Coventina (2 page)

“I take it we are not heading to the shopping part,” Layla laughed.

“We can if you’d like. There’s a Victoria’s Secret that way.”

“Just as easy to order online, and the deals are better. Right it is.”

They walked south, stopping at a Starbucks along the way. “Hey, let’s cross here. There’s something very cool I’d like you to see,” Denise said.

They crossed the street and stood in front of Tribune Tower. “See these stones? They are from all over the world,” Denise said, pointing to stones that were embedded in the façade of the building and cemented in place.

“Now this is very cool,” Layla smiled.

“The Parthenon. Amazing. We need to travel more.”

“That we do. Ooh, the Great Pyramid.”

“The Alamo,” Denise said, giving Layla a strange look. “I wonder how Maria and Anna are doing?”

“I’m sure you can tap into the network and find out if you wanted to,” Layla laughed. “This one is from Pompeii.”

When she pointed it out Denise saw the vision of a woman’s face flash in her mind. “That would be an amazing place to visit,” Denise said, forcing the words out so Layla did not turn to see the effect seeing the image had on her.

“Lot’s of Revolutionary War stones, and rightfully so I think. Oh look, this one is from the Colosseum,” Layla said.

Denise walked up to the stone and touched it. “I think I was a Roman,” she said.

“Really?”

“Yes, in a past life, and I think,” she stopped speaking when the same word she had carved into the wood at the restaurant was heard, followed by muffled whispers.
C O V E N T I N A.

“Yes, you were saying, you think?”

“I think I might have even been here, at the Colosseum.”

“As a spectator I hope.”

“Yes, as a spectator.”

After checking out the rest of the stones imbedded in the walls of the building, they continued south towards the Art Institute.

Much of the art they viewed at the museum took the edge off the messages Denise still seemed to be receiving. They ate lunch at the museum restaurant.

“Enough painting, let’s look at some old stuff,” Denise said.

“Ok. You lead the way.”

“It’s got to be this way. All the older stuff is down here.”

Denise led them to the Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman Art galleries.
It is obviously Latin. Coventina. I wonder how much Roman stuff they have on display today.

“This is utterly amazing. I love everything Egyptian,” Layla said.

“All so masterfully crafted.”

“Notice that all the Roman stuff seems to have noses missing?”

“Yes. Every time they were conquered it seems, more of their artwork would fall victim to vandalism. There are other theories of course. Some believed that the spirit of the person was in the sculpture, and if they removed the nose it would be released. One thing is certain, there are more Roman sculptures missing a nose than any others.”

“Can only imagine what it must have been like to live in those times,” Layla said. “She is very beautiful, even without a nose.”

“Yeah. I wonder what her name was?”
C O V E N T I N A,
sounded in Denise’s head as she gazed upon the ancient face. She reached out to touch the face with both hands, gently gliding over the front and back of the head. “I think maybe I will try my hand at sculpture.”

“Well, we’ve got plenty of room for a studio.”

“Hey, do you mind if we hit an art store on the way to the party?”

“Of course not.”

“Come on, let’s catch a taxi.”

“I was hoping you were not going to want to walk back,” Layla laughed.

Back at the Ohio House they showered quickly and headed to her favorite art store where Denise picked out an assortment of clays and tools along with a rotating sculpture stand before settling in at her parent’s house for dinner and birthday cake.

“Do you have to head back tomorrow?” Mary asked.

“We don’t have to, but I’d like to,” Denise said.

“Would you mind if I came to visit you down there?”

“What an absurd question to ask Mary, of course you can. You’re welcome to come stay with us any time you like. We have plenty of room now thanks to Lucky Layla,” she smiled.

“I’ll be sure to call before coming down.”

“Call, don’t call, you’re welcome any time. Love you sis, Happy Birthday.”

“Thanks sweetie, I love you too. Be careful.”

“Always am,” Denise smiled.

Studio

Denise and Layla settled back into their Southern Illinois existence. They no longer lived in separate trailers. With the lottery winnings they had already claimed, they purchased a plot of land roughly two miles southwest of Makanda. They each found it hard to believe so much of this area was wide open, uninhabited. The nearest neighbor was a mile away. There was only one road leading to their property that eventually twisted and turned it’s way to it from Makanda Road and Highway 51. The house and barn they had built was completely surrounded by forest. All in all it was a ‘modest dwelling’ as Denise put it, considering they had the riches to have built a small mansion.

Layla went out for groceries she would need to grill her sinfully delicious shish kabobs. Denise moved her clay, tools and stand out to the barn to set up a place to work. “This looks good. I can run a hose out to here. Plenty of room for both Mustangs,” she said to herself. “Oh, I promised to light the grill.” Before she made it out of the barn she was knocked to the ground with a message in her head that was so loud it almost hurt.
Coventina. Quintus inveniet vos.
It was a male’s voice. It repeated itself nine times before it stopped.

When she seemed certain it had stopped, she stood back up and staggered back to the house. She quickly started the grill so she would not need to give an excuse for not having done so when Layla returned. She poured herself a large glass of water and sat in a lounge chair in the yard. “Well, I know I’m not crazy,” she said to herself. She tried her best to send herself an email with the words she heard.
What was that word, in something?

She saw Layla coming up the road and sent the email with what she thought the third word was. “Just what I need, an Italian male in my brain,” she sighed before putting on a happy face when Layla pulled up.

“I would have been willing to bet you got so wrapped up in the barn this would not have been started but, alas.”

“Life is a never ending mystery,” Denise said. “Can I help with anything?”

“No. Just relax and enjoy the day, or what’s left of it. This is my treat.”

She lay out on the lounge chair in the shade of a large oak tree, trying to piece it all together.
It’s Latin, or a form of it that’s for sure, but why me? Why am I picking this up? Humans I can tune out. It has to be something else. Is it possible that someone from up there evolved to speak something close to an Earth language?
She stared up at a puffy cloud going by knowing all too well what was a very short distance above it, the star filled black vastness of space. Anything was possible, of that she was certain. “Oh well, it can’t hurt I suppose,” she said quietly to herself.

“Denise, dinner is ready,” Layla called.

“I’m out here mom, I’ll be right there,” she laughed. Before she got up to head back to the house she imagined staring right through that passing cloud when she sent a message.
Coventina. I hear you. I am Denizen.

“Wake up honey, time to eat,” Layla laughed.

“Coming.”

When they were finished with the small delicious feast, and everything was cleaned up and put away, Denise asked Layla to join her on a large blanket out on the lawn.

Layla lay on the blanket with Denise next to her staring up at the star filled sky. “Lay it on me,” she said.

“I think I’m being contacted by someone or something from up there,” Denise said.

“Please, continue.”

“When in Chicago. Anything we got near that was from Rome seemed to trigger that same word, Coventina. At times I thought I heard conversation in a whisper but cannot be certain. Today though, when you went out for groceries, I received what may be a sentence, again in Latin would be my best guess.”

“What do you think it means?”

“For now, I don’t have a clue, I mean, I simply don’t.”

“I’ll keep a close eye on you.”

“I know you will. Just before eating, I sent a response, at least I think I did.”

“What say we head over to Morris Library tomorrow?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Now, after an incredible meal like the one we just had, and here, under this gorgeous night sky, with all the little forest creatures beginning to serenade us, how can you resist this body any longer?” Layla said in a deep voice.

“I can’t,” Denise said as they kissed deeply.

Library

The first to wake up again, something that seemed to be the norm for her since the first odyssey began with the members of the Tyrine nearly a year before, Denise put on a pot of coffee and hopped in the shower. Unlike the small trailer she lived in back then, she could brew a pot of coffee and if the bedroom door were closed on the other side of the house, the smell would not instantly wake Layla up.

When she exited the shower, she put on a thong and poured herself a large cup of coffee before bringing her MacBook Pro out of sleep to check her email. She had so many accounts it usually took her a while to weed out all the junk and get to messages worth reading or replying to.

With the email out of the way she opened Google and searched Learn Latin. The reviews convinced her to order the Rosetta Stone software. It taught the version of Latin spoken by the Romans.
I don’t know why, but I think I’m going to need this.

She spent the better part of an hour researching online, discovering that Coventina was indeed a Romano-British goddess of wells and springs.
Hmm. So, she is also a Celtic river goddess known for healing hey? Also a name given to Anglo Saxon girls with multiple meanings, water goddess, name of the nymph.

“You’ve found another?” Layla whispered, walking from the bedroom towards the kitchen.

“Yes, yes I have,” Denise said.

“That’s nice,” Layla said through half open eyes, sitting on the couch next to her holding a cup of coffee. “One of these days I am going to be up before you and make the coffee.”

“I like making coffee.”

“And I like drinking it,” Layla softly giggled. “So who is the goddess?”

Denise explained what she had found out so far about the name Coventina.

“I am fascinated. What would we do without the internet?”

“Weep, often,” Denise laughed. “Oh yes, I ordered up some language software, going to take a crash course in Latin, since it might be important to actually have a clue about what is going on in my noodle.”

“Maybe I should learn with you?”

“I think you should, then we can talk about people and they will have absolutely no clue what we are saying,” Denise laughed.

“Oh you’re too nice to be like that.”

“Well, I am the nicest person I know, but there are times.”

“Anymore incoming overnight?”

“No. All quiet on Hadrian’s Wall.”

“I’m going to make us breakfast since it’s Sunday and what’s open is going to be crowded. French toast or pancakes?”

“French toast would be nice.”

“Would you like a side of sausage or bacon with that Miss?”

“Yes please.”

“Syrup or preserves?”

“Syrup please, and yes I will do the dishes,” Denise giggled.

“Thank you.”

After spending a good portion of the rest of the morning frolicking both indoors and out, they were on their way to campus where they had a date with some lattes and Morris Library.

“Exodus,” Denise sang as she drove the burgundy Mustang north on Highway 51, “movement of Jah people, oh yeah. Open your eyes and let me tell you this.”

“You’re in a good mood today,” Layla smiled.

“Yeah, I yam,” she smiled, squinting as she did making her eyes look like wrinkles.

“And a tad bratty at that.”

“Haa.”

She parked at the Student Center parking lot and they made their way first to Starbucks then slowly to the Library. “I forgot to bring a bag large enough to hide our lattes. They won’t let us in with these you know.”

“Well, not willfully anyway,” Layla laughed. “It’s a nice day to relax and enjoy them outside before we go in.”

Denise loved the sweet smell of the trees along the walk from the Student Center to the Library.

As they sat outside finishing their lattes, Denise received a message loud and clear.
Inquilina. Mea nomen est Quintus. Tu quis es?

“Did you hear that?” Layla asked.

“Hear it? Oh yeah,” Denise laughed. “Why, what did you hear?”

“Some guy speaking Latin would be my best guess.”

“How loud?”

“Quiet. Barely there.”

“Could you describe what it sounded like?”

“Yes, it sounded like this. I am trying to contact you and I don’t know how exactly,” Layla whispered.

“It sounded like that to you hmm?”

“Yes.”

“This is how it sounded to me. INQUILINA. MEA SOMETHING SOMETHING QUINTUS,” Denise shouted, the few passersby that were out and about on a Sunday stopping to look at her and laugh.

“That loud huh?”

“Louder.”

“Come on, it’s library time.”

“Indeed.”

They proceeded up to the 5
^th
floor where they found an abundance of books on the Latin language.

Denise pulled out a small pad and pencil and thought about the line she heard outside. She began to write, Inquilina, placing a period after it because there was a definite pause. Mea nomen est Quintus. Another period for another pause. Tu quis es? She did not need to go farther than the first word to realize her message from the day before had been received. “Inquilina is Denizen,” she said, looking up at Layla.