The Mystery of the Petrified Heart

By Luis J. Marolo

Medical student Marcos DLassio and his Argentinian journalist friend, Rubn Colbert, are shopping together on Christmas Eve when their paths unexpectedly intertwine with two women. Like Rubn, Maxine Letalier has also left Argentina behind to pursue education in America, specifically a PhD in Anthropology. Brazilian-born Megan Arza is a secretary at the Los Angeles Times, the same newspaper where Rubn has just secured his first job.

After the four young people form an inseparable bond, they decide to set forth on a voyage to solve the ancient mystery of the petrified heart. As their journey leads them from Paris to the beaches of California and the city of Buenos Aires, and finally to the alluring Andes of South Argentina and the jungles of Brazil, the mystery of the petrified heart comes full circle as the impossible suddenly become possible.

The Mystery of the Petrified Heart shares an intriguing, coming-of-age tale that captures the sweet moments of passion, seduction, and friendship as four curious young adults venture into an unknown world to prove a romantic theory.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Jun 29, 2016
• ISBN: 9781480827738

Luis J. Marolo

Luis José Marolo was born in Carrera, Argentina, and later moved with his family to Buenos Aires where he learned the art of high fashion and design. While in his twenties, he relocated to America and continued his career in Beverly Hills. Today Luis resides in Southern California with his family.

Book preview

Fever of Greed

Even if we look deep into the imagination of the most learned of wise men, we will not be able to solve the dilemma created in my life by this journalist, who just recently graduated. The young man, for the sake of pure vanity, decided to manipulate the order of nature. And he did it for the sole purpose of satisfying his unbounded ambitions. I guess his plan was to take advantage of my fame and beauty.

Well, at first I didn’t know what his true intentions were; then I found out that the young journalist only needed my help to enhance the beginning of his young career. I could not say no to his offer, and I agreed to collaborate in his endeavor. This story begins at the end of a beautiful, sunny day …

Dusk was falling slowly over the sophisticated metropolis. The magical light of the sun decorated the city of Paris with the nuances of a watercolor. René observed the sunset and found the perfect excuse to leave his studio and come out for a stroll with me to enjoy the beautiful scenery. The traditional sidewalk of the Rue de Rivoli led us to the majestic Eiffel Tower. From the top of that grandiose structure, we watched the incredible sunset with delight. That late afternoon, the sun was inspirited; he set free his infinite power and painted the beautiful City of Light in different shades of orange and red.

My companion, René, was not the novice journalist I spoke of earlier. Rather, he was a young psychology student a young psychology student at the prestigious university of Paris. Part of the story takes place in the fascinating city.

The next morning started as one of those gray autumn mornings, when a fine drizzle falls over the city and the wet streets become mirrors reflecting the figures of young students on their way to the university. The depressing weather created one of those melancholic days and permeated the students’ state of mind. When the professor entered the room, he noticed a lack of enthusiasm in the class and greeted the students with the intent of waking up their brains.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, he said. "I can detect a certain degree of apathy in this distinguished forum. Maybe there is one alert mind among you that could treat us with the story of the day. Gentlemen, I’m listening.

There was a moment of uncertainty in the class, and I was surprised to notice that my companion, the shy René, had raised his hand and asked for the professor’s attention.

Professor, if you’ll allow me, I’m aware of a conflict that maybe you would like to hear about, the young student offered timidly.

Congratulations, René! replied the professor. So, you are alive then?

Professor, the story is quite long. I don’t know if you—

Please, go ahead. René, take all the time the story requires. Okay?

Thank you, professor, René replied. "I’m going to start by presenting the Cerceles brothers. They are not sophisticated, but they are the central characters in the story. The elder one, Marcel, and his father shared the hard work on the small family farm. The arduous effort necessary in farming is not always compensated as it should be, and Marcel suffered the consequences.

"On the other hand, Chiket, the younger brother, who was acting against the will of his family, worked long hours for a wage on a large farm in the region. His greediness clouded his common sense and took over his personality; ambition was controlling all his actions.

"The origin of the animosity between the brothers had a cause—money. Chiket earned a salary outside the family, while Marcel didn’t. And the young man, made the most of his brother’s lack of money, making fun of him at every opportunity. Whenever this happened, Marcel answered with a positive attitude.

"‘Dearest brother,’ he would say, ‘if destiny wants me to be rich, he knows where to find me!’

"These minor differences could not separate them. The brothers had to live in their modest family country house and share a humble bedroom. The brothers had no choice. They had to work every day in the field.

"One day, the workday in the countryside was coming to an end. The shadow of dusk slowly fell over the beautiful hillsides. On the wealthy farm, the ambitious young man was hard at work, digging a hole to plant the last olive sprout that he had been assigned. He shoved the shovel for the last time into the bottom of the hole, and his arm shook when the tool hit what he thought was a stone. Chiket tried to dig around the obstacle, but he couldn’t—the object took up the entire bottom of the hole. In his frustration, he knelt down and tried to dig out the stone with his hands. His naked fingers touched an object that felt like a stone. It wasn’t a stone.

"To his amazement, Chiket discovered that the ‘stone’ was actually a solid iron cover. He couldn’t help but imagine that it might be a substantial find, and as his curiosity grew, his hands moved faster.

"A few minutes later, the object that was an obstacle to his work was up on the surface. When he saw what he had just dug up, Chiket’s eyes opened wide, and his pupils dilated. His heart beat faster, like that of a maddened frog. He was face-to-face with a rusty, old chest. He had no doubt that the chest had been buried in haste by some famous pirate who was being chased. Maybe it was Jean Laffit or Estede Bonnet. Both were corsairs, ‘hired killers,’ who had roamed European and American seas, plundering cities and terrorizing their inhabitants during the early eighteenth century.

"Diverse emotions, difficult to distinguish, had him all excited. Seconds became centuries to a desperate mind, and his curiosity kept growing. The bolt that locked the chest was completely rusted. Chiket used all his strength to try and open the chest, but he couldn’t. Confused, he sat back for a few seconds.

"Meanwhile, the sun slowly sank behind the wavy hillsides, its pale rays lighting up the meager clouds, which reflected its light onto the land.

"The shadows of night filled Chiket with haste; he wanted to know what was inside that old iron chest. He anxiously looked round for a heavy object. Not too far away, he found a solid stone. With the makeshift tool, he started to hit the lock with all his strength. It didn’t last long and soon fell off in little fragments. Now Chiket had the chance to see what was inside this incredible discovery. He took a couple of steps back from the chest while the fever of greed made his whole body tremble with anxiety. He moved slowly closer to the chest, hoping that he had found a treasure. Anxiously he knelt down next to the chest; he looked like a faithful believer offering up a prayer. Soaked in sweat and covered in mud, he put his hands on the top of the rusted trunk. Then he looked up at the gray clouds, as if praying for that unexpected miracle—the miracle that would make him a rich man!

"Chiket slowly lifted the rusty top; the barrier that separated him from his dreams was uncovered. The content of the chest made the ambitious young man open his eyes wide, and his gaze froze. Inside the rusty box lay the fortune he had desired all his short life. This was his treasure, and only his. He could touch it, feel it, and even taste the gold coins that shone in the moonlight like freshly cut diamonds. To his astonishment, Chiket was holding a chest full of precious metals. Nervously, he looked around, afraid of being seen by the wicked pirate who had devastated these lands three centuries before and, who having been chased and cornered by the authorities, had had no choice but to bury his treasure at that site.

"Do the gold coins now belong to the ambitious Chiket?

"Well, the answer is not that easy. Does possessing wealth generate the responsibility of looking after it? This was the problem that the ambitious Chiket had to face now. He couldn’t keep his emotions under control or think clearly. He wondered what to do with his valuable plunder. His dilemma became even greater, as he was held prisoner by his uncontrolled greed. This obsession made him unwilling to share his valuable discovery. He had to find somewhere safe to hide his treasure. He decided to wait a few minutes. He needed the assistance of the shadows of night. And for the time being, the shed would be a good hiding place. Sometime later, he would decide where to keep it on a permanent basis.

"When Chiket came home, his family was in the middle of having dinner. He washed quickly and sat down at the table in silence, showing no emotion. Then he started to eat, as if absolutely nothing had happened.

Marcel, who was exhausted after a hard day’s work, finished his dinner and said, ‘I’m worn out. Today we worked in the field like animals, didn’t we, Father?’

"‘Son, animals don’t work of their own free will. We make them do it for our own benefit. We work to subsist, while animals are forced to do it.’

"‘You’re right, as always. Father, we should treat animals with more compassion.’

‘You said it, son, the father replied. ‘You get more out of them with a caress than with a whip!’

"Marcel asks to be excused. ‘If you don’t mind, I’m going to rest now. Mother, I would like to start reading the book you left on my bedside table.

"Chiket, meanwhile, was trying to conceal his great joy at his discovery. He spoke to his brother in a condescending way. ‘Marcel, it isn’t time to go to bed,’ he said. ‘Don’t be so boring. It’s time to go out and have some fun, or at least to go to the bar and have a few beers. It would be nice if you could come with me one of these days.’ He laughed sarcastically.

"Marcel, who was going to his bedroom, heard his brother’s comment and he answered, ‘I hope you enjoy your beer. You know very well that I can’t go. On the day that good fortune remembers where this poor farmer lives, I’ll have plenty of money and the time to go with you to the tavern!’

"Chiket picked up his jacket and left the house laughing. By the time he’d arrived at the tavern, he had begun to worry about his treasure. Once inside, he made his way forcefully through the crowd and reached the bar. Boastfully, he ordered a pint of beer and emptied it with just one gulp. But he couldn’t keep on drinking because he felt nervous and restless. He was worried about the site where the treasure was hidden. Maybe someone in his family would be able to discover it. The treasure had to be hidden someplace safer.

"In haste, he set off back home. In silence, he crept into the shed, and in the thick of darkness, he picked up the chest and warily checked that all the gold coins were inside the box.

"Chiket decided that the loft above the bedroom—the one he shared with his brother—was the safest spot, as it was the place his family was least likely to discover. In silence, he started to climb up the fragile ladder. He moved slowly and carefully; he was carrying the chest under his arm, and it wasn’t easy. When he reached the loft he was exhausted. Then he took two steps forward in the darkness. He didn’t see the black cat that was sleeping peacefully on the floor. He stepped on the cat, and the poor animal, shaken by the intruder, screamed and ran away.

"The unexpected commotion made the young man nervous. Being surrounded by darkness, he stumbled, desperately trying to protect the precious chest. But at last, he lost his balance and fell … and fell … and plunged down flat on his face, though still holding the treasure chest in his arms. The powerful impact smashed the old chest; it also opened a crack in the old, wooded floor. And to his dismay, he watched as the contents of the chest fell through the crack. The shining coins fell like a waterfall into the bed where Marcel was reading. His fortune had left him, slipping through his fingers just like it had come to him. Chiket had never felt such anxiety in all his life. He came down the ladder so quickly that he hardly touched the steps. He ran into the bedroom frantically and found his brother happily gathering the gold coins. Marcel saw his brother come rushing into the room with a visibly upset look on his face. Marcel could not believe that his predictions had come true. Chiket’s precious fortune was now in the hands of his brother.

"And Marcel, with a broad smile of satisfaction, reminded his younger sibling, ‘Chiket, I have told you so many times. If destiny wants us to be rich, he knows where we live!’

That’s all, Professor, said René with a pale smile.

The professor was pleased with René’s efforts.

That was a nice tale by my dear friend René. But my endeavor doesn’t finish here in the city of Paris. It happens that I would be involved in an adventure so unusual that you could say it was a …

Mission Impossible

This unusual adventure started when, for reasons beyond my control, I was forced to depart from Paris and fly all way to the West Coast of the United States—the garden state of California. To be precise, I was in the seaside resort of a city called Santa Monica. This city was very beautiful and friendly. But I was missing Paris and my pal René. There was nothing wrong with my current companion. He had various good qualities, one of which set him apart—his daring behavior; and it was this bold attitude that had gotten me involved in his life.

It seemed like he didn’t see the differences that separated us. He was a man, and I was who I was! I had already promised him that I would help him in his career as a journalist. It would be not easy to do so. I gave myself to searching for a powerful deity that had the immense power to give life to a simple object, which is me! Can you see? It was almost an impossible mission to help the young journalist.

This project was getting ridiculous. To help this guy, I had to change my entire personality. Actually, I had to become an almighty life form, which was not present in body but possessed the gift of seeing, hearing, perceiving, and foreseeing everybody’s activities.

I urgently needed to solve the dilemma I had—I could not communicate with people. These infinite powers were not easily obtained. I was stuck in an awkward situation. I should confess that, before this story started, my powers of communicating with people were nonexistent. I had but one option—I had to get the gift of speech. According to Greek mythology, it was Prometheus who created the human race. I did pray to Prometheus, and the God had granted me the gift of speech. My prayers were answered. In addition, I had the capacity to get into other people’s minds.

We can’t deny it that in our planet exists a constant renovation of life. The dynamics of creating what doesn’t exist is a phenomenon that displays itself in a great veil of mystery. The enigma increases with the type of event that just occurred! What I’m referring to is that, in the past few minutes, I have obtained the capacity to communicate and express my thoughts to all of you.

You might ask who is this character? I will say that, in the world of fashion, I am the most valuable accessory that the sophisticated woman or distinguished gentleman can possess. This obvious quality distinguished me and led the main character of this story to treasure me as one of his most valuable accessories. Perhaps it is due to the strange circumstances under which we met …

That morning, the city woke up to an intense storm. It was the perfect weather for people who use a rainy day as an excuse to go see a movie or visit a shopping plaza. The latter option was exactly what this student chose to do. Once he was in the plaza, the scent of coffee caught his attention; a shot of espresso would do him well. Just as he was going into the coffee shop, a seductive fragrance reached his senses, and he looked to see who was wearing such a captivating perfume. It was a beautiful, young woman, who was trying to get his attention. The young man, without thinking, turned around and followed those beautiful eyes. Somehow, his pursuit ended inside a large secondhand store. An unusual item held his attention for a few seconds. That was when he lost sight of the beautiful girl. Disappointed, he continued wandering down the narrow aisles full of secondhand items. With curiosity, he observed that the shelves were jam-packed with all types of merchandise, some of which had fallen on the floor, obstructing the walkway of the customers. From the young man’s expression, you could tell that his mind was far away. He was overflowing with memories, which took him back to the sidewalk leading to his parents’ home and had him missing his family and friends.

Focused on his memories, the young man kept on walking down the aisles. Distracted by his thoughts, he tripped on one of the items lying on the floor.

Be careful man, you almost stepped on my fragile body, said a voice from below.

The young man looked down in anger, as if it was my fault that he had been interrupted in his deep thought.

He picked me up gently and looked at me closely, the look of anger disappearing from his face. He fell in love with me, and he was going to the cashier. He was purchasing me; this was my lucky—my lucky day! I would be leaving this place hanging from his broad shoulders.

In case you don’t know, I am a distinguished attaché designed and manufactured in Paris, France, by Maison Louis Vuitton.

It was René who saw my exquisite Louis Vuitton features in the window display and fell in love with me in the city of Paris. Since that day, I became René’s faithful companion—until the day of his gradation. On that occasion, René was distracted for a minute. Another student saw the opportunity and snatched René’s most precious possession—me. And I ended up in a secondhand store in the city of Los Angeles! This was my story.

The struggle was now in the past. Today, I belonged to the young journalist who needed my help. He would really appreciate my assistance. After all, I have been telling the story from the beginning of the book. And I, the elegant Louis Vuitton attaché, will continue to tell the adventures of the journalist Mr. Rubén Colbert—a handsome young man born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His friends and family call him Rúbi.

Rubén’s first adventure started when he, as a young man full of enthusiasm, decided to leave his country and continue his studies in the United States. His main goal was to become an investigative journalist; he had no trouble registering at the University of Los Angeles.

After two years of long hours of study and intense practical assignments, and with less than two months before graduating, Rubén Colbert was called to the office of the feared Professor Gordon Ritz. Anxious to find out why he had been called to see the professor, Rubén walked into the office