Inventing Wonders

Chapter 1: All That I Know About This

Once, a long time ago, Lara's great-grandmother on her father's side said that Lara would become a fallen woman. Around the same time, Lara's mother declared that the old woman was just senile, and little Lara shouldn't visit the unpleasant relative.

"But Grandma, we've explained this to you," Lara began once again, "I'm not even in a relationship."

"I know where the treasure was buried," the old woman declared, not having the habit of listening to explanations about those she already had a clear opinion of.

The great-grandmother on her father's side was poorly preserved. Moreover, no one knew exactly how old she was or where she came from in the paternal line. Apparently, the great-grandmother was the sister of some grandmother on the father's side, but this was uncertain information. Everyone just knew she was a fairly close relative with an apartment in the city center, and the nature of her emergence in the family's life interested few.

"What treasure?" Lara enjoyed spending time with the strange old woman, and, in fact, she was the only one who did.

"With papers and keys!" the great-grandmother said indignantly and added, "Peel the next orange!"

"Do you want to go get it?"

Sometimes Lara would take the frail relative out into nature.

"But it's not there anymore," the old woman shrugged. "I said I know where it was, not where it is. But if I were you, I'd remember the address."

"I'll write it down," Lara promised.

"But you'll need to go get it very quickly," the great-grandmother warned. "Not even a day passed before others came there." She tapped on an empty plate, "So where's the orange?"

"And where's the treasure?" Lara smiled and handed over the orange, grabbing a slice for herself.

"Hey! Stop eating my property! You're going to take it all anyway."

"Are you going to leave me your apartment?" the girl giggled.

"It's your apartment already," the great-grandmother snorted. "If, of course, you get the treasure."

"And where is the treasure?" Lara enjoyed not understanding what it was all about.

"In this very yard, there will be a box for just one day, and then it won't be there anymore. So, when you realize you have nowhere to live, you'll need to quickly take it."

"So, when will this be?"

"It has already happened!" the old woman got angry and, frowning, wrapped herself in her shawl. "You, Larisa Konstantinovna, don't listen to me at all."

"I really am trying to understand, but it's just not working," she kissed the great-grandmother on her wrinkled forehead.

"Just say you're not a fallen woman!"

***

Lara didn't complain about life. Or rather, of course, she did complain, but she did it quietly, so her complaints remained unnoticed by those around her. Although, what hardships could a twenty-one-year-old journalism student face? None, and that's what was depressing. Life had passed the twenty mark, and all Lara had accomplished for society was writing a term paper about sex. However, the term paper about sex was really good. At the defense, they even said to her, "Larisa, you know, the term paper is good!" And then they gave her an excellent grade.

Yes, the problem was precisely in the ordinariness of Lara's existence. While everyone else was building successful careers, starting million-follower blogs, and finding their other halves, Lara was drinking coffee and thinking that one day she would definitely be expelled from university for skipping classes. And it seemed that she didn't have any particular talents either. No, of course, the ability to analyze works of foreign literature and the understanding that not loving "Crime and Punishment" wasn't the gravest sin were nice additions to her dating profile, but all of this was so trivial!