by Michael Cole
* * *
"It will be dark soon," Eric said. "We can't stay here much longer. I say fill your pockets with some of the gold ingots and jewels, and let's get going. Don't get greedy. Remember, if you weigh down your backpacks with too much gold, you will never make it back to Manaus. Keep in mind that we have a long way to go."
While Eric, Chris, and Catalina went back to the main gallery to make decisions as to what to take with them, Phillip returned to the alcove on the pretext of wanting to photograph the Golden Disk of the Sun. The second he walked inside the niche, he emptied the contents of his backpack. Upon picking up the mirror, he realized it was heavier than what he had originally thought. He hesitated, but only for a moment. Upon wrapping it in his poncho, he squeezed the artifact into his pack. It was such a tight fit that he was unable to close one of the straps. That didn't concern him, because at a cursory glance the only thing anyone would be able to spot was the dark-colored poncho.
He slung his backpack over his shoulder and went to meet the others.
CHAPTER 37
As Phillip walked out of the room with the mirror, he almost bumped into Eric. "I was coming to get you," Eric said. "We must leave. My goal is for us to return through the tunnel where the salvaje plants are. We'll spend the night there. We have no food left, but once we are back in the jungle, I'll find something for us to eat."
"Don't worry about me," Phillip said. "I'm not hungry anyway."
Eric had fully expected Phillip to complain. When he didn't, he figured it was because Phillip had what he wanted, which were the golden idols he had stuffed into his pockets and the photographs he'd taken of the Golden Disk of the Sun.
* * *
They passed through the granite slab and were back inside the main grotto, the one with the fissure above them. Chris wanted to spend the night in the grotto, but Eric would have none of it. "I don't like being here when the sun goes down. The safe thing to do, as tired as we all are, is to get above ground."
Eric didn't relish the idea of having to make several trips. Instead, he left his backpack at the grotto and told the others to take theirs with them. He helped each of them through the volcanic chimney. Since they had all done this before, it was easier for them to swim inside the underwater scavon. Even Phillip managed without encountering any major problems. Once they were safely out of the water, Eric went back to retrieve his pack.
While traversing the tunnel that eventually would lead them above ground, Eric noticed Phillip seemed to be having difficulties walking. "Are you all right?"
"I'm okay," Phillip snapped back.
"Then would you mind picking up the pace?"
"Mind your own business," Phillip retorted.
Eric noticed that Phillip had his hands over the straps. That could only mean one thing. The pack was so heavy that the straps were digging into his shoulders.
"What the hell do you have in your backpack?"
Phillip's tone was surly. "Despite of what you may think, I'm not held accountable to you."
Eric let it go. The last thing he wanted at this juncture was to have another confrontation. "I don't really care what you took as long as it wasn't anything of historical value. Just remember what I told you. We have some difficult terrain to traverse. I hope you heeded my word and didn't get greedy. On top of whatever it is you have in that backpack, you will need to strap on your tent and sleeping bag." As an afterthought, Eric said, "If I see that you can't keep up, the first thing that's going to go will be the treasure inside your pack. You can get along without the gold, but you can't survive in the Amazon without your gear."
They made camp at the base of the fissure. It was dark by the time the tents were up. Eric decided to wait until morning to forage for food. Phillip immediately went to his tent while the others, using their flashlights, emptied their pockets. Eric had taken some gold ingots while Chris and Catalina had concentrated on the precious gems, and, of course, Catalina was wearing the emerald necklace Eric had chosen for her. He picked up one of the larger emeralds Catalina had found in one of the ceramic jars and held it up to the flashlight. "Just this one stone has to be worth thousands of euros."
Catalina whispered, "This means I no longer have to depend on Phillip. It's such a relief, a wonderful feeling."
Eric laughed. "I can imagine. Now that I can afford my own place, I won't have to listen to Chris snore."
Catalina moved closer to Eric. "I knew that sooner or later you would find the treasure. Without you, this would never have happened." She kissed him on the cheek. "It's hard to believe what we've seen really exists. I'm still having a difficult time internalizing all of this. Just the intrinsic value of the gold, the jewels and the mirror pales in comparison to Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt; you know, the one Howard Carter found."
"Let's hope the place isn't cursed," Chris chimed in. "I read that Carter and his benefactor, Lord Carnarvon, died shortly after the treasure was discovered."
"You don't have a thing to worry about, Chris," Eric said. "They didn't die from a curse. At least not according to what I read."
No one had anticipated the treasure would be this large. Eric reassured them again that once they returned to Manaus, he would cut a deal with the Brazilian government. "I know they'll agree to pay us a finder's fee on the face value of the gold, and possibly on some of those precious stones, particularly if we agree not to take any reward money for the intrinsic value of some of those artifacts, which I'm sure must be priceless. The gold in the mirror alone must be worth a fortune."
"That would only be fair," Catalina said. "Some of those relics like the throne and particularly the Golden Disk of the Sun, belong not only to the people of Brazil, but to the world."
Chris addressed Catalina, "Do you think Phillip will pay me the bonus he promised?"
"I'll make sure he writes you a check as soon as we return to Manaus."
Chris kicked at a rock that was lying close to his boot. "I guess I should've settled for a quarter of the finder's fee like the two of you did. Phillip will be getting fifty percent. Oh well, the rich get richer."
"Quit griping," Eric quipped. "You may be the smart one to have asked for the cash. Who knows how long it will take for the government to come through. Besides, you took a pocketful of gems like the rest of us."
"What are you going to do with the money?" Catalina asked Chris.
"I'm going back to school. I want to get a college education like you two have. Well, maybe not an advanced degree, but I figure if I graduate from a university, I'll be able to get a government job. They pay well and the benefits are good."
Catalina glanced at Eric. "What about you?"
Eric was hesitant to admit to Catalina that she was holding his future in her hands. He hoped to be with her, but he also wanted to stay in Brazil. However, she did ask him a question and he was hard-pressed not to respond. "Long term I'm not sure, but I've always wanted to travel. Believe it or not, with the exception of the Amazon, I really haven't seen much of the world."
It was midnight when Chris decided to call it a day. Eric and Catalina, still much too excited to sleep, sat out by the fire. "A penny for your thoughts," Catalina said.
Eric had mentally calculated that his share of what he had seen and touched earlier that day would amount to five million euros, maybe more. "I was just thinking how rich we will be. The money is bound to affect our lives. It's absolutely incredible, isn't it? I've been living most of my life from day to day, not knowing if I could pay my bills. If I invest the money wisely, I'll have enough to live comfortably for the rest of my life."
Eric watched Catalina brush her hand through her hair. He wanted to hold her, to kiss her, but he also knew this would not be the time-not with Phillip and Chris nearby. Even though Phillip and Catalina were no longer a couple, he didn't want to rub proverbial salt in Phillip's wound. "What about you, Catalina? What are you planning to do with the money?"
"I'm not sure. Unlike you, I've lived most of my life not ha
ving to worry about money. With Phillip out of my life, I think I'll secure the services of a financial planner. I know I'll do something. Regardless of how much money I have, I'm not the kind of person who can just wile away the years doing nothing. Maybe I'll apply for a job at a museum. It shouldn't be too difficult as I do have some knowledge about South American artifacts."
Eric speculated about his future-their future, wondering if they'd be able to blend their two different worlds once they left the jungle.
* * *
They all slept in except for Eric. He entered the rain forest at first light. By the time the rest of them were stirring awake, he handed each of them a bacuri, a mango-sized white-pulped fruit. "This is all I could find for us to eat. The rind is thick so you'll most likely have to crack it open with a rock. If you're still hungry, let me know as I can always find more."
By the time their tents were dismantled and they were ready to leave, it was ten o'clock. "We are going to break early today," Eric declared. "I'll need to take some extra time to hunt for food. But starting tomorrow, we will maintain a rigorous schedule. This means we walk from sun-up to sunset. I want to make it down the mountain and out of the jungle in three days." Eric glanced at Phillip. He anticipated a complaint, but Phillip did no such thing.
Instead, Phillip said, "Believe me, Shade, I'll be just as anxious to get as far away from you as you from me."
Eric decided the least said the better. What Phillip didn't know was the trip back to civilization wouldn't be easy. And he wasn't just thinking about the difficult terrain they would have to traverse. White men were a rarity in this part of the country. He was certain the Murcego Indians would have let others know of their approximate whereabouts. Some of the more curious Indians, never having seen a white man before, might pick up their tracks. They wouldn't necessarily pose a threat, but the rogue Indians who made a living by stealing from others would. Eric knew they would kill to get their hands on a rifle-God forbid they should find out about the gold and the gems.
There was another potential problem. Phillip. He had a gun and it was loaded.
CHAPTER 38
Surprisingly, their climb down the mountain was relatively uneventful. When they reached the bridge, Eric said, "All of you crossed it once so I know you can do it again. Chris, why don't you go first?"
It took Chris only a couple of minutes to cross over to the other side of the ravine. Catalina went next. This time she didn't make the mistake of looking down. She extended her arms for balance, placed one foot in front of the other, and quickly made it to the other side.
Eric saw that Phillip was struggling with his pack. "It would be much easier for you to make it across without your backpack. Why don't you leave it here, and I'll make a second trip for it?"
As much as Phillip was leery of crossing the chasm, he wasn't about to relinquish his backpack. He had to protect his treasure from a possible search by Eric. He tried to sound casual. "No sweat, Eric. I can handle it. I can cross the bridge."
Phillip cautiously stepped on top of the frailejones, and moved forward. He was halfway across, when struggling with his balance, his foot slipped. As he went down, he grabbed one of the frailejones with both hands and dangled precariously over the river. "Help me!" he yelled. "Someone please help me." The backpack was weighing him down. He started to lose his grip. "Oh my God, I'm going to fall!"
"Hang on," Eric shouted, immediately going into action. Disregarding his own safety, he reached Phillip in four giant strides. He straddled the frailejones, reaching out to Phillip. "Let go of the log and grab my hand," he commanded.
Phillip was now yelling hysterically. "I can't reach it. Your hand is too far above me."
Eric realized he had no choice. He lay in a prone position on top of the bridge, reached down and grabbed Phillip's wrist. "Let go of the frailejones and grab my arm," he commanded. "Come on, you can do it."
Phillip was dangling in midair, shouting, "I'm going to die. I'm going to die." But he did as he was told.
Eric was strong, but he knew he didn't have the strength to pull Phillip up, and he couldn't hold on to him much longer. The only thing left was to lighten the load. With his free hand, he reached for his hunting knife, and with two deft strokes cut the straps to Phillip's backpack. No sooner had the pack landed on the rocks far below than Chris was beside Eric, and the two of them managed to lift Phillip on top of the bridge.
With fear still in his eyes, Phillip hadn't fully internalized what Eric had done. By the time he had regained his composure, he became aware that he no longer had his backpack. When he realized neither Chris or Eric were holding it, panic seized him. "Where is my pack?"
"Unfortunately, I had no choice." Eric said. "It's down at the bottom of the gorge. Sorry, Phillip. It was either you or the backpack."
Phillip let out a wail and charged. Eric stepped aside and judo-chopped him from behind, sending him to the ground.
Behaving like a crazed animal, Phillip took his gun and aimed it at Eric.
"Don't do it!" Catalina yelled. "Please don't do it."
Everyone froze and stared at Phillip. He stood there as if paralyzed. Slowly he released the revolver and let it drop to the ground, his sobs breaking the silence. "I had it and now it's gone."
"What in the hell are you talking about?" Eric asked.
"The Golden Disk of the Sun. It's gone forever."
It took them a few minutes to realize what Phillip had just done. Eric was the first to speak. "Do you mean to tell us you took the mirror? It was in your backpack? What induced you to do a stupid thing like that? I thought we all agreed. You were to take pictures of it, and not try and take it with you!"
Tears were streaming down Phillip's face. "I was going to. I swear. But when I saw it, I knew I had to have it."
"Well, it's down in that gorge now."
"Can't we go get it?" Phillip asked. "Please, Eric."
Eric shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Even if we found it, I'm sure the rocks have damaged it beyond repair. There are boulders in that chasm as big as a house, or haven't you noticed?"
Eric glanced at Catalina whose face was a mask of horror. "Did you take a picture of it, Catalina?"
"No. I thought Phillip went back to photograph it."
"Where is the camera?" Eric asked. Then it dawned on him. "Never mind, it was in your backpack, too, wasn't it?"
Phillip nodded, a dazed expression on his face. It seemed to Eric that losing the Golden Disk of the Sun had pushed him beyond the brink of sanity.
Eric picked up Phillip's gun and handed it to Chris. Changing the subject, he said, "Under the circumstances, I think we better stay here for the night." He took his sleeping bag and tent and handed it to Phillip. "Here, use mine. I'll share Chris's. One of us will be standing guard, so it won't be a problem."
* * *
The next morning while they were dismantling their tents, Eric noticed Phillip wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"Have you seen Phillip?" he asked Chris.
Chris walked over to Phillip's empty sleeping bag. "I swear to you, Eric. I checked on him just before dawn, and he was sleeping soundly. He must have snuck out early this morning."
"The damn fool. I bet he went to see if he could find his backpack." Eric stepped out onto the frailejones where he had an unobstructed view of the gorge. He scanned the ravine, but Phillip was nowhere in sight. "Damn him," Eric exclaimed. "Does the idiot really think he can make it to the bottom of the gorge and back by himself?" He was about to go in search of Phillip when he spotted him lying spread-eagle in a heap like a broken toy on one of the rocks below.
"Oh, shit!" Eric crossed himself. "That damn fool." He wrestled with how best to break the news to Catalina. He knew she would be devastated even though she and Phillip had been estranged during most of the trip. It might seem harsh, but he decided it would be better if she saw what happened to Phillip with her own eyes. Upon returning to camp, he motioned for Chris and Catalina to follow him. Once they w
ere on the bridge, Eric pointed to Phillip's corpse.
"Oh no!" Catalina's hands shot to her mouth. "It's all my fault. I should have never talked him into coming here in the first place. He only agreed to take the trip because he wanted to please me." Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Eric took her in his arms as she started to sob uncontrollably. "You can't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault."
Catalina was inconsolable. "I disagree. I should have waited till we were out of the jungle before breaking off the engagement."
"You're being much too hard on yourself," Eric countered. "Phillip wasn't into people. He was into possessions. If you ask me, he was a troubled man. No sane person would risk death for an artifact."
"Shouldn't we go check to see if he might still be alive?"
Eric pointed to the top of the precipice. "It would be suicidal to try. There would only be one way to get to the bottom of that gorge safely, and that would be with a lot more rope than Chris and I have. Look how steep the drop is. There isn't a single tree growing on the slope to break a person's fall." Eric shook his head. "Mark my words. If we tried to reach Phillip without the proper equipment, we would be joining him. Phillip is dead. No one could've survived a seven-hundred-meter drop, particularly Phillip. He landed on a rock."
Catalina nodded. "I understand what you're saying, but Phillip deserves a decent burial."
Eric looked compassionately at Catalina. "Everyone deserves a decent burial, but unfortunately this won't be possible. Even if we did have the proper equipment, it would take at least a day to reach the bottom of that ravine. By the time we got to him, he would no longer be there."