Genre: Fantasy

Plot: An inherited coin collection transports you to different worlds.

Words to use: money, metal, mint, insignia, face, value, map, portal, chamber, door, travel, warp, time, will, heirloom.

My father loved to collect money from all over the world. He had stories that connected him to his travels with all the metal coins and paper bills that was part of his collection. While looking at his map of the world, he would often hold up a coin, “I remember this trip very well. It is where I met your mother.” I would listen with rapt attention to all the details he would weave in each reminiscence. He would also at times mention a secret that someday he would tell me about but I needed to wait. 

Although it was special, he never put a monetary value on his collection. It may have meant more to him than any thing in the world. It was our family heirloom. Occasionally mentioned at our dinner table events through the years. 

The mention of the collection grew less as my father got older. Then he stopped all conversations of his treasured possession. He had suffered for quite a while with his memory. I too forgot about it through the years. He never told me the secret either. It was forgotten along with the names of his children and grandchildren.

When he passed away, in his will he had gifted me his collection. It was still in mint condition. With each face and insignia on each item brought back the memories of my father and his stories of his travels to far off lands of excitement and adventure. 

The amazing part was when I first found the collection in amongst all the items in the library. My father had a wonderful old fashioned library with wood paneling, a fireplace and over stuffed chairs in front to read his historical novels and classics. He loved to spend many hours in the comfort of his library. He would welcome me into this sanctuary for hours to listen to his stories and we would read together in front the fireplace. Even spending time not talking was time well spent I thought.

I found the box still placed in the drawer. I gently took it out to look at the collection again. When I opened the box, I found a note stuck with tape to the underside of the lid of the box. It had my name written in his cursive on the outside of the notepaper. With curiosity, I took the note and opened it. Inside it just had a very simple poem, ‘To open sacred portal, to see beyond the treasure of time. What is the what you cherish most, in this world so sublime.’ 

I reread that poem a number of times while thinking. Holding up one of the coins and looking at it, I said, “what is more important than family?” At that moment there appeared out of no where a doorway situated right in the middle of the room. Strangely, looking at both sides, it was just a door. When I opened it though what happened was truly beyond amazing. 

What I saw was a kind of chamber of space, instantly transporting me to other side of the world. The form of travel was something I had never experience before. It was otherworldly. A space warp that isn’t humanly possible. The place to where the coin I was holding in my hand belonged to. I slammed the door shut and grabbed a paper bill from the collection and returned to the door. Again, when I opened it, I was brought to the country of this bill. I again closed the door gently. “This was what the secret he said he was going to tell me but never did.” 

I shut the box and placed it in my duffle bag. I had plans. Big plans. To travel the world was a dream. This was my chance.