Backfire
What should have been an exciting project, filled with historical mysteries, was now just an annoying, daily chore of telling people “no” and then listening to them scream.
It shined a harsh light on how many entitled nutters there were in the world. And it was all over one hunk of rock.
Coastal Charm
James loved his little costal hometown. But the local strawberry museum and charter fishing boats weren’t enough to draw in tourists.
His diving business was barely making ends meet. It was devastating to think of having to close for good. Little did he know the answer was far closer than he would have ever imagined.
6 Hours
One bright morning, he anchored his boat and splashed into the salty waves.
The French village was at the mercy of intense tides. He had less than 6 hours to explore the next spot on the map. At this point, he would take anything – interesting caves, sunken boats, even some cool coral. Suddenly, he spotted something odd.
Strange Stone
Seeing stone was nothing out of the ordinary. Even manmade stuff was commonplace.
Concrete from nearby piers and harbor construction would often roll down the underwater hills. So was the massive amount of trash that made James want to cry. But this was different. First thing ... it was huge.
Weird Symbols
Second, there were strange engravings along the surface. But it was no language he had ever seen before.
The only recognizable thing was a date – 1786. His heart raced so hard it felt like it would rip through his wetsuit. Somehow, he had to get this to the surface. But this was just the first of many obstacles.
Moving It
A trusted friend with a sturdier boat helped him pull it from the stubborn waves.
James felt like he had sprouted a new head of grey hair just by getting it into his shop in one piece. Next was some amateur sleuthing to figure out the strange language. The results made him reach for his phone.
Decode Attempt
He was an idiot to think he could have figured it out on his own. But things turned even more surprising when the town’s historian also had no idea and had to call in the big guns from Paris.
The old professor identified one Scandinavian symbol, but that was all. Suddenly James had a brilliant idea.
Simple Idea
The area was already going to be famous for “buried treasure” but with the wonders of the internet, he was sure they could figure out the answer and put the small village on the map.
This would certainly boost tourism. His idea was simple. It would also take a turn he wouldn’t expect.
Easy Money
It wasn’t much – just 2000 euros. But if there was someone out there who knew what was written on the tablet, James was certain they would jump at the chance for easy money.
The small committee posted the story of their underwater mystery and waited for a viral reaction. It wasn’t what they expected.
Overflowing Email
James woke the next day to over a hundred emails in his inbox.
While there were some legitimate attempts to dissect the language, the rest were an utter waste of time. A few even threatened violence if the money wasn’t wired out. Also, the closest answer wasn’t satisfying at all.
Secret Code
It was suggested that the symbols were a secret code. But without the key, the real meaning was probably dead with the long-passed writers.
It didn’t stop there. Everyday, James and the rest of the committee found their emails crammed with frustrating timewasters. This wasn’t what he wanted at all.
Most Visitors
The only bright side was that their town did get the boost in tourism they had hoped for.
Divers and other adventures scoured the coast for more finds that could make them famous or rich. Even James’ shop saw a lot more business. What was the standing theory of their little mystery?
Old Fort
There was a dilapidated fort along the coast that was protect around the same time as the stone’s date.
Despite it sitting in mossy ruins, historians found a new thrill in trying to connect the tablet to the fort in some way. It was the closest correlation they could make so far. As for the money?
False Leads
The 2000 euros sat in the city hall safe, still waiting for someone to really claim it.
The downside was the regular complaints and threats of legal action from people who said their “answers” made them deserving of the reward. It was a bittersweet discovery. As for James...
Interesting Memories
It was the best outcome he could have hoped for – his beloved town finally put on the map in some way.
All he could do was sit back and take divers to and from whatever “hot spots” people had suddenly decided were important that week. It was enough to be a small part of history ... however annoying.