The Children Of Philippines: The Golden Chain

Lake.

Voices.

I hear voices that I can't comprehend.

Probably because I've drowned them out.

Tune out what you don't want to hear - a skill that I've mastered.

I discreetly left my home, or maybe I didn't and they just didn't care. Well, I don't care about them too. You receive what you give, my grandfather always said.

I wandered around and found myself leaving the tall, well-guarded walls of my home. Even the guards don't care.

I walked out of there without a care in the world. It's not like the world cared about me anyway.

If I die, would anyone even cry?

Sigh, whatever.

I walk for miles, my head is empty, and I don't know where I'm going, but my feet seem to know the way.

I soon find myself in the forest, and I keep walking forward. Forward. Deeper into the dead trees, the snow is formidable. It's winter. The trees have lost their leaves, and I can't see the ground I'm walking on as it is covered by snow. The cold winter is harsh, but I'm okay with it. Something about snow falling feels nostalgic to me. Beautiful and nostalgic.

    crrrrrrrraaacckkk

"Huh- AH!"

I was so deep into my thoughts I didn't even realize that I had walked into a frozen lake. The ice beneath me was surprisingly thin and it cracked once I got in the middle of this huge lake.

And now I'm sinking, further than I have ever sunk

Is this how my life will end? Drowning in a frozen lake?

What will they say?

What would my father say?

Would they even bother to uncover me from all the ice?

Or would they wait until spring for all the ice to melt before even bothering to get me?

This is embarrassing.

I should get out.

I break free from my helpless state and began to swim after I reached the bottom of the lake. I didn't even expect it to be so deep.

I looked around, and it was filled with aquatic life. Fishes, seaweed, seagrass, corals.

Wait, did I fall into the ocean? Is this even a lake? Wait, that's not possible, I couldn't have walked that far. And the ice on the ocean is a bit thicker than the ice on this lake. And it's not like the whole ocean could freeze - no, that's not possible.

Luckily I was trained to hold my breath for very long.

I was about to swim out when I saw something poke out of the rocks. It didn't look like it belonged in the lake.

Maybe someone else has been here and they dropped their belongings?

Hm

Curious, I swam back down and slowly pushed the rocks aside that were seemingly hiding whatever was underneath them. The rocks were big, but they weren't heavy, thanks to the water that was helping me defy gravity a bit.

I soon uncovered the item and saw that it was a small, wooden box. It looked like a jewellery box. I picked it up before swimming up to shore. But as I was swimming, the ice started building up again. But I was able to punch through it and swam out safely.

I gasp for air and looked around before crawling into the nearest tree with the box in my hand. Usually, people would be shivering and having frostbite after diving into ice-cold water and then crawling out of said water only to be met by cold air that's accompanied by an approaching snowstorm.

But this winter is nothing to me.

I thrive in it.

I tried to open the box, but it was shut tight as if it didn't want anyone to see what was inside.

I gently shook the box and felt something move inside. There's only one item in this box.

I fiddled with the box and observed its design. It looked old, but it was well-preserved in the water. I'd estimate this to be over a hundred years old. And the patterns, are not from this country. Usually wood would weaken when submerged in water for a long time, but this one only got tougher. It's as hard as a rock.

Other than that, it also has a gold accent in its design. I looked at the top and there seems to be a puzzle on top of it.

I moved one part to the other side and I heard a ‘click!’

Ah. I see.

I moved puzzle pieces here and there, and I was soon able to form the image of a sun. After I moved the last piece, the box made another clicking noise, and the box loosened up a bit, but I was still unable to open it. I sigh and looked around, trying to see if there was another puzzle that I had to solve, but I couldn't find any. Although, when I looked behind it, I saw that there was an oval-shaped hole in gold with subtle markings. You can't see it very well, but if you touch it, you could feel that there is something there.

A fingerprint?

Ahh, whoever owned this box must love their jewellery very much.

Well, I've gotten this far, might as well try if my fingerprint matches the one on the box. I mean, what's the harm, right?

It's not like the box would eat my finger...right?

Sigh

I gently press my index finger into the oval hole.

‘CLICK!’

I jolted a bit, surprised to hear such a loud click. But it worked!

Wait, how did it even work?

I've never seen technology as advanced as this!

And on a jewellery box too...

Now the box has completely loosened up. I gently opened it and saw a single ring inside.

"That's it?" I whispered to myself. I picked it up and observed it. There was nothing special about this ring other than its carvings. I sighed and decided to try it on my ring finger, but it was too loose. I tried it on my middle finger, and it almost fit. I tried it on my index, and it fit like a glove.

"Whoa..."

The ring fits me perfectly. I bite my lip. Maybe I'll just keep this for myself...

"There you are."

I flinch at the familiar voice. I look up and there I see my grandfather, standing tall as ever.

"Grandfather..."

He looks down at the jewellery box and the ring.

"Ah, I see you've found the ring. Come, I'll tell you all about it."

He knows about the ring?

Date: ??.??.1789