Sophie and Axel save the World

Sophie saw it in the window of a small shop on Madison and 69th street. The way the light caught it as she walked by on Friday afternoon it was a dazzling glint from the sunlight that was hitting it just right at that bewitching time when the sun is sending its last beams of light across the width of Manhattan island. It was a July weekend so the city was almost deserted and this is when Sophie loved her New York, best everyone fled like there was a mass exodus from her city. They fled in every direction and it did not matter, they were delighted to be heading up -down- east and west, and she was happy to see them flee. 

Not that Sophie herself did not love the occasional trip to a friends summer rental on the beaches of Fire Island, but never for an entire summer, it was a treat that she savored, enjoyed it slowly tasting each deliberate minute, languishing in the quiet and the occasional deer that crossed her path as she wandered the boardwalk "streets". But for Sophie it was not torture, to return to her town on Monday morning, no matter how lovely the weekend was, or how many friends she spent it with. 

She stopped as the rays slanted between the tallish buildings and hit the quartz crystal with such deliberate intent, it was almost shameless. Motionless she watched as the beams danced inside the large clear natural prism and sent a cascade of colors washing the wall behind it. Sophie had her phone in her hand just like every other citizen of the big apple, it was almost mandatory to have this extension of your own hand end in a rectangle of glass and mini- micro-zapped microchips. She tried to get the camera on the phone to capture the light and the unbelievable rainbow cast on the wall and no matter how many times she tried it was impossible for the light to behave, at the moment and she was kind of annoyed. The summer sun no matter how long it lingers will only stay put in one location for so long and in a few seconds the prism was gone but the light still filled the quartz point. I want that she said to herself as she watched the sunlight moving around inside the natural point.  Sophie tried the door but like every other shop on Mad. Ave. it was closed for the weekend, darn it why didn't this happen yesterday and I could have run in during my lunch hour and grabbed it. Her blissful mood was rapidly deteriorating as the late afternoon wore on. Not being a very materialistic person she accepted that she would have to wait until Monday to see if it was for sale and how much. When she caught herself walking past the window 2 times on Saturday she was starting to get anxious, what was the draw? When she saw it walking with her coffee in the morning it was not dazzling with sunlight, but it still caught her undivided attention. Later that same day she found herself on the spot at close to the time she was there the day before and the sun was hazy so no beams illuminated the crystal. "Darn it" She said aloud, the street was almost deserted except for the few European tourists that believed it when they heard the stories of the city that never sleeps but it did indeed slumber on warm summer weekends.

NOT ANOTHER NEW YORK CLICHE

Sophie kept thinking about what is this strange attraction to this crystal? Is it because it is a natural thing, she was drawn to all things created by God and mother earth. But what the draw to this piece? Was it that it was lit so beautifuly and so filled with "life" that part I get she thought, I love pretty things that sparkle and have that glint of bling. Staring at the crystal was now her focus, although there were many things in the shop window that were prettier and more to her personality. "Hey God can you give me a sign if I should buy this thing?" Sophie asked the semi-empty sidewalk. She waited as the late afternoon turned to early evening but no sign came. "Ok god, I will just take that as a sign, no sign sometimes equals a sign." She said out loud. Not really caring if the few stragglers on the street on a summer early evening possibly thought that she might be one of those crazy New York women that wander and talk to themselves before heading back to a cluttered apartment filled with newspapers and cats. Sophie chuckled at the thought that she could be another New York City cliche. She turned away from the shop window and said out loud this time intentionally "I am not another New York cliche, I have no cats and my apartment is empty." This statement tickled her and she began heading uptown the few blocks toward her home. 

Her Sunday morning visit to the crystal was beginning to feel like part of a new routine and she approached the shop window and was happy to see it still standing there tall and proud and with it the thought that, where would it have gone? I am slowly losing my mind she said as she sipped her morning coffee. Of course, it is still there the shop is locked up tight and will not open till tomorrow why would I think that it would be gone? By now Sophie knew just where she was going to place it there was a spot on her mantle that did get afternoon sun and when it was dark she had a light in place already to illuminate the beautiful crystal from within. She did question herself a few times last night what was the attraction it is just a hunk of quartz, yes it happens to be a very large chunk of quartz but it is still a rock? I suppose there does not need to be an answer to every question in life, I can just like it. I do tend to overthink things a bit she laughed to herself as she continued to observe the stone. Suddenly she saw a reflection in the shops' window. It was a man, a very handsome one and dressed in his running clothes. He stopped and looked at the crystal as well. He was panting slowly catching his breath when he said "Hello" Sophie turned to look at the man to respond. "Hello" back. It appeared that he was either not paying attention or did not hear her.  "It is beautiful, I saw it on Friday night and I have been waiting until tomorrow to buy it!" The handsome stranger said to Sophie, there was something in the way he spoke that seemed different, it was not an accent but it was not the typical sound of everyone else in the city either. He had a broad smile on his face and was facing the crystal with a glow in his eyes. Do I have that same glow when I look at it? She thought. "It is quite beautiful, I noticed it myself on Friday afternoon!" He did not respond but tapped her on the forearm and got her attention. "I am sorry I don't have my hearing aids in I am deaf when I run I don't like to wear them." He smiled his dazzling white teeth were perfect and he pointed to his ears. She now understood the subtle accent that she had heard before when someone has trouble hearing and pronounces words differently. She was also perplexed as to communicate with the man and she smiled back. "If you speak slowly I can read your lips he offered as if he was reading her thoughts. "Ok," she said and mouthed the word slowly. He smiled again and brought his fingers to his eyes as if to salute, clearly stating that he understood her. He was now staring at her face smiling. "I am Sophie, and I agree it is a beautiful quartz piece as well it caught my eye on Friday too." He once again gave the salute that he understood her. "My name is Axel, I know it is kind of weird my family is Dutch it means, father of peace." He said with that wonderful smile as he shrugged his shoulder as if to say, yes I know its kind of odd! He continued. " I was on my way home from a meeting uptown when I saw this it was lit up and I had to stop and see it up close since then I have been coming every day to see it."  She saw that he was not smiling but looking at the crystal again and then he turned to her and gave another shrug to say that he did not know what it meant but he was drawn to it. "Me too, I have been by this shop 3 times since Friday, and last night I thought it would be gone today, I was planning on buying it tomorrow as well!" She said facing him and slowly. He smiled and said. "Not if I get here first." And laughed. 

She laughed as well. "I live a few blocks away and I will be here the second they open the shop, so sorry Axel it will be mine." She said to him.  "But you do not even know how much it will cost, what if it is ten thousand dollars, are you prepared to buy it then?" He asked, with a curious look in his eyes.  "Well no if that is the case then you will get it, I don't have an extra ten thousand dollars laying around, do you?"  He smiled and shook his head no as well. "So then neither of us get it, but what if it is only five hundred dollars, then we will be fighting over it, I can afford it then, and a true gentleman would let a lady have something that she desired." She told him.

THE TRUE ART OF A DEAL

"Why do you assume that I am a gentleman?" He laughed. "I could be a scoundrel and buy it just to be a pain in the neck! "Now it was her turn to be a smart ass. "Well with the name father of peace it would make sense that you are a gentleman and not a scoundrel."  She Laughed. "Is it that obvious?" He laughed back at her. He smiled that beautiful smile again and said. "Would like to go and sit down and grab a bite, I am still a bit sweaty but I am starving, we can fight over who gets it then and settle our debate?" He was captivating, so she agreed. This being her neighborhood she was relatively safe, and besides his 6' height and strong build, she was home in her element, she also sensed there was something safe about the man, like a very large golden retriever puppy too big for its skin, yet not fully finished growing. They walked in silence the 2 blocks to the coffee house that Sophie knew would be the best place for a big hungry man. She stared at Axel once they were seated and said. "You are one very handsome man!" He smiled since he was shoveling pancakes into his mouth and closed his eyes a bit to say thank you, when he swallowed his food he said. "You are a very pretty woman!" she mouthed the words thank you without saying them out loud. He ate the last bit of food on his plate he sat back in the chair and placed his hands behind his head and stretched. Flexing his biceps and pecs without even appearing to be aware of it. "Ok down to business." She asked. "Why do you want the crystal so much? what is your reason to have it?"  He looked at her with a puzzled expression and answered. "To tell you the truth I don't have a reason, after seeing it on Friday night it is all I have been thinking about, strange that something so useless could create so much focus for me!" He answered honestly. "I do not collect things and my apartment looks more like a gym than a museum, but I have found a perfect place to put it, where it will get sun and then get illuminated at night." Axel, in turn, asked her. "And you why do you want it so badly?" 

"Funny thing, is like you I do not collect things my apartment is very minimalistic with almost nothing, but I have a spot that I know it will look perfect, same sunlight during the day and lit at night, and oddly enough after Friday I can't seem to get it out of my mind, don't laugh but I have been to see it 3 times already I don't even know why!" Sophie said. Axel laughed out loud. "Ha ha ha, I have found myself running 3 times past it was well and I live downtown, in the village, yet I am running up to 69th street in the mornings and again in the afternoon, I was surprised to see you standing there this morning, I thought you might be the owner back early." He replied. "Axel I have to be straight with you, I do not know why but I must have that crystal and I will be damned if I understand it!" She said with real emotion. "Sophia, I do understand what you are saying as I too feel I must have that crystal, if I did not feel so strongly attached to it I would just say it is yours but I can not say that!" Axel said with honest feeling. "Sophie." she corrected him.  He looked at her puzzled. "I am sorry without my hearing aids and just reading your lips I saw Sophia, is that your real name and you use Sophie?"

"Sophie is my name my parents loved an old neighbor where I was born and when she died they said they would name their baby Sophie if I was a girl obviously. She laughed. "Well Axel was always awkward, it was not bad enough that I was born without hearing but then to give me such a name, I was beaten up a lot, which is why I have gotten my body in good shape, I guess they call it the revenge of the nerd!" He laughed.

 Sophie could not imagine this big handsome man being bullied by anyone but she was not the one growing up deaf in the world of the hearing, the silence had to affect so many things in Axel's life, not hearing the sweet sound of the songbirds on an early summer morning or the lull of the crickets to ease you on to sleep, the sound of the ocean or a thunderstorm, obviously with hearing aids he can get a feeling for these things but did he have hearing aids as a child? there were so many things she wanted to ask this handsome intelligent soulful man, and for a minute she was willing to hand over the crystal to Axel. Then she woke up out of her daydream and said to herself NO that is mine it called out to me, no pity party for this dude he has it all, so what if he can't hear me right now I am sure when he is wearing the hearing aids he is just fine. Wow, she thought I almost fell for the entire revenge of the nerd's thing, there is no way this man does not get everything he wants, look at him in a sweaty t-shirt and shorts and sneaks he looks better than 100% of the guys I have dated in the past year. "What are we going to do about this? it seems we both are not willing to give it up, yet neither one of us has it, should we flip a coin for it?" Axel asked.  "No we are not going to flip a coin for it, let us make a deal that we both arrive the same time tomorrow when they open the store and we will see how much it is, because if it is out of my range it will not be mine, and you can have it, If it is affordable for each of us then we decide what to do right then and there, fair?" Sophie asked. "Fair I guess?" He responded. "But that means we have to trust each other, to be there at the same time, since you live here you can get there before me and buy it the second they open the store."  He said flatly. " I see we have trust issues, either we both get there before the store opens, and wait like civilized people, or if you can't make it on time then you lose your shot and I get it, that is only fair, so you have to get your handsome face out of your apartment earlier than I do! She chided him.  "Ok, I will be there before the shop opens, and we will enter together.

JUST ANOTHER LOOK?

They paid the check and each started walking in the direction of the shop.  "This is incredible I have to see it one more time!" He said.  "So do I!" She said.  They stood in front of the shop making an odd couple, this 6' built man dressed as if he was working out and this 5' woman in jean shorts and a floral tank top in flip-flops. 

The odd thing is as they were standing each admiring their prize four other people came to the shop window and began to speak about the crystal. Each one as determined as Axel and Sophie to purchase it, she was catching bits of conversation, "Yes I was walking by Friday afternoon and it caught my eye, Sophie asked Axel "Can you read their lips and see why they are all here?" He nodded and began to study the group, and saw that they were all talking about the crystal. Shortly there were another ten people gathering at the shop, all seemingly focused on the crystal.

"What is going on? first, it was just me then you and I, now there is a crowd and it's noon on a July Sunday, what the hell is happening?" Sophie asked him.  Axel pulled her away from the crowd. "Sophie, there is something either very good connected to this crystal or very bad, people are not so drawn to an object just because they 'like it'  not like this, now I am beginning to see that even what I am feeling is more of an obsession, than I have ever had before, think about it you are a rational woman why do you want this stone so badly?" He asked as He stood right in her face only inches away. "Oh my god Axel, you are right, at first I wanted it, then when the weekend wore on I had to have it, and you are correct I have ever felt compelled to own something before, if you saw my apartment you would understand, my walls are bare there are no 'things' in my place."  He laughed. "Maybe someday I will see it!" He winked at her and she blushed. "Stop, be serious now you have me thinking that there is something very wrong, and I don't like it!" She scolded him. Sophie was feeling very confused since this behavior was so unlike her normal feelings. "Axel, did you take any photographs of the crystal?" She asked. "I did which was kind of odd since the light was reflecting in such an amazing way that I wanted to capture some of the colors, but when I looked at the pictures on my phone there was no colors, just the stone radiating light."  Sophie took out her phone and showed him the pictures that she took and he nodded slowly and answered. "Yes look at mine!" As he pulled his phone out of his shorts and flipped through his pictures and showed her a very similar photograph. When they turned to look back at the shop window there were easily another fifteen people standing and pushing towards the crystal.

SOPHIE TAKES A LEAP OF FAITH

They looked at each other and decided to step away from the shop and move further down the street. "Now I am feeling kind of sick like there has to be something much deeper happening, and I hate that I was feeling it so severely!" She said with a perplexed look on her face. Axel had studied human emotions his entire life, not hearing words he had to learn to read peoples faces, and Sophie was frightened. "Sophie, I have an idea, but it is going to require a leap of faith on your part, I believe we need to see what we can find out about this crystal since we have the photos we will have to get on a computer and start doing some research, I have to take a shower and get out of these clothes and if I head home it will take me awhile to get back uptown, so what I suggest is that we now must trust each other in a way we could never have done thirty minutes ago, since you are close by you can run home grab what you need, your laptop and anything else and meet me here and then we head back to my apartment where; A- I can get cleaned up and changed into clean clothes and B- have 2 computers to search with." He said with complete seriousness in his tone. She looked at him and could tell that his face was showing a similar fear that she was feeling and that he was not just luring her back to his place. "Ok come with me I am just up the street on 72nd Street." They started walking and saw there were even more people gathered around the shop window and they looked at each other, now both clearly showing both anxiousness and fear. Axel waited in the lobby as Sophie grabbed her laptop and other equipment she would need, and changed into jeans and sneaks. Within a few minutes, they were heading for the downtown subway lines.  Axel's stop was West 4th and they ran up the stairs and he led her to his building, unlocked the door and they quickly ran up the 2 flights, not even wishing to wait for the elevator. Once inside Sophie saw that he was telling the truth his loft looked more like a gym than a home he had a small office area set up with his books and computer, a huge exercise machine that obviously is what created his torso, and a kitchen and up a flight of exposed metal stairs was his sleeping loft and bathroom. He set her up at his desk and asked if she needed anything and she said. A scotch would calm me down." he laughed and said."Help yourself the liquor is in the cabinet below the island." Axel pulled off his t-shirt and ran up the stairs, Sophie was both surprised and delighted that she looked, he had a super body and from what she saw of his profile he was well defined and his back was broad. Axel used to living alone, he dropped his shorts at the top of the stairs as he turned to enter the bathroom on the right and she caught a very fleeting shot of his muscular ass and legs.  Ok now I need that scotch, she thought, and she saw he had a few good ones and that they were not opened so she grabbed the best and tore open the top and poured a good sized one, being a very expensive scotch it went down smoothly with no afterburn that you get from the cheap stuff. She went to the desk area and began to set up her laptop.  At once she pulled out her phone and began to search for crystals that would resemble it's shape and size, Google was everyone's best friend and she pulled up about two hundred thousand images and began to scan each one. After a short while she heard the water stop and saw Axel coming from the bathroom with just a towel and he was visible for just a few seconds as he was determined to get to the bottom of this as well. She heard him running down the steps, within a few minutes he was standing over her and looking at what she had found, his longish black hair was brushed back off of his face and it was still damp and he had a clean white t-shirt and long sweatpants. Sophie also saw that he had these tiny hearing aids in each ear so now could hear her.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

"See anything yet?" he asked innocently and Sophie, not a hard liquor drinker, chuckled that she. "Saw plenty." Since he was able to hear her he asked to see what she saw and she said. "Never mind." "Ok all four eyes are better than two as he turned on his computer and began with another search engine trying to find out anything. 

"Holy shit! There must be a million crystals in the image section, I have an idea." He said. "You check the images and I will see if there are any cursed crystals." Axel had a most determined look on his face, and Sophie smiled, and thought who would have thought, I would be spending a summer sunday in this handsome strangers loft and not feel even a bit odd, in fact I am liking him more as this day is going on. After about 2 hours of a few close calls, they needed a break. "Sophie my eyes are burning from scanning all this trash, there is nothing useful at all, can we stop for a few?" He asked. "Same if I stare at more pictures my eyes will fall out of my head." She laughed. He got up, and lead her to the only other piece of furniture on the first floor of the loft a big angular sectional sofa, there was a stack of papers and books on the side that Axel obviously sat and did most of his work, he cleared this off and offered the spot to Sophie. "It is the best spot you can stretch your legs out and get comfortable." He said. "Thanks Axe" Sophie responded and sank into the soft suede.

"What did you just call me?" He questioned. "Sorry I said Axe, kind of short for Axel, sorry if I offended you, I know some people are super sensitive about their names!" She said awkwardly. "No I don't mind at all my family and a few close friends call me that, so it was kind of cute!" He sat down a few feet away, living most of his adult life in New York city, Axel knew to respect the comfort zone especially with women, and with them really not knowing each other he was very aware to offer her as much space as possible. "Axe, what do you do?" Sophie asked. "I am in corporate acquisitions, for a small firm, that is trying to branch out to grow into a larger company, we kind of seek firms that are poorly managed and we offer to set them up under our banner and rework their management team, I am the guy that does the research and puts the ideas out to the heads of the firm, so I am running around the city all day." He sat back and placed his hands on the back of his head again, it seemed like he sat like that alot, and once again Sophie saw his muscles pulling tightly at the thin t-shirt fabric. "That explains how you can afford a loft like this, downtown it has to be pretty expensive, to have this much space for one guy, so why isn't a guy like you married and settled with a few kids in Connecticut, you seem like a great catch." Sophie stated, not one to hold back. Axel laughed. " I guess you are different than the girls I have dated, sure they like the face, the body, the loft but the sad thing is that when they have to deal with my hearing loss they get turned off, really quickly, seems that not being perfect is a turn off to many of the women I have known." He said and sighed. "Seriously, they would let a man like you slip through their fingers because you are deaf, that has to be the dumbest thing I have heard!" She said incredulously. "Thank you but when they find out that being deaf can be hereditary they say that they can't deal with me and a child living in a silent world when they live in the hearing world!" He told her. "That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard, well I would not look at that as a problem, when there are so many other serious things to be concerned about to raise children that might or might not receive a gene that could affect their hearing, that is just dumb!" Sophie was pretty adamant about her feelings and looked at this perfect man and laughed out loud. "Oh my god sometimes I am so embarrassed of my own sex, Axe I am sorry that you have been dating shallow women, but just so you know there are women out there who have much more sense than them, me for one!" She tried to make an excuse for her sex and it's stupid views.

SUPERMAN'S YOUNGER BETTER LOOKING BROTHER

"New topic" He said. "Sophie, what do you do? that was a nice upper east side building you are living in." Axel asked. "Well it's kind of embarrassing, I work at the Frick Museum, I maintain the artwork, I am an art restorationist, and working at the Frick keeps me busy all the time we have a huge collection of classics, and its so close to the apartment, that is where it gets embarrassing, it was my aunts apartment and its rent controlled, so I have been her since she moved to Italy fifteen years ago. On my salary I could not even afford to rent a storage unit in that building but 'being' my aunt Caroline I am paying 500.00 a month, so I rarely tell that story to anyone and why did I just tell you?" She laughed. He shrugged his shoulders and smiled. " I guess I just have that kind of a face. " He laughed back. "Sure Axel, if superman had a younger better looking brother your face would be the model." Again Sophie said what she thought.

Axel blushed and said. "You really think so?" She said "Yes I really think so, you are almost too good looking!" "Gee thanks a lot that was the worst backsided complement I have ever gotten!" He laughed again. "And I don't see anyone throwing rocks and sticks at you!" Axel said more seriously. "What does that mean?" She asked puzzled. "Well when I was a kid we used to say that about the witch women that we saw and they scared us, you my dear Sophie are no witch woman, its hard to compliment a woman these days if she is beautiful and dumb she thinks you just want to have sex with her, if she is beautiful and smart she wants to slap your face, so I tend to keep my opinions to myself!" He explained. "Oh and which one of those categories do you place me?" She chided. "Seriously you want me to say it? He asked. "Absolutely!" She replied. "Ok lets just say I am far enough away to not get smacked, of course you know that you are both attractive and intelligent, why do you think I wanted to have breakfast with you?" He said. "So it wasn't about the crystal?" "Sadly enough it was about the damn crystal, it just was a bonus that you are a looker." Axel replied.

"Are you hungry?" He asked. "I have to eat all the time, I have plenty of boiled chicken and vegetables but if you want something else we can order in, Tai, Chinese, Italian whatever you want?"

"I am good Axe, eat what you want it's still early for me I am still working off the breakfast we had." Sophie said as patted her flat stomach.

" Are you sure, I will grab some chicken and broccoli from the fridge steamed and boring but my routine, if you want just chill where you are I will be back in

a few minutes." Axel said as he got up from the sofa. Sophie laid back on the soft suede lounge and within a few minutes was deep in sleep mode. Axel saw her kind of pass out and guessed it was the scotch and the stress of not knowing what the crystal was all about. He continued to do a little stir fry mixing in some flavor in case when Sophie woke up she changed her mind. While she was in dreamland the strangest thoughts entered her head, one where they actually broke into the shop to steal the crystal, and another where they had to crush it to dust. She woke up with a startled look in her eyes, almost asking where am I? But she felt unusually soothed when she heard Axel making noise in the kitchen, she got up and joined him at the island. "Ok while I was napping I had the strangest dreams or visions, the first is that we break into the shop and steal the crystal, before they open tomorrow, and the second was even stranger, we had to crush it to dust, and destroy it." He looked at her and saw that she was serious and confused. "Sophie listen we just met and I think you are a great person and all, but I am not about to commit a felony with you, normally I sleep with a woman before I plot a heist." He laughed at the end trying to lighten her mood but she was not really listening, he could see that she was thinking about something, and lost in her own head. "Hello Earth to Sophie, this is Captain Axel, we shall be landing on the planet Zoltor in the next few minutes fasten your seat belts!" He joked, it did catch her and she caught some of what he was saying. "Oh Captain that smells great is there a bit extra for me, the food on Zoltor smells amazing." She laughed back. "See I knew that once I made it you would want some, so yes I made some extra, just for you!" He plated the food and poured the sauce onto her plate, knowing she would prefer the flavor to the bland that he would normally eat.

He handed her a fork and she took a bite. Hey captain Axel this is pretty good, not bad for a dude with superman's body the face of a supermodel, you can cook too."

He pretended that he did not hear one of the few perks of being deaf. He looked up and asked her how she liked it, she gave him a smile and a nod, that was more than enough. "Ok now can you explain what happened when you nodded off and you said breaking in, hmm sounds kind of dangerous, are you one of those danger thrill chicks, like Charlie's Angels?" He was chuckling as he said it. "Well Captain Axel if you are not going to take me seriously I will keep my visions to myself, thank you!" She tried to maintain a level of mock seriousness but it was not working.

SOPHIE'S PLOT

"No please explain your plot I am intrigued, If I am going to be spending the next fifteen years in jail I deserve to know the details." He feigned sarcasm. "Axel we searched and set our eyes on fire and just saw crystal after crystal, we would need months to identify that one, assuming that there is even a recorded story about it, I don't know about you but I can't make the search for the meaning of this crystal my life's work, but if we smashed the window and ran like hell we would have it and now that we understand that it is not some ordinary crystal we can lock it up until we either find out what it is all about or just get it out of the hands of the general population, imagine like you told me earlier what if it has power to do evil and some average Joe or Jane gets it and becomes a serial killer?" Sophie said with conviction.

"Continue you have my undivided attention, and it might surprise you but there is some merit to what you are saying, and I do not throw that word around lightly!"

"Oh my god if you were not so big and on the other side of this island I would clock you with that frying pan!" She was turning red with frustration, Sophie was like a dog with a bone once she grabbed hold of something she was not going to release it, and Axel was not getting her point. "Oh so if i come around to that side of the island you are going to hit me, and they talk about spousal abuse but they never speak about the poor battered husband." He was simply not taking her seriously.

"Man you are pissing me off, I am just going to take my stuff and get out of here, if you will not help me I am sure I can convince another one of those clones to help me!" She said angrily, as she went to the desk to collect her laptop and pad and the other things she brought. He came over to the desk, and tried to calm her down. "Sophie please listen to yourself, you sound about as obsessed with stealing that stone as you were with buying it, take a minute if everyone acted off of some vision they had during a nap the planet would be worse off than it is now, no I do not want you to leave, for a few reasons, I like you, and so far have been enjoying our little adventure, and I don't want to see you end up in real serious trouble over a hunch that I had that there is more to this crystal than we know, and besides where are you going to find another supermodel superman to help you pull off your caper on such short notice?" He was using all his talent as a pitch man to pitch her.

"You sneaky son of a bitch you did hear me before when I complimented you?" She barked at him. "Yes but I was embarrassed not very many people are as colorful as you when they have something to share, I did not know how to react to that, yes I have been blessed with good bone structure and I work my ass off to keep this body in this condition." He stated clearly.

THE CRYSTAL OF XIBALBA

"It seems we are at a stand still on this, so I offer a compromise, we search until 6pm, if in another 2 hours we have nothing, I will listen to every detail of your vision with respect, just as long as you don't objectify me again, deal?" Sophie laughed and said. "I promise to not objectify you again, and you are right if you had spoken to me and said that I had the face of a supermodel and the body of Wonder Woman I would not like it either, so I am sorry I did not know how bad it sounded till you said it objectified you, deal!"

They returned to the desk and set her up again, and this time they switched and she looked up the histories and he searched the images. After an hour or so he did see one that resembled the one they coveted. "Sophie take a look at this one, it is remarkably similar to our crystal!" Axel said excitedly. She took a look and it was very close if not the same one, Axel clicked on it and there was a name and a site, Sophie wrote down the name and he clicked on the site, but it was just a page listing where the stone could be purchased and it was the shop on 69th street. "Let's Google the name and see what come up what did you write down?" He asked. "Crystal of Xibalba"

"Ok got it, it says the origin of this crystal comes from deep within the underwater caves of Mexico, said to be the underground realm of the Mayan Underworld Ruler Gods, there were many caves and the one this crystal is said to have been from is the cave of knives it is filled with crystal formations as large as humans, and to remove a crystal by breaking it from its formation will lead to death if the crystal is taken past the waters of Xibalba, the last recorded location of the stone was in the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City." She said. "Oh my god you were right, this is a cursed stone, and the worst part is that it was stolen from the museum." She exclaimed. "I know that you probably think that makes it fine for us to steal it from the shop, but this is a moral dilemma, we know that it holds a curse and if you believe in such things it then makes it very dangerous for anyone to possess it, so one part of me thinks that if we do steal it we should return it to the museum, and the other part of me thinks that since it should never have left the cave in the first place we should destroy it!" Axel said, in the same calm tone he always spoke. Not nearly as excited as Sophie, who started to check the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City to see if there were any recent thefts reported. "Axe, this is strange they have never reported any theft of any artifacts, so maybe they do not even know the stone is missing, it did not say it was on display or just kept at the museum, maybe it was an inside job an the shop owner is somehow connected to it, remember I work at a museum and there have been priceless items stolen and they were too embarrassed to report them to the police, when realized they had to file a report to try and get the pieces back, there was never any press about it, there are people who work for the insurance companies who are experts at locating stolen art." She said with a passion that only someone who loved art as much as she did could experience. "Sophie we have to think clearly about this, do you believe in curses?" Axel asked with pure sincerity on his face. "If you asked me on Wednesday I would have laughed, we always hear about paintings that have curses of spirits attached to them, I have never given it much thought, but after Friday night and the compulsion to have that crystal, I have changed my mind, why do you?" Sophie asked him. "You would not think it to look at me but I sincerely do and you are right after Friday night and running uptown 3 times in 2 days just to make sure that my crystal was still there, yes I do believe." He continued. "Which makes it even harder, if we take possession of that crystal if even for a few hours will the curse then affect us?" He asked with caution in his tone. "I am not sure, let's Google it, ok the curse ends when the item is destroyed, since the object does no longer exist the curse ends with it, so we would be safe to snatch it and smash it as soon as possible!" She answered. "Ok Bonnie what is your plan?"

BONNIE TEACHES CLYDE HOW TO STEAL

"Well this is how I see it, Madison Avenue on a Sunday night is really quiet, the shop is in the middle of the block so it's not as well lit, as the shops on the corners, so we smash the window and run we are in my lobby before the alarm gets to the police."

She appeared to have it all figured out. "Not a bad plan, I can get to your lobby from 69th Street in a few minutes, you are right, you stay safe in your lobby, I take a brick or something and smash and run, sounds like it's easy enough, I feel like a kid doing a very bad halloween prank!" Axel said excitedly. "Just a minute there stud, why am I waiting in my lobby? this is my idea, I am sure as all get out, going to be apart of this!" She said annoyed. "Listen Bonnie, it's bad enough one of us is sticking his neck out on the line here you think it's better with 2 of us running uptown, in the middle of the night? I wear my running gear and I am just a dude out for a run, how do we explain both of us running in the middle of the night, smells fishy." He said. "Part of me says that you are right, but another part of me says I have to be there too!" She answered. "Listen if you want to make us appear suspicious then come along by all means, I just think it's more logical for me to do it, forget that I am a faster runner, and a man, lets take the gender out of this, you think it's less likely for a witness to identify 2 adults running away from an alarm, than a tall man dressed in dark running clothing?" He asked. "Logic Smogic.. I am going to be on the street when that glass breaks so just forget about you doing this alone, it is not going to happen that way." Sophie stated adamantly. "Damn woman you are so stubborn, ok have it your way, we both go, do you even own running clothes?" He asked with a snide slant to the question. "No but what do I need dark sweats and sneaks, I am sure I own those." She said, it but was running the thought of her wardrobe through her head. "I can't even help you out I don't own any tiny people clothing, wait a minute some of the women I have dated might have left some running gear here, its not like they would be in desperate need of that stuff back, let me check." He ran up the stairs and she could hear him rumbling about over head, he dropped a few items over the rail. "Bonnie check these out they are for a tiny person!" He yelled from the upper loft area. Sophie collected the small pile of clothing all suitibly dark either navy or black, there were a few yoga type pants and a zip up hoodie. "What do you date funeral directors, it's like Morticia Addams threw up in your closet." "Ha ha ha!" He laughed as he came back down the stairs. "They are going to love your stand up routine over on Rikers Island." He smirked. "You did well this stuff will fit, can I wear my black Converse, I am sure that they are the darkest sneaks I own?" She asked excitedly. "Don't ask me I am not the brains of this caper, I am just the brawn, you wear whatever your little heart desires, at this point you can wear a gorilla suit, I have given up!" Axel said exasperated. "Ok Clyde go get dressed, can I watch?" Sophie was goofing on him. "Sure come on up, I doubt I have something you haven't seen before." He replied back as he started up the stairs never thinking that she would follow. "Alrighty then, just to give you a heads up I am comando under these sweats, so you enter at your own risk!"

When they got up to the sleeping loft area Sophie said. "It's really nice up here, do you make your bed everytime you go out for a run? "Yes, why don't you make your bed in the morning?" He asked. "Not every morning, like today for instance I did not make my bed I was just heading out for coffee and to see my crystal, I did not know that I would be out all day having an adventure with an OCD muscle hunk." She lay down on his bed and said. "Ok make my day!" "Now we can do this 2 ways the normal way where I stay dressed while i collect the clothes I am going to put on, but for your stripper enjoyment I can peel it all off and collect in the buff, your preference?" He asked. "Let me think, oh the 2nd option sounds better, please feel free to get naked, and don't give it a second thought that I am laying on your bed!" She smiled as she said it. "No sweat you think that this will bother me, I am naked at the gym all the time, and naked here all the time, with or without company." He peeled his t-shirt off and pulled down his sweat pants and stepped out of them and walked from his closet to his dresser and began pulling out the clean running gear he kept ready. Sophie enjoyed watching him move, his body was soild muscle but sleek like a wild jungle cat every move accented one part of his body or another, when she did glance his "male parts" she was not surprised that they suited the man himself, all the right proportion. Axel was sure she was enjoying the show so he took longer to even get dressed and stood facing her asking which running pants he should wear the ones in his right hand the navy or the ones in his left hand the black all the while standing stark naked facing her with this puppy dog look on his face. "It really doesn't matter Axel they are both fine!" She said trying to not stare straight ahead at his 3 piece set. "So you approve of them, because I can find a dark grey and even a charcoal gray is you want to see more?" He said not moving an inch from where he stood. "Ok the black, now which underwear would like to see me in, these or these?" He was just playing with her now and said. "Maybe none, but I guess it's pointless now that you have seen the boys, if I go commando you will just see them covered in black nylon every inch will still be visible in the nylon anyway."

"Ok you made your point, you are not embarrassed of that body any part of it, you may get dressed now!" She said, defeated. "Are you sure, I am kind of liking this." And he began to swing his pelvis sending all of his parts into a "helicopter motion.

They both burst out into hysterical laughter, it seems they were a better match than either one would have guessed when they first met this morning. He dressed and to be honest, Sophie thought that he was equally beautiful in his black running gear.

"Now your turn!" He said after he was finished tying his sneaks. "It won't be as much fun for you as I am wearing a bra and panties and there is no- zip-zero point in my taking them of and putting them on again." Sophie suggested. "No I think that if everything is fair and gender neutral and you can oggle my private bits I can oggle yours it's only fair!" He sat down on the bed and waved for her to take her clothing off and he meant everything. "Damn you Axel for a man I just met you have a way of manipulating that is superior to anyone I have ever know, no wonder you can afford this loft, you are way too good at what you do!" Sophie refused to be beaten and she peeled off her clothing and unhooked her bra and slipped out of her panties. She stood and turned around doing a mock pirouette and smiled, Axel knowing that she was one tough cookie applauded her for her ability to play the game that she started. "Very nice, my hearing might suck but my eyes thank you!" He stood and handed her the running gear, obviously as sign to get dressed, her point was made and taken. Once they were dressed, they went down the stairs and he said. "Let's take the subway, and for breaking the window I have a hammer we can toss at it, a small weight would work, wait I have a brilliant idea they are doing demo on one of the older lofts we can grab something there!" Axel was as excited as he sounded before when he was thinking of this as a wicked Halloween prank. Sophie saw the gleam in his eyes and said this is what he missed growing up, having this kind of trouble, being a nerd and the kid everyone picked on they never did anything exciting. Now he was bounding down the stairs like a great big puppy searching for the perfect item of demolition. When he found just what he was looking for he handed it to Sophie. "Sophie, see its perfect just a bit bigger than a softball and its solid concrete, so we can hide it easily and when the time come CRASH right through the glass!" She could almost smell the rise in testosterone, coming from the overgrown kid.

THE CAPER IS NOT ALWAYS AS EASY AS YOU THINK

The entire subway ride uptown Axel was as excited as a kid on Christmas morning, waiting for the anticipation, of seeing the tree filled with presents. "Axe, can you calm down a little you are drawing attention to us." Just as soon as she said it she realised that in reality someone who was as good looking as Axel always drew attention towards himself, not that she didn't either, and this was New York after all 2 attractive people dressed in black was not uncommon. "Can I be honest with you?" She asked. "Of course, what is it?" He turned towards her and faced her, very closely, so no one else on the train could hear. "I am kind of scared, I hate to admit it since you seem to be enjoying this and I was the one who was all bravado, about doing it, and you were the wise voice of caution!" She said rather quickly, as if she anticipated him saying I told you so. But he didn't he did something else that took her completely by surprise. He took her hand and kissed it, ever so gently on her palm and closed her fingers around the kiss. She looked at the handsome man only inches away and kissed his cheek, which by now was rough with stubble from a day without shaving. "Ouch!" she said softly to his face. He ran his hand over his cheek and agreed. "Ouch is right!" and they both laughed. There was no denying that they shared the excitement of this adventure, and maybe it fueled a level of comfort that they experienced together. "I have to tell you I have never dated a woman like you, outspoken, not shy, very confident, normally they are smart, sophisticated business women, acting rather tough in a boardroom, but once we go out on a date they become frail delicate orchids, without opinions, or a unique thought of their own, I know it's just a game, they are plotting to lure me into this caveman justice thing, where I will be the big strong man, and they are the weak helpless woman. Meanwhile they are building the trophy room in that house in Connecticut that you joked about earlier, never thinking that I am smart enough to see right through the plot." He admitted. "But the second we get serious and are sharing a bottle of wine on the sofa and I tell them the genetic reality of my hearing loss, they find a very quick excuse to slip back into their $500.00 shoes and beeline for the door." There was a sadness in his green eyes as he spoke, Sophie noticed, and she felt sorry for the big guy. "Well you have a new friend after today, we did everything but sleep together." She laughed and he laughed as well. "I am glad we got past the few bumps in the road throughout the day, I am happy to have you as a friend, even if you are nuts!" He said. "Hahahaha, Axel you are too funny, this is us Lexington and 68th street. The exited the train noticinging the early arrivals from the outer rims of the city, sunburned faces, flip flops and weekend bags. "They are coming back, there goes the neighborhood!" Sophie laughed nervously. He placed his hand on her lower back as they walked off the train. She liked the way he held her, it made her feel like they were a couple and she was very proud to be seen with him. "Now I am getting nervous!" Axel said. By placing his hand on Sophie he felt a bit calmer, but if she knew how he was shaking inside she would get a huge kick out of his discomfort. When they got to the street level it was dark, since it was now close to midnight, and the upper east side would still be vacant mostly until monday at this time by then all the "weekenders" would be back, now it was the lower salaried employees that did not have the luxury to come back anytime on monday they wished, the ones that had to be in the office before 9am. So they passed few pedestrians and the flow of taxi and car traffic was light as well. As they approached the corner of Madison and 69th they both got a case of the nerves, and had to take a deep breathe. Walking quickly towards the mid block they never expected to see a small crowd 'camped out' in front of the shop but there were about 10 people some in chairs some laying on sleeping bags even a small tent. They stopped turned around and went back around the corner. "Oh man I never expected this, what do we do now?" She asked him. "You are kidding right? how would I know, hello my first robbery!" Axel responded sarcastically. "We have to get rid of these people, do you think it would be weird to call the cops and say there is a gang on the street outside "our" apartment?" She suggested. "That is not a bad idea it will disperse the bulk of them, but I am sure there will be a few stragglers, who will fade back for awhile remember the call of this crystal is powerful, look what it did to us and we are level headed intelligent people, imagine what it would do to a moron?" He joked. "I like the idea, and I am sure that we can get it to work, the only problem is when we call they can trace our cells, and if they track our cells they will know we were the ones who smashed and ran and then it's only a matter of time before they catch one of us, and is it fair that if one got caught and the other goes free." She argued. "Look there is no reason for that, if one goes in we both go in, pinky swear!" Axel extended his pinky and she started to laugh. "So this is how you high power broker dudes close a multi million dollar deal, hahahaha!" She was beside herself. "No this is how us high power broker dudes close a multi million dollar deal." And he grabbed her and lifted her into the air and planted a very intense passionate unfriend like kiss on her. After he kissed her he put her feet back on the sidewalk.

"Ok can you keep showing me how you earn the big bucks, But I have to tell you something, and you are probably not going to like it, but that kiss was not that great, I have had better when I kissed my uncle Cyril." She said frankly. "It was only because I caught you off guard, here now you can see it coming!" He swooped her into his arms and planted a big hollywood kiss right on her, after about 30 seconds he stepped back. "So how was that for you?" She burst out laughing, and he started laughing as well. "Sorry that did nothing for me no bells no whistles no fireworks, nothing, trust me I have seen you naked and I would love to eat a hot fudge sundae off your abs, but there is just no chemistry in the kiss, I am glad we got that over with though, so now we can focus on the matter at hand." She stated. "I have to admit I wanted to feel it too, but you are right nothing, I could have kissed my Nana and gotten something more, I guess we are just supposed to be friends and leave it at that!" He said sadly. He continued. "But you are right I was looking at how firm your body was, and I was delighted that it had me going there, it's not often that I find a woman who is built just like I like them, most have the right chests and big bottoms but your ass is perfection and those tits carved from marble." He sighed. "Can you believe us, Hercules meets Diana, and we have the chemistry of Edison meets Tesla!" Sophie sighed as well.

"Like you said at least that is over, we can concentrate on what we are doing next, I do have an idea that we can try, if I ask you this please answer me seriously, yes?" Axel asked. "Sure as you can tell by now I am pretty honest, almost too honest, but ask?" Sophie responded. "If you did not know me, dressed like this, and I came over to you after running by and said I was a off duty cop would you believe me?" He looked carefully at her his green eyes imploring her to answer the answer he had in his head. "Yeah dressed like that and built like you are, I would question the hair being a bit longer than standard cop hair, but you have the look for sure, especially if I did not know you!" She answered honestly. "Good that was what I was hoping that you would say." He said excitedly. " I will start running a few blocks back, work up a good sweat and run past this group and double back and ask what they think they are doing blocking the sidewalk, I will go all off duty cop going for my 1am run before I start my shift and they have 5 minutes to get the hell off the sidewalk, or when I get to the precinct I will send a car over to make sure they do!" He said boldly. "I like it no phones no real cops, and you should scare the bejeezus out of most of them, and when you come back and see any still lingering you can pull your phone out and call the weather, and tell them to send the car asap,

I LOVE this idea Axel, you are really pretty good at this." She complimented him. "Can't kiss worth a shit but you are a great play actor!" She had to throw that in. "Listen sister you did not make my pants any tighter with that kiss yourself!" He added. "Ok this is the plan stay here give me like 15 minutes I want them to see me winded and sweaty, I will head down town about 10 blocks and run as fast as I can, luckily I know this route since that stone came into my life, when you see me about a block away stay on this side of the street as close to invisible as possible, head just across the street from the shop, I will be loud enough so you will hear me and when you see them start to break up, call me, my phone only vibrates so they will not know that I am heading back, once its clear we will get the crystal and head up to your place, plan?" He saw her shake her head and he started running like a flash he was a black blur. Too late to tell him that she had his phone in the bag they brought! Now how was she to let him know the crowd broke up after he took off? Luckily I have the rock here so when the crowd splits I will smash and run and he will know to head back to my place once he sees the broken glass. For a smart guy he got pretty excited to become a criminal, she laughed to herself. He was much faster than he even thought so in less than 10 minutes he was coming up Madison Avenue, she saw him and started to slink with the darkness up the street. Not that anyone would have noticed the people across the street were arguing amongst themselves, she could hear almost every word and saw who the alphas were, this one woman large with flaming red hair and dressed in the most garish outfit that Sophie could imagine, think clown she said to herself. The other alpha was a older guy leftover hippie would be the best description of him, tie dyed shirt, horn rimmed glasses and ratty jeans and nasty ugly sandals. If I knew what the curse actually did I would let them have the crystal on clothing values alone, forget the fact that they were both loud and rude, the others were meek compared to these two who were determined to each get that stone. Axel came on to the corner of 69th street and was soon at the scene. He ran past the commotion and did a turn around, and walked up with a serious attitude in this body language Sophie could clearly see there was a new alpha in town and they knew it as well. "What the hell is going on here?" He demanded as he walked up to the small crowd. "Who the hell wants to know?" was the comment asked by the hippie dude. "What did you say to me?" Axel was laying it on really well he approached the man and shoved his chest in his face. "Uh I asked" said the hippie meekly. "Off duty Sergeant Andrew Whitney 112th precinct, now answer my question, I asked what the hell is going on here?" The redhead spoke up. "We is just waiting for this place to open, to buy something, thats all officer, I swear." Axel shot back its 2am this place will not be open for another few hours let me see." And he walked over to the door. "It says they open at 10 am you can't loiter out in the street for 8 hours, you people go on home come back when they open in the morning." He said gruffly. "Uh no offense intended Sergeant but you got some I.D.?" The hippie asked. Axel grew really agitated. "Do I look like I have any God Damn I.D. I am out for my 1am run on my way to the precinct, you want I.D. here is my I.D. you all get the hell off of my street because when i get to the station I will have a car down here hauling everyone of you in for illegal loitering, in case you don't know it thats a $750.00 fine or a night in lock up, now get the hell out of here this is my last warning!" He barked. 7 of the 10 quickly grabbed their chairs and tent and other belongings and started to leave. "What is the problem with you 3 did I not make myself clear." He leaned on the one guy who just grumbled something Sophie did not hear and walked away. Leaving the 2 alphas, the redhead and the hippie, "I ain't leaving till he leaves!" She said. "Well I ain't till she does!" Shouted the hippie who pulled out his phone, and began dialing "Yes can I have the number for 112 precinct, New York City New York, please connect me." Axel pulled an amazing move and grabbed the guys phone out of his fat little hand and threw it to the street shattering most of the glass screen and bits of plastic. The redhead started running downtown in her ridiculous gold sandals. "Hey buddy what is your problem, that was an MT 673 the latest model, cost me 600. bucks." He shouted at Axel.

Who leaned on the man and in his best sergeant Whitney grit his teeth together and hovered over the fat hippie. "Ask me if I give a rats ass about your mother fucking phone you little smart aleck prick!" He growled in the man's face. "Hey don't lean on me like that, I will report you for police brutality. " Screamed the fat old hippie. "Yeah you fat little fuck who do you think they are going to believe, some over age hippie or the Sergeant of the local precinct especially when there are no witnesses, the way I see it you have 2 options, either I beat the fucking attitude out of you right here and now, or I head back to the precinct put out a call for your, fat mother fucking ass and beat you senseless in the holding tank and collect a $750.00 fine and lock your fat ass overnight, ok make that 3 you get your fat ass off my street on the count of 3 or I do number 1 and 2 on you!" Axel spat out the last few words in the mans face. "Ok, ok I am going but you ain't heard the last o'this, be sure of that!" The old hippie shouted back as he began to run down the street as fast as his fat little legs could carry him. Sophie crossed the street when the man went around the corner and took out the concrete ball. "Bravo that was an excellent performance, you even had me scared when you grabbed and smashed his phone that was epic!" She gave him a high five and he slapped her back harder than she thought he would. "Who gets the honor?" He asked tossing the stone from one hand to the other. "It was my idea, but that performance earns you the right to lob that son of a bitch right through that glass! She stated proudly. "No I insist that you do it I have had more fun tonight than in the last 15 years, I am good!" He handed her the stone and before he could say another word she tossed it through the plate glass window, setting off a shrieking alarm. He reached in and grabbed the crystal and wrapped in leather and put it in the sack and they took off. The one thing they did not count on was the fat old hippie pulled over a passing squad car on Lexington Avenue and as soon as the alarm when off a siren went off so they could not run towards Sophie's apartment and the subway was too far to run. "Ok Axel you asked me to trust you on a leap of faith I am going to ask the same of you right now, follow me!" She grabbed his arm and turned him around away from the sound of the alarm and the squad car.

THE FRICK YOU SAY?

It was a true leap as she lead him down the alley as she fumbled for her keys. "Got them, ok I will go in and release the alarm code, we will be very safe in here." He just saw a sign that said SERVICE, he had no idea where she was taking him, and after the day they had he was fine with trusting her. She opened the door and turned on the lights and slid the bolts into place. "Welcome to the Frick Mansion, home of the Frick Museum, my office is down this way." She lead the way and he was amazed at what he was seeing, just stacked up along the corridor. "Axel just be careful we are doing a remodeling of one of the smaller galleries so the work is here until tomorrow or should I just say in a few hours." "I am impressed that you have the keys to a museum, when you said that you were an art restorer I never thought they would get keys, to a place like this, there is millions of dollars of art right here in the hallway!" He said with a wave of his arm. "Remember when I said that my story was kind of embarrassing, well this is the more embarrassing part, I told you about my aunt Caroline moving to Italy, well it's not just the apartment she left me, she owns the building and it will pass to me when she dies but more importantly she is a trustee for the museum and since I am family I am as well, which is why I have keys, we really never exchanged last names in our little adventure today, my last name is Addison, my Grandmother was a Frick, so my name is actually on the list in the front of the museum as a trustee and family member to the Fricks." She said almost blushing. "You mean to tell me I have been running around and got naked with a Fricking heiress!" He burst out laughing "Hahahaha, no we never exchanged last names, mine is Rockefeller, hahahaha! He was laughing so hard.

"Thanks I am glad that you find this amusing, that is why I never share this info with most people." She stated. "Well I am glad that I am not most people, so you are right we are safe as we can get this place is a fortress, and besides you have keys, the police probably even know you on sight, oh look its that Fricking kid again!"

"Addison not Frick, so you can stop with the Fricking jokes, Axe, we need to smash this son of a bitch, into dust just in case the curse is true." Sophie exclaimed. "Yes you are right there must be a utility room for a handyman, someplace where there are big tools that we can take this down to dust, in a building like this there are probably a few places we could look, Sophie, maybe where they are doing the renovation?" He asked. "Good idea there should be all kinds of tools the workmen leave over the weekend it's not like that have to worry about theft, not here anyway." She lead him through the galleries that always had a backup lighting system in place. "I would love to see this place like a real tourist not a robber!" He joked. "Anytime my friend anytime." She replied. "Ok here is the mess they left on Friday afternoon, they were sure in a rush to get out of town they split like 2:30, nice hours 5am to 2:30!" Sophie said. "Much better than mine I have to take over seas calls at 5am some days and take meetings till midnight on others, I would love a normal job, but I am the best at what I do, if I must say so myself!" He boasted, no matter what he said he was not competing with the story she just told him. "No you were amazing when you played that cop role you had me scared to death, no wonder they ran I would have run, you did an excellent job, so I am sure when you are doing your job you are excellent at it, after spending the day and night together I can see how you think and you are quick on your feet." She said honestly. "It has been one hell of a day so far, and I can safely say we both misjudged the other at breakfast. He admitted. "I agree!" She admitted as well. "All right let's take a look at this thing, but remember that it has some serious old Mayan voodoo, so before I open this up we have to make a pact that no matter how much we might want to keep this we MUST destroy it, agreed?" He asked. "Yes I agree, lets see it!" She said excitedly. He removed it from the leather he wrapped it in when he placed it in the sack, even in the dull lighting in the closed off area where there was construction when the crystal was exposed it was brilliant, it was clear where it needed to be clear and there was a wave captured forever in solid crystal of movement that looked like a large wave crashing upon itself. It was captivating, beautiful and easy to see why the first person who fled from the underwater cave had wanted it so badly. "Wow, look at that wave, it's as if its frozen water, trapped within the body, it is so beautiful." He said mesmerized by the majesty. "When I saw it the sun was casting colors through it and they were moving as if they were alive, I thought it was stunning then but up close it's like a rare jewel, Axel how can we destroy this?" "I agree it would be like taking the Hope diamond and cracking it to pieces, we have to return it to the museum, like the treasure it is we can hop on a plane tomorrow, ok later today and fly to Mexico City it's only a few hour flight." He said staring into the stone. "Axel let me hold it now, so we agree we can not destroy it, come on let me hold it!" She said, as she tried to take it from his hands he would not let go and she began to pull at his hands. "Give it to me I want it now, you have held it long enough!" She was shouting and he refused to let go, she then began to hit him at first she was punching his stomach, he did not feel it then she reached for a plank and went to swing at him he moved out of the way but would not give up the stone. "Why should I give it back I have it now I wanted it and now I have it I will keep it!" He said as a stream of consciousness. She took another swing at him and this time he did not see her and she whacked him across the back. It hurt and for a second he took his eyes off of the stone and turned to her with a hatred and evil look in his eyes as if he were not holding the stone he would grab her by the throat and strangle her she hit him again and again. He was not giving up the stone, after the last slam with the plank she hit him on the head and he fell forward not letting go of the stone he fell on his face, she jumped on his back and pulled at his hair to lift his head and began at scratch at his face, he could either get clawed by her nails or let go of the stone, he held the stone as she scratched near his eyes, the blood flowed from the marks on his face. When some of the blood dripped onto the stone it began to get hot and he couldn't hold it any longer and he dropped it, it was glowing white hot as the blood burned off of it. He backed away and she ran to pick it up and the intense heat burned both of her hands and she screamed and dropped it her skin was burnt red where she held it. The stone began to cool down and the clear color returned to it Axel backed away wiping the blood from his face. He went to Sophie who looked at him as if for the first time and she burst into tears. "Oh my god Axel what have I done to your face, your beautiful face, you are scarred." She then looked at her own hands her life depended on her hands every piece of art she restored was worth millions all work in the Frick, it all depended on her hands and they were burnt red and raw. She screamed and fainted from both the pain and the horror of what she had done to Axel. He called 911 emergency. "Yes I said the Frick Museum, no not outside inside the Frick there has been an accident, hurry!" He lifted her and laid her down on a pile of sheetrock stacked for the renovation. He then ran to get water he saw a lounge near where they entered and ran to the fridge he grabbed 4 bottles of water and ran back to Sophie. Tore off a sleeve from his running shirt and soaked it with the cold water and placed it on the back of her neck she was cooling down and coming to. "Sop, don't worry I called an ambulance how do I let them in?" He asked her as calmly as possible."In my office there are keys to all the doors, the alarm is off, she slowly took some of the water. "Oh Axel how can you ever forgive me, how can I forgive myself for what I have done to you!" she sobbed. "Sophie its nothing they are just scratches your hands are what is important, I need you to help me find the entrance, I can hear the sirens they are here." She told him which way to go to get the keys then to let them in. They had to sedate her when she was in the ambulance and someone was attending to his scratches. "What happened back there the attendant asked. " We accidently stumbled into the construction site and I fell and scratched my face on some metal wire and when Sophie went to turn on the light the fixture blew up in her hands." He was a cool lair. And they believed the story. "Will her hands be alright, is there permanent damage?" He asked. "No the burns are all superficial, there will be some pain for a while and then blistering and peeling but the damage is not deep she was lucky that you were there if she held that fixture any longer it would have burned down to her nerves and she would have lost the sensations in both hands but this is far from that, she will have no permanent damage this is about as serious as if she placed her hands on a hot cooktop, for a few seconds it hurts like hell and looks so much worse than it is but again it was good that you were there." The attendant said. "And you sir are lucky as well if that wire had gotten just a hair closer it would have taken out your eye, right now you might feel some numbness near your eye, it's just the nerve has pressure from the swelling, you should have fairly minimal scarring, if any, the wounds were not deep, overall I would say that you both escaped far more serious injuries. You have no idea Axel thought.

When Sophie woke up later that morning both her hands had been heavily bandaged so that there would be no chance of infection as the skin blistered and peeled off and the new skin was forming. The first thing that she saw when she opened her eyes was Axel asleep in the chair in her room, his face bandaged it too looking far worse than the actual damage, his eyes were black and blue in all the places where the bandages did not cover them. Sophie started sobbing when she saw his face believing that she had ruined his beautiful face forever. When he heard her sobbing he woke up and called for the nurse to give her more pain killers since she was now awake and feeling the pain. He leaned over and asked. "Sophie honey are you ok, or in terrible pain? I rang for the nurse already they will get you something for the pain." She could see the liquid forming in his own eyes, was he crying for her or for the pain that he was feeling, she thought. After the nurse left and they were alone, she had the courage to ask, "Axe what did you do with it, you did not leave it for any innocent person to stumble upon it?" "No Sophie before they came to take care of you I wrapped it in the leather and stuck it back in the bag, it MUST be destroyed!" He was adamant. "I agree, if you can ever understand what happened." He told her to stop and not to say another word. "Sophie whatever evil possessed you, took me as well, I can not remember anything until the blood dripped on it and what happened after that, anything else that happened before I was not aware of so possessed from the curse was I, that none of theses bruises were even felt, and the doctor said that there will be no scarring, the scratches were just superficial, and the very best news is that although your hands are in severe trauma right now, there is no nerve damage the worst thing is that you will blister and peel and new skin will already have been formed, you will be out of work for a few weeks, but then so will I, but know in your heart and soul that we are both extremely lucky that nothing more serious happened." He said as calmly as he was able, she appeared so fragile. "But Axel, you need to know that I could have killed you for that god damned stone." She said as the painkillers were taking their effect. "And If you had unwrapped it and held it I could have killed you, all of that is not important, now what is important that in about 5-6 weeks we will both be as good as new." He said, with a painful smile.

I know what we will have to do, as soon as you are able to leave the hospital." He looked up and she was asleep.

MS SOPHIE LEARNS TO BE HUMBLE

When Axel came to pick her up, he had a surprise for her that she could never have guessed. "Ok miss, here is the deal, you are staying at my place, so you make a list of what you need and I will send my secretary to go and get all of it from your place, everything is ready to go you will be doing some work for me, while you are staying." He told her. "Axel seriously this is not necessary, I can take care of myself, I don't want to bother you with being in your space!" She argued. "Listen you will be no bother to me, in fact as I said I will be needing your help, I have this walk in closet on the first floor of the loft and I never had any use for it, I imagine the architect thought of a woman when he carved out a 10' x 10' space, as a closet, because seriously I could never even own enough clothing to fill a space that large, and you saw the space I already use upstairs and how OCD my closets are, so instead of letting all that prime NYC real estate go to waste, I need a guest room and I want you to design it, pick the color, pick everything down to the last knick or knack whichever you prefer." Axel said very seriously. "Besides I have already hired a nurse to come everyday to change your bandages and get you anything you need during the day, I will be home at night in case you need anything then, it all makes perfect sense, what are you going to do alone in your place, you can't even hold a glass of water by yourself." He told her. "Axe I don't know what to say, except thank you!" Sophie was taken by this act of kindness from the man she almost blinded and possibly could have killed. The taxi took them right to his place and he let her in, the nurse was already there and she greeted them as they came in. "Hello Mr. Axel, and is this me patient, How you do miss, my name is Elizabeth, but all me patients call me Liza." The nurse said with her accent from the island of Saint Vincent, a mixture of british, and a creole french twist. "Hello Liza, call me Axel, I don't need the MR. and this is Sophie, now Liza she can be tough so you need to lay down the rules right away, or she will walk all over you." He told her. "Mr. Axel, this sweet chile with the face of an angel, will not be given me no hard time, for that you can be sure, she be the sweetest lil thing, right chile?" Liza purred at Sophie. "Well I can tell you right now, that I am not sweet, and I have really sharp teeth, so don't get too close!" Sophie said, as she could not take the saccharine sweetness. "Ok I will leave you 2 ladies to sort out what you need to do I have a meeting so if you will both excuse me, I am out of here!" Said Axel as he backed towards the door.

"Chicken!" Sophie yelled as he closed the door behind him.

"Liza, can you make a pot of tea? I am sure he has some in this space he calls a kitchen, I need to look at the room he wants me to make over for him while we get to know each other, during my stay here." Sophie said, she was not used to being treated like a child or a invilid and right now she felt like both, but she would not have it and the sooner she got to work the sooner she could have a room for herself and not take Axel's bedroom, while he slept on the sofa. It was a difficult transition for Sophie to not do what she wanted when she wanted, but not having the use of either hand she really was at the mercy of this woman, this Liza, and it really pissed her off! She went to the room that was to be the new guest room and saw that it was a great space to work with a true square and with just the door wall and the small very high window she saw that she had many options she could do.

"Ms Sophie what would like in you tea?" Liza called from the kitchen. "Just a teaspoon of sugar would be fine, thank you Liza." She responded back. As she began to look for the paper and pen that he had given her to make a list for his secretary to get from her place. "Liza I am going to need your help with this list."

Sophie said as she walked back into the kitchen, the pad and pen were on the huge island that made up the bulk of the lofts open kitchen she sat on a stool and asked Liza to join her. "Here ya go darlin." as she placed the tea down in front of Sophie and the 2 of them looked at the bandages on her hands and then down at the mug and both started to laugh out loud. "Liza I guess I am going to be needing you alot more than I thought, have a seat and get comfortable, lets just look at this like we are friends more than a nurse and a completely useless woman!" Sophie smiled, but Liza could see there was so much hidden just below the surface of that smile. "Ms Sophie, I been doin this for bout 27 yeahs so there isn't nothin I has not seen, you needs to get over the fact that you be needing my help for the next couple o weeks, so just let me do me job and you be doing yours and we be getting along jes fine!"

Liza said as she brought the mug up to Sophies lips, which was about the last thing Sophie could handle and she broke down and began to sob. Liza placed the mug on the island and patted Sophie on the back. "Ms Sophie you gonna be fine it is jes for a short while, and when I be changing you bandages I give you my expert opinion, no doctor is better than Liza an if you hands be not so bad i be telling you that, if they be taken longer i be telling you that too, so chile you jes let out all them tears and Liza be taken care oh you!" Sophie lost it and began to cry deeply, as Liza comforted her.

SHE LOVES ME SHE LOVES ME NOT

By mid week things were moving along, the painters had finished the room, and the furniture that she ordered began to arrive and she learned that after Liza changed her bandages that it was going to be a little longer than they first thought, Sophie had burned her hands on the crystal maybe a few seconds too long for the healing to be very rapid. But she and Liza were getting along very well, once Sophie knew that even a simple task like using the restroom required Liza's help she adapted to the fact that she was going to have to take her pride and place it in a box for the time being, she was very aware of her schedule and made sure that she had everything done before Liza left for the evening and Axel began his shift, she refused to have him bath, or assist her in any toiletries that was just too personal and found ways to avoid having to ask him.

He was pleased that the 2 women got along and they did not each come to him to complain about the other, he would often catch them in mid laugh a he entered the loft. Women bond differently than men do he thought, since he put himself in Sophie's position often and knew that he would have a very hard time of someone bathing and assisting him using the bathroom, being OCD he would rather die than to be at someone's mercy to take care of nature's calling. At first the adjustment was awkward for them as he had to change her bandages in the evening and help her get out of her clothing, she opted to sleep nude than to be a further burden by having to place sleeping attire on her after he undressed her. She was content to slip into her robe and spend the time before bed chatting with him. He had a harder time coming home to his place with painters and furniture blocking the door, and dealing with the fumes when he went to use his gym equipment, also the fact that he was not alone but with 2 women now in is very private space left him a bit resentful. They always greeted him warmly, but many days he would just go to his bedroom and spend some time alone before he came down to have dinner. Having Liza to prepare dinner meant that he was eating no take out but well prepared meals Sophie would suggest something and the 2 women would work it out so when Axel arrived there was always some new wonderful smell, and Liza used the appliances that came with the deluxe kitchen, items he never even knew what they were for. She would set them up for dinner and then pack up for her trip to Brooklyn to her own family. Axel and Sophie both were a bit self conscious when it came time to eat as he had to really serve her every bite she took, but after a few days even that settled into a routine. Axel was happy with the colors and the items that she selected, instinctively he knew that she would add her own spin to the design of the room and he liked her taste since she used his only furnished room the bedroom, she knew how he liked things to be. He had hired a designer to do that room and after a short while they were sleeping together, so she did create a space that pleased him, Sophie took many cues and added the same style to the new guest room.

"Honey I am home!" He took to saying as the women were putting the finishing touches on dinner. "Hello Love!" they would both respond to his welcome. Often giggling like 2 school girls after they said it. He caught them off guard every night when he changed into his workout clothes, no matter how they were designed they were like second skin on Axel's body and the 2 of them would often give him a good once over every night when he came down. He never really noticed since he would get focused on the workout routine that night demanded. When he came in for a cold water after his first hour dripping with sweat and budging in the parts of his body that got attention that night they would stop what they were doing and often catch their own breath when he came into the room. "That man is the closest thing to a god I ever done seen!" Was Liza's reply very often. She then would question Sophie. "You say that man right there done kiss you like a fish?" Sophie would always answer with the truth, that he was the worst kisser she had ever met since 6th grade. "Tut tut tut, so sad god done gave him all the right parts in all the right places and he ain't give him the kiss! Liza would reply. Then they would laugh and Axel would enter the room and ask "What is so funny, you 2 laughing it up in here?" "Jes girl talk Mr. Axel, you don't pay us no mind!" Liza would respond. He would look at Sophie. "What she said!" was her reply. He would shake his head and go take a shower before dinner. Hearing them laughing as he went up the stairs.

At the start of week 3 things were very settled and the guest room was done, Sophie asked if she could switch bedrooms with him and then he could have his own room back. He was not sure how to respond, he didn't want her to think that he needed his own bedroom back as desperately as he did, but he didn't want to kick her out since she was still recovering. "Axe I have worked so hard on the guest room, please allow me to be a guest and not a pest!" She answered. "Ok Sophie if you are sure I will bring down your stuff from the bathroom upstairs after dinner, it should only take a trip or two." He said relieved to be getting his own space back. "Well we kind of did it already today, I knew that I was going to set up down here so Liza brought down all my stuff, tonight my dear friend you have your own wonderful bed back again." She smiled heartedly as she said it. "Oh Sophie I am so really touched that you had decided to do that, it is really sweet of you, the couch can get a bit much after a few weeks." "And I have other great news when Liza changed the bandages today she said that I am past the infection stage and that I don't need them to be so heavily wrapped any longer and she said that in about a week I can start wearing cotton gloves and begin to start the physical therapy to get my finger muscles back into shape!" She said brightly. "Sophie that is the best news, I am so happy for you." he grabbed her and lifted her up into the air. "Hey big fella put me down, it is great news I am so excited, but I would like it better if my feet were on the ground!" She laughed as he lowered her and hugged her. "I am so happy I could kiss you right now, but I won't, we both know how that would turn out." Axel laughed. "So in about 2 weeks I can move back home and Liza can work with me there, and you don't have to keep paying her, I am sure that you will be delighted to be getting rid of me, after all I have been cramping your style you have not been on a date since the 'experience', and I am sure there are plenty of NYC women wishing I would get the hell out of your loft!" She beamed as she told him, she did read his face and was a bit curious that he did not have a smile as large as her own. "Axel you are going to be free again, to get back to your old amazing life, no more ball and chain to come home to every night, no more pretending to be enjoying the crazy food we have been making, and your privacy back it's a beautiful thing, right?" Sophie asked puzzled at his reaction. "Yeah I guess you are right I just have gotten used to coming home to people and laughter, and the smell of homemade food not the take out menu, even our talks after dinner sitting and just enjoying our down time, it felt like my loft was a home, for god's sake I was thinking about getting a dog!" He said with a sad look in his eyes. "Truth be told as much of a pain in the ass you are it was kind of nice having my own pain in the ass to come home to!" He said. "Axe, this is how odd we are as a couple, we have no sexual chemistry but I could rip your clothes off and attack your body, I am celebrating giving you your life back and you are sad that you are getting your own life back, do you think we are crazy or just insane?" She asked perplexed. "I guess you would need to define the difference for me before I can answer that, and you are always so free to talk about how you would ravage my body, did you ever think that I have not thought the same thing about you, because if we are telling the truth, I have been alone down here night after night thinking how much I want to have sex with you!" He confessed.

"Axel you never let on that you felt that way I did not know, you keep everything to yourself, hence my wishing to give you back your old life, I thought you were just quiet because you missed having the freedom to date and have privacy in your own home." "Sophie I have a huge problem, I have fallen in love with you, and for the record I have been loving your beautiful body since the first day when you got naked for me, at my age I am having wet dreams about a woman who is laying naked in my own bed, talk about crazy and insane!" He shouted. "Axel don't shout at me, I have done nothing wrong, and I have enjoyed staying with you, I am alone all the time having Liza and you in my life has made me feel so alive, like I am not about to turn into a crazy cat lady, but Axel I have to be honest I do not Love you in a romantic way, you have been the best friend I have ever had, and you have taken care of me in ways that no one has ever done, most the guys I have dated have never cared about me the way that you do, just the simple things have been so wonderful for me, are you sure that you are not confusing the comfortable way we interact with love?" She asked sincerely. "Sophie I don't know what to think anymore, since we have met nothing has been normal, the 'experience' and everything we have done since has been so confusing for me, I know that I love you in my life, and who the hell knows maybe I am just so horny I have been dreaming about you because I see you all the time, all I know this is the closest thing to a family I have experienced since I moved to New York, and maybe I am just mixing the warmth of coming home to a home with romantic love, all I know is in 4 weeks my life was turned upside down and instead of hating it which I thought I have grown quite fond of you and Liza being here, and now that you are telling me that you will be leaving, it just brought the reality that I have been so lonely as well for the past year or more." Axel was opening up in ways that he was not comfortable with. "Let's just forget about it and celebrate your healing and we will deal with you leaving when you do, and not before, Ok?" He said trying to force a smile on his face. He went to his wine fridge and grabbed a good bottle of red, and placed it on the table. Liza came out of the lower level bathroom where she was putting the last of Sophie's items away, it was unclear just how much she heard, but Axel knew that she had sense enough to stay out of the way during the conversation they just had. "Hello Liza, Sophie I am going up to change and join you both for a celebration dinner, thats right Liza you are having dinner with us tonight, to celebrate the wonderful news that I get my bedroom back!" He bounded up the stairs still very confused and embarrassed that he shared so much of his private thoughts to Sophie, he knew it had to come out one way or another and he regretted saying it the minute the words left his lips. But what is done is done, he thought as he pulled off his suit and tie and grabbed some comfortable clothes and was soon down with a big smile on his face. During dinner they laughed and joked and he made a toast to 2 of the craziest women in NYC and they clapped. "I also have some other news to share, Sophie, just as soon as you are able, I will be booking us a trip to Puerto Rico for a long weekend, I have some business to attend to and you need a trip out of New York and my loft, trust me you will want to go when I tell you all the details!" He burst out, obviously the 2 glasses of wine lead to another bottle and the 3 adults were feeling pretty good. Once Liza was sent on her way, by cab as part of the celebratory evening. Axel was able to tell Sophie the real reason for the Puerto Rico trip,it had more to do with the 'experience' than fun in the sun.

INTO THE BRINY SEA AND DOWN TO THE VERY BOTTOM

"Sophie, I have been very busy the last few weeks and I did not want to share it with you until I knew that you were feeling better, so what I have done is hire a welder to create a lead box large enough to hold the entire sack and its contents, he just sealed it in today." He was relaxed and happy to be able to share this news finally.

"Axel will it contain the crystal forever, we both know that this stone must never be seen again?" She asked with intensity that was fitting for this crystal. "Yes after he sealed it I am going to have him set the entire box into a block of concrete, and it should weigh a good 300 pounds when it's all set, Then we will accompany it down to Puerto Rico, you want to know why Puerto Rico, A few hundred miles off the coast is the Puerto Rico Trench, the deepest trench in the Atlantic Ocean, at approximately 28,000 feet once we have this sunk there it will never see the light of day again, and should appease the Mayan Gods of Xilabala, it came from underwater and so shall it be returned to its own resting place." He said proudly. "Axel you thought of everything, this way it will never be found, I was worrying about how we would get rid of it and this is perfect, I did think about tossing it into a live volcano, but though logistically it would be a difficult task, your idea makes so much more sense and since it is sealed and then encased in concrete it will never harm anyone again, you are a genius!" She leaned over and kissed his cheek. The first week in October they set up the travel plans. Sophie was able to use her hands with minimal discomfort and the skin healed to a shade of deep pink so it was not extremely noticeable, unless you saw where her old skin was not burned. But for the price they both paid they did escape a much worse fate. Axel's scars were not even visible, by anyone but him and Sophie and they were more of a conscious thought than a physical scar, she knew that she would never forgive herself for what she did to this amazing friend. In time she saw the hand burning as her karmic payback for the pain she inflicted on Axel. When the flight landed in San Juan, they exited the plane and turned their face up to the warm sun and each sighed. He got them adjoining suites at the Old San Juan Resort and they planned to dispose of the crystal first thing the next morning. "A toast to 69th and Madison just a street to some but so much more to us!" He said as he raised the glass at dinner that evening. "Amen to that." Sophie responded as they clinked the crystal stemware together. "You know we never talk about that night but we really should tonight of all nights, the last night that crystal is above water, what is your best memory of that day and night?" She asked him. "Tough to say there were so many really odd things that happened, to be honest I think it was the first time we started talking and each one of us was so determined to get that crystal, you were like a little terrier that took hold of a bone and was not letting go, that has to be one of the highlights of that morning!" He said as he poured himself another glass of wine. "Well you know my favorite was when you played sergeant and bullied all those people I was shaking across the street you sounded so convincing, it was the toughest I have ever seen you, and damn Axe you were good!" They both laughed out loud to that memory. " I was pretty awesome, and I will never forget you having the keys to the Frick, that kind of blew my mind!" He laughed. Soon the waiter brought their meals and they both took a minute to sit back in their chairs and admire the sights of the twisting blooming bougainvillea and the black velvet sky and the sliver of moon reflecting on the ocean, the scent of the night blooming jasmine and the band playing a classic dance tune from the 1940's. "I guess it doesn't get any better than this!" He sighed as he sipped his wine. "Let's make a pact right now that every year we will come back to this spot and celebrate what we are going to do tomorrow and in our own way we have saved the world." She said with some moistness in her eyes. "I will drink to that!" He said as he clinked her glass with his own "Here's to Saving the World!"

Sophie looked at Axel and said with deep heart felt emotion. "I never could have done it without you Superman, you made so much of this possible, and I will never forget everything that you did!" Axel held up his glass with his eyes moist.

"Cheers to you Wonder Woman, I never could have done it without your help as well, your gusto and your intelligence, there was a plan that put us together that morning and it was bigger than us both, some divine intervention to get that stone to where it will be tomorrow afternoon!"

AND SO ENDS THE CURSE

The next morning the sky the shade of azure blue that can only be seen near the equator. The sea was a completely different shade so aqua and clear as to resemble the most stunning aquamarine that has ever been held in a human's hands. The boat was gliding on the smooth sea, Axel and Sophie sat and watched as the dolphins leap up alongside the boat. When they arrived at the location the captain set the compass for, he shut off the engines and he called for the mate to wheel out the cart containing the huge block of concrete. Axel took Sophie by the hand and went over to the side of the boat where the captain was opening the side. "Do you have any last works that you would like to say?" He asked. They both looked at each other and shook their heads No! and the mate lowered the wheels on the cart and pushed the release switch and the small conveyor hummed as the 300 pound block moved closer to the edge of the ship, once the gravity became so difficult the huge block just tumbled into the sea. They stood and watched as it slipped lower and lower into the aqua water, soon it was gone from sight, but they knew that it would take some time for the weight to drop the 28,000 feet. "Ok Captain, we can head back in now! Axel called out. And the mate fastened up the side of the boat and wheeled the cart back into the hull area below decks. They both felt as if the weight of the 300 pounds had been lifted from their shoulders and they went to their seats on deck and Axel popped open a bottle of champagne and filled glasses all around and said. "I toast to what was once part of the water, has now been returned to its home, may we all know better next time to leave things as they are, to all the brave men and women who have been affected by this tragedy, know now that your lives were not lost in vain as the cursed item has been sent to the place it should always have remained!" "Cheers" was said all around. Sophie stood up and hugged Axel with all the strength that she possessed and whispered thank you, to his chest, knowing that his ears will never hear it but it will go straight to his heart. The boat turned its course and headed back to San Juan. As the concrete block slowly tumbled as it descended to the briny depths of the Puerto Rico Trench, never to be seen by human eyes again.

THE END tony scarpa 8/13/2018

Sophie and Axel SAVE THE WORLD