Deanaburstoutofthewaterbreathinghard.Usingherhands,shewipedawaythewaterorperspirationfromherfaceandraisedhereyestowardstheskies,wherethewest-boundmoonseemedalmostreadytoslipbelowthehorizonintothewater.Thefoghavingrapidlydispersed,shecouldclearlyseetheGiantMountain.Theblazingfirehaddieddown,theeasternskywasbrighteningandthelastremainingangelswereflappingtheirwingspreparingtoreturntotheirheavenlyhome.Utterlyexhausted,almostcollapsingwithoverexertion,Deanalayonthesurfaceofthewatertorest.Howswiftlythenighthadgonebyshethought,depressedbythefactthatinspiteofadozenorsotripstothebottomofthelake,shewasnonearertohergoalofbringingupthetreasure.Thenaturalbarrierswerereallyformidableandtheroutewastoolong.Bythetimeshegotthere,shehadexpendedalotofenergyandusedupmostoftheairinherlungs.Thenarrowunderwatervalleyhadtobenavigatedcarefullyandslowly.Insuchdeepdarkwaters,shemustnotcollidewiththejuttingrocksoneithersideofher,fortheslightestmistakecouldbefatal.Whenevershegotneartothepearl,eithertheoystercloseduporsheneededtoresurfaceformoreair.Afteradozenorsoattempts,shewastiredanddiscouraged,butwasalwaysbuoyedupbythehopethatshecouldtakethatenormouspearlwithherandplaceitinthenewlyconstructedgoldpalace,shiningtherelikeanearthmoon,anaturalilluminator.WheneverDimitrigavebanquetsthere,thehallwouldbeilluminatedbytwomoons,oneintheskyandoneinsidethehall,thetwocomplementingeachother,formingamysticalandmiraculoussight.Thinkingso,shedecidednottogiveupthateasily,buttomakealasttry.

        Whileshewasresting,thelargewhitefishcontinuedtohovernearby.Itrockeditsbackather,asiftryingtocommunicate.Suddenly,anideacametoDeana’smind.“Whydon’tIattachmyselftothefish,grabholdofitsfins,andletittakemedowntothebottomofthelake.”Asaninhabitantofthewaters,ithadbeenequippedbiologicallytolivedowninthedeep.”Thefishseemedintuitivelytoknowwhatshewasthinkingof;boththegirlandthefishappearedtohavecometoatacitunderstanding.Holdingontothebigwhitefish,Deanadescendedquicklyintothewater.Thisideawasreallyfantastic.Thequickagileandstreamlinedmovementsofthefishquicklybroughtthemtothebottomofthelakeandsuccessfullyapproachedtheunderwatervalley.Astheygotneartothetreasure,Deanasawthattheoysterwasopenandthepearllaythere,givingforthitsluminousglow.Herheartrateacceleratedandanexhilaratingexcitementcameoverher.ThevigilantoysterseemedsuspiciouswhenitfeltthemapproachingandwasabouttocloseupwhenDeanamovedquickaslightningandwithbothhandssnatchedtheenormouspearlandhuggedittoherbreast.Shehadfinallysucceeded!Heartbeatingfast,shefeltlikeshoutinginjubilation,butatoncerealizeshewasstillunderwater.Shewarnedherselftokeepcalmatthisfinalstageofheradventure,astheslightestmistakecouldcauseirreversibledamagetobothherselfandherpearl.Claspingherpreciousloottightlytoherbreastwithonehand,sheheldontothefinofthefishwiththeother.Girlandfishsoonrosetothesurfaceofthewater.Whensheresurfacedthistime,shefoundthattheskieswerebrighteningwiththeflushofdawn.Inthelightfog,theprofileofthegoldpalaceroseawesomeandmajestic,itstoweringroofcouldbeseenshimmeringingoldenmagnificence.Deanawassohappythattheconstructionhadbeencompletedinthespaceofanight.However,shewastootiredtomoveandletthebigwhitefishcarryhertoshore.Hereyelidsfeltsoheavyshecouldhardlyfindtheenergytoopenthem,butshecouldhearthebeautiescallingouttheirwelcomefromtheshore.

        Chapter3ReturnofKingDimitri

        Inthefierysunset,theyoungmancamebackfromtheballfield,bouncinghisbasketball.Theclear,crisp,staccatosoundofthebouncingballpassingunderDimitri’swindowwokehimfromhisreverie.Theyoungmanhadexhaustedhimselfontheballfieldandnowhiselongatedshadowaccompaniedhistiredfootstepsonthewayhome.Butafteragoodnight’ssleepandasumptuousmeal,hewouldbere-energizedthenextday.Freshandeager,hewouldberunningaroundandplayingagain.Suchenergyandunworriedhappinessbelongedonlytotheyoung,atraitworthyofenvy.Awakenedfromhisdreams,listeningtothebounceoftheball,Dimitrithought,“Thisyoungmanisusinghisbodyinmotion,shootingtheballaccuratelyintothebasketfromanyangle,whileIusemybodyinthestateofstillness,venturingintotheinnermostrecessesofthemindanddiggingforthetreasuresburiedinmybrains.Althoughmybodymayseemstillandmobile,mybrainisactive.Letmeliveoutmylifethisway,pretendingIamatoolofimagination.Isn’tthatagoodlife,too?Listeningtothedisappearingsoundofthebasketball,Dimitriraisedhiseyestowardsthewindow.Hestillretainedatinymorselofhissight,enablinghimtodistinguishbetweenlightanddarkness.Itshouldbedusknow,hedecided.Bowinghishead,hefoundthecigarettewasstillbetweenhisfingersandknewthatithadgoneoutbyitself.Inhismind,lifewaslikeacigarette,burningwhileitturnedtoashes.Couldthesuddenextinguishmentofthecigarettemeanthattimehadnearlystoppedtoo?No.Noonecouldstopthepassageoftime,noteventhealmightyGod.Theultimateendoflifewasdeath,anirrevocabletruthnoonecouldeverchange.Herelithiscigaretteandpuffedaway.Suddenly,hisgastromicalsystemwashitwithatremendoushunger,likealong,roaringtrainsweepingbyonthestraightrailstowardsacertaindestination.

        Drivenbythisstronghunger,Dimitriputouthiscigaretteintheashtrayandslowlymadeforthekitchen.Hisslowclumsymovementswerelikethoseofagroggygraybearinadvertentlyawakenedfromhibernationandwanderingaimlesslyaboutthewilderness.Enteringthekitchen,Dimitriopenedhisrefrigeratorandtookoutacanofsourdough,whichheproceededtoopenandrolloutonthekitchentable,separatingthedoughintoseverallumps.Hethenkneadedeachofthelumps,shapingthembypullingthemintolongstripsandrollingthemup.Hismovementswerenecessarilyslow,ashecouldonlyrelyonhissenseoftouch.Extremehungerstackedhisgastronomicalsystem,liketheroaringtrainsweepingbyonstraightrails.Whatistheultimategoaloflife?Isitdeath?Hedarednotthinkmore.Heworkedonsteadilyandslowly,hisimagefromthebackresemblingalargegraybear.Dimitrisettheovenatapproximately425degreesandturnediton.Thegraybearaccidentallyawakenedfromhibernationworkedtofindacomfortablecave.WhatdidDimitriworkfor?Wasitfortheultimategoaloflife?Hecontinuedwithhiswork,liningtherolledupdoughneatlyinabakingpanandputtingitinthehotoven.What’ssobadaboutusingthetoolofimagination?Isn’titwonderfultoliveoutlifelikethis?Havingspentthewholeafternooncoopedupinhisroom,Dimitriwantedtogotothelobby,wherehemightmeetotherresidentsandwhileawaysomelonelytime,socializingandchattingwiththem.Hefumbledhiswaytothedoor,whichheclosedafterhim,leavinghisextinguishedcigarettebuttintheashtray.

        Dimitrithoughtoftheominousnewsheheardthatmorning.Theelderlycoupleintheapartmentoppositehim,werebothdiagnosedtobesufferingfromcancer.Theywerenice,kindpeoplewhoalwaysgreetedhimcheerilywhenhemetthemstrollinginthehallway,helpingeachotheralong.Passingthedoorofhisnext-doorneighboralwaysbroughthimapangofremorse.Thelittlegirlwholivedtherewithhergrandmother,wentonvacationonedayandleftherpets,twobeautifulgoldfish,withDimitri.Hefedthemeverydaybutdidnotknowhehadtochangethewater,sotheydiedduetolackofoxygen.Whenshecameback,shesawhertwobeautifulgoldfishfloatinginthewater.Theyhaddied,butnotbeingabletosee,Dimitrikeptonfeedingthemeveryday.Turningthecorner,hecametotheapartmentofMrs.Washington,whohadastrokeandalsosufferedinsomnia.Sheliesawakeatnightandsleepsduringtheday.Intheafternoonshecouldoftenbeheardlockingherdoorgettingreadyforbed.Atduskshealwaysdrewhercurtainsasifshewasafraidthefierysunsetwithitsvividrayswoulddisturbherdreams.Carsspedby,noisypedestrianspassedunderherwindow,butamidthesechaoticsoundsofabusydowntownarea,shesleptlikeababy.

        Dimitricametothelobby,whichthe1989earthquakehadbadlydamaged.Afteryearsofrestoration,ithadbeencompletelyrenovatedandthe18thcenturystylefurnitureanddecor,withitsgraceandrefinement,addedanairofgrandeurtotheplace.DimitritookhisseatbeforetheFrenchwindows.Thoughhecouldnotsee,hepicturedtohimselfthemagnificent,multi-coloredcloudsthatmustbecoveringtheskies.Hethought,“Normallyatthistime,Iwouldbewalkingleisurelyaroundthelake.Nowmyphysicalbodyinincarceratedinthistinystudio,butmysentimentalheartcannotbeimprisoned.Thepastyearsofwanderingwillalwaystugatmymemory.”Thesoundofenergeticandpurposefulfootstepswalkingtowardshiminterruptedhisdaydreams.Awarmhandpattedhimontheshoulderandsaid,“Hi!Mr.DimitriJackson?”Thoughhecouldnotsee,Dimitri’sworldseemedtolightupasifabrilliantsunshoneonhim.Inthebrightness,heseemedtoseeabeautifulyoungwomanwithamassofblondehairtalkingtohim.

        “IamMary,thesocialworkerhere.Youareourresident.Ineedyoutofilloutacardaboutwhomtocontactincaseofemergency.Couldyoucometomyofficetomorrowmorning?”

        “Ofcourse,”Dimitrireplied.Marysaidgoodbyeandhecouldhearherfootstepsgoingtowardstheentrance.Dimitri’simaginationwasreallyuncanny,forheconjureduptheexactportraitofMary,thegolden-hairedyoungwoman,whowaseventhengoingthroughthedoorsoftheseniorcitizenfacility.

        Mary’sspiritsalwaysrosewhensheleftfortheday,feelingasupliftedasabirdfreedfromitscage.Buttoday,sheseemedmoody,ruminatingontheeventsthathappenedthatdayasshewalked.Herdarkgreywalkingshoesweredeeplycreasedandcoveredwithalightcoatofdust.Astheywereherfavoritepairwhichsheworetoworkeveryday,theleatherseemedloosewithconstantwear,butwasextremelycomfortable.Leavingtheseniorcitizenfacility,Maryturnedtotheleft,crossedAliceStreetandmadeforDimitri’sBakerybythelake.Thepairofgreywalkingshoessustainedtheweightoftheirmistressasshewalkedonthesidewalkunderthefierysunset.Havingworkedalongsidetheirmistressallday,theywereastiredasshewas,butliketwosmallboatslinedonebehindtheother,theycarriedheronherhome-boundvoyage,lookingforwardtorestingagainintheirpier.Theyhadbeenworkinghardforalongtimeandwereverytired,buttheyknewthatthemomenttheygothome,theirownerwouldhastilydiscardthenattheirrestingplaceonthestepoutsidethedoor,theirhaven.Whennightfellandthemoonrose,theywouldlietherequietlyinthedisorderlyfashiontheyweredocked,underthegentlemoonlight.Afteranight’srest,theirownerwouldputthemonagainandtakethemonthewaytowork.

        Marythoughtofhowshewascalledintothemanager,Mrs.Goodridge’sprivateofficethatmorningassoonasshearrivedforwork.Twowell-dressedandpresentableyoungmenweretherewaitingforher.Mrs.GoodridgeintroducedthemasagentsfromCIAandFBIrespectively.Marydidnotquitecatchtheirnamesbecauseshewastakenabackbythissuddenencounterwithagentsoftwoofthelargestsecretservicesofthecountry.Theircombinedappearanceattheseniorcitizenapartmentbuildingmeantthatsomethinguncommonwasafloat.Thefourofthemsataroundtheconferenceableforameeting.

        “Ithasbeenreportedtous,”saidthesharp-eyedyoungCIAagent“thatrecentlylargequantitiesofgoldhavebeenboughtupfrommarketsallaroundtheworld.Asaresult,thegoldreserveofmanycountriesisattheirlowestlevel.Butnooneseetoknowwhothebuyeris,orwhereallthisgoldhasvanishedto.Weatonceinvestigatedthematter,followingallpossiblecluestogettothebottomofthemystery.Wefoundoutthattwomen,RichardandJamaz,weredeeplyinvolved.Thesetwowereformerlyhomelessvagabondswhosuddenlyrosemeteoricallytobecomepresidentandvice-presidentofWorldBank.Mysourcestellmethesetwomenaredeeplyimplicatedinthevanishinggold.”

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