GUESS WHAT? (ONC 2024)

Chapter 4 Part 8: Path of Proverbs 2

The color of the sky took on a second form, and the temperature agreed with the sky and joined in the transformation. The graveyard shift was upon us. Time flew by and we never packed for any of this. I wore the same clothes from yesterday, while Luigi had on what looked like a jumpsuit for an adventure. He had actual muscles all he needed was a dance instructor.

The market must have ended. I could hear my shoes on the soil beneath me for the first time, or this place was simply unnervingly silent for no reason. My guide, though, had a big grin on his face as we made our way through the various letters that surrounded us.

''You are quiet, let me into your mind without me using my power. Do not worry so much, your parents and friends will be okay. I made a similar journey like this before,'' Luigi said.

''Being worried will motivate me to complete my path, that much I know. Can you at least tell me what exactly I have to do to gain my power?'' I pleaded.

''Yes I can, but let us get to the temple first and all will become clear,'' he answered.

The path continued past different letters, big and small. It portrayed a graveyard with headstones everywhere you look. The only thing that made it less scary was the fact that they used bright colors that shone in the night, creating the path forward. There must be a genius at the end of this path with such creative powers.

A place where words that spoke louder than action got buried.

''You know Luigi looking at this place reminds me of one my favorite games we used to play as a family on holidays. Do you know about the game Scrabble? I loved it so much. It was the first thing I took out when I saw everyone in the living room,'' she said.

''Oh yes Scrabble, we call it Yangmal here in South Korea. The given letters can only be used to create nouns in Korean, as verbs all end with the same letter. Once you have your full power, you can challenge me,'' he responded.

''That game raised me and later on 30 Seconds got added. Although I lost a lot against my mother, I managed to beat her once or twice when I was six or seven years old. 

The creation of words scratched an itch that no boyfriend I had could ever. 

Scrabble brought my family together on more than one occasion. Only my grandfather could never join us and had a good excuse about being somewhere in Africa exploring. My grandmother, on the other hand, never played at all. To this day, nobody has ever provided a reason and nobody has complained. She joined in the laughing and cheering, but the actual creating of words was met with a stern decline,'' she explained.

Just when we started to connect, we came upon a huge M-shaped temple with many doors. The most ancient I have seen since I arrived in South Korea. 

''We made it! After passing M we will probably find O and N, and will be home bound you see," she asserted.

Everywhere I looked, I saw books stacked from top to bottom, filling the place. Tables and chairs were in perfect sync with the place, like a library. There was dust visible on everything.

The place resembled a desert and was abandoned.

"I did not expect this at all," she said.

''Me neither. The power of the artifact took back everything after your grandmother passed away. We need to find the book of Proverbs. Only your ancestors have come to this temple. The other two are accessible for everyone," he said.

We searched everywhere, but we didn't know what it looked like while going through every book. There was no way we would find it. I sat down a bit, exhausted from the walk all the way here, and Luigi joined me. The place was dead silent.

''Can't you say something, perhaps?'' She asked.

"I have been meaning to say your long black hair in a pony with the color streaks in front is really beautiful and your eyes carry such beauty, especially after you cried. Those brown eyes, with the thin nose and lips, probably make photography guys follow you around in New York,'' he said.

''I meant that you should use your power because we have reached a dead end, but thank you for noticing. I hate describing myself, but you have a way with words,'' she responded.

''Oh no, my artifact is from the Earli clan, which has the ability to listen to the heart and mind, and the words I find I can use. Since we are in a library full of books, my power is useless. I can always try to listen to you. I might find something useful,'' he explained.

''I permit you to search my heart and mind. I need that book to help my family,'' she responded.

He turned to me and held my hands with his eyes closed. The silence made me squint at him, but nothing happened for a while. No light, no special atmosphere, just us holding hands in a quiet library. I started to stare at him, unaware, when he suddenly opened his eyes.

Close call.

''Your heart and mind are full of words, it is a library in there as well, but it feels like you are unsure why you are here,'' he said.

''You are right, nobody wants to tell me exactly what is going on with the artifact and my family,'' she said.

''The origin of the artifact is unknown but someone in your bloodline stumbled upon it in the 1600s and started using it unaware of its true potential. Your grandmother was the last to have it and now you have it. It is written that the power of the artifact comes from using two types of Proverbs. 

Receiving the artifact is the first step, then you have to use the Proverbs to activate either the normal situations you find yourself in or the power to heal and create. 

You can use the power of the normal artifact until you have found someone who can ask you the age-old question GUESS WHAT? 

Only then are you able to use the power to create by just speaking the words. Your words can turn into action. You need to use the Proverbs in the situation you find yourself in otherwise it will not work. The book we are looking for has the other type of Proverbs and only you can use them that possess the artifact.

 I only know the proverbs like, don't judge a book by its cover,'' he explained.

''Try it,'' he said.

It finally made sense to me what I needed to do. I closed my eyes took a deep breath and shouted.

''Don't judge a book by it's cover!'' she shouted.

Chapter 4 completed

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