped on it.

            “I’m sorry!”

            “Damn you!” he shouts. “I just had surgery on that toe!” He yanks me by the collar of my t-shirt. “Security!”

            “Hey, it was an accident! Get your hands off me!” I fling his hand away from me. “Who the hell wears sandals to such a crowded place anyway?!”

            “You damn kids these days! No respect for anybody! I’ll show you!” He balls up a fist and slams it into my face.

            Something inside me snaps. My vision goes dark, the sounds around me fade into silence. I thrust both arms out and shove him to the floor. He falls hard and slides ten feet across the polished marble floor into the adjacent exhibit.