by Todd Loyd
“Is that real gold?” Scotty asks.
“It has to be. Look at it—it's real.” Mason responds.
He then lifts one of the coins to his mouth and bites it. He is not sure what he is supposed to find out from doing this, but he has seen it in the movies. The cold metal gives a little under the weight of his bite, and Mason is satisfied that the coin reacted exactly like the genuine article.
He continues, “I'll tell you another thing. This proves that there is treasure out there…lots of it. You heard that guy, uh, Victor. When I asked him about the treasure, he got all zipper-lipped.”
“He did that with just about every question we asked, Mason,” Amy reminds him.
Jack says, “I have to admit, it does feel good to actually meet someone or something not wanting to eat us for a change. I wonder what he meant with all of that prophecy stuff.”
Mason cocks his head to one side, and in his best Victor voice, he states, “All in good time.”
Amy rolls her eyes and feigns a gagging sound, but Scotty pays no attention to the quip because he has taken a coin from Mason and is admiring it. However, the joke actually makes Jack grin. Mason and Jack had been so close to a brawl not five minutes ago, but this was not unusual for the boys’ relationship. Like five-year-old kids, they could hate each other one minute and then be friends the next. Still, Mason remains a little vexed at Jack's odd behavior, but he is willing to let it slide. That is, as long as Jack complies with his wishes.
“He said that those coins would help us. What did he mean by that?” Jack quizzes the others.
“All in good—”
“Give it a rest, Mason,” Amy says and grabs the second coin from midair as Mason flips it. She asks, “Is there any writing on them or anything?”
Upon hearing the subject of coins, Scotty rejoins the conversation by saying, “No, not on mine. What about yours?”
“No,” Amy responds.
“Well, if Victor said they would come in handy, I guess we should keep them safe.” Mason concludes. Scotty and Amy agree and hand their coins back to Mason.
“Jack, you carry it,” urges Mason. “You're the responsible one.”
Mason knows the group will gel better if Jack is on board. So, for selfish reasons, Mason wants to make friends with Jack. His earlier attempt at humor was only the first salvo in the attempt to get things right. He offers the bag to Jack and wonders, Will he take the bait?“Sure, let's get moving,” Jack says as he takes the velvet pouch.
Good, thinks Mason, maybe he will get back to ‘normal Jack.’
Chapter 72
Jack wouldn't be able to explain why, but he can never stay mad at Mason Chick for very long. In sixth grade, Mason had written Jack a note from “Lauren Van Wormer.” It read:
Hey! I like you. I would like to kiss you.
Be my boyfriend. Meet me behind Bell Tower at recess.
Wait for me there, no matter
how long it takes me to get there.
Of course, looking back on it now, Jack sees the complete and utter idiocy of his failure to realize it was a joke. He should have known based on the caveman-like dialect. Yet, he did fall for it and stayed standing behind the Bell Tower for two hours after recess. Mr. Darby, the computer teacher, found him after the entire Polk Middle School faculty had been on a “Jack search.” Jack missed a pop quiz, and because he would not tell the teachers why he was there, he got a zero. The zero subsequently cost him TV and Xbox for one week. His mom doesn't mind an occasional “C,” but a zero is out of the question.
His classmates of course knew exactly where Jack had been after Mason shared the brilliance of his plan with just about the entire school in the bus line. Jack was so mad at Mason that he did not speak to him for all of 20 hours. In spite of the brutal punishment, and the embarrassment, Jack could not possibly stay mad at Mason. All it took was Mason handing him a powdered donut as he walked onto the bus the next morning and all had been forgiven. In fact, Jack congratulated Mason on the prank. Jack does love a well-played prank.
Despite their disagreement on the validity of following the map, the encounter with Victor is the encouragement Jack needs to go along with his friend for now. Victor had made a big deal about the map.
“All right,” Jack declares. “Time to visit our friend Mary. You guys know what to do.”
“Yep, remember, go the opposite of whichever way she says,” Scotty reminds the crew.
The door gently opens as Mason gives it a careful shove. Amy, who is last, has not even fully entered the room when a squealing, yelling, panicstricken voice yelps, “Intruders, hostiles, interlopers! Get out, get out, get out! You will ruin my garden. Ruin it, ruin it, ruin it!”
Before they had entered the room, the group had rehearsed what they would say to Mary. This time, Mason, speaking in a monotone voice all together unlike anything Jack had ever heard before, says, “Mary, we are leaving.”
In spite of the tension, Jack can't help but chuckle at Mason. He is possibly the worst actor in the history of the art. His voice sounds like he is reading straight from a cue card.
Mason goes on, “You had better tell us where ‘The Grove’ is, or I will take this axe—”
“Not sure if she can see us, dude,” Jack whispers.
“I'm holding an axe! With this axe—that I am holding—I will chop down your precious little plants.”
Mason looks to the others for approval. Scotty gives him a thumbs-up, Jack nods, and Amy giggles silently with a hand over her mouth.
Suddenly, there is a shriek followed by a howling, “Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
From their immediate right, the woman—now wild and redfaced—runs at them fullsteam ahead at a pace that could compete with the bear and the snake's. She is the complete picture of fury, charging from behind the foliage with a large shovel in hand while screaming a battle cry. Mason is forced to lift up the axe in defense as her shovel swings down. The collision of the two instruments produces a dull thud.
Although she is shocked and stunned at the charge of the woman, Amy swivels her head just in time to see a giant Venus Flytrap lunging at her. Amy ducks and leafy jaws crack shut above her head. Another Flytrap wraps a green stem around the legs of Scotty. The boy loses balance and slams down hard on the floor, giving a yelp of pain because of his shoulder. Jack is dizzy by the sudden chaos all around him, but is able to focus enough to help Amy.
“You will not harm my garden!” the woman howls in rage.
“Lady, we don't want to. We just….” leaves off Mason, who has to stop speaking and back away in order to avoid impact from another swing of Mary's shovel.
Meanwhile, Scotty has been lifted high in the air, and the boy's body is dangling over an open-mouthed carnivorous plant. At the same time, another Venus Flytrap lashes out and succeeds in closing around the legs of Jack, who has pushed Amy out of the way.
“Jack, no!” Amy cries.
“The stick! Hit it with the stick, Amy!” Jack yells.
Another green stem reaches out to capture Mason from behind. As the vine wraps around his chest, Mason reaches out and grabs it.
Mary is rearing back her arms, preparing for another swing at Mason.
He tells her, “I'll chop it in half, if you make another move.”
She stops. The shovel lowers.
Mason orders, “Make your plants back off!”
The woman looks at Mason with a hate so intense that Jack thinks her eyes might actually shoot fire. Then, in an instant, a smile crosses her face, and she whistles.
Scotty is gently lowered to the ground, and Jack's enclosed legs are free. The plants, in obedience, shrink back to their original positions.
“Now, you tell us where to go, and we will leave. It's that easy,” explains Mason.
“Why didn't you simply ask, my darling children?”
“We did,” Mason reminds her.
“Oh, sure you did, sweetie,” says Mary in a tone that sounds like a southern b
elle. However, this change in demeanor has made Mary seem no less creepy to the group as the shovel-swinging lady they encountered earlier.
Mary continues, “Listen, when you get over to the tulip poplars, turn right.”
“No funny business, lady!” Scotty cries while holding his aching shoulder. “Or my associate goes choppy-choppy.”
Jack is a little surprised by the intensity of Scotty's tone.
“Of course,” Mary says. “Why would I ever harm any of you precious pumpkins? Just do as I say and you will be out lickety-split.”
Amy grabs onto Jack's hand and says, “Let's go.”
He had temporarily forgotten how nice it felt to have her fingers interlocked with his.
The group heads for the tulip poplars and then left.
“I said ‘right!’” yells Mary.
Vines suddenly begin to trail toward them.
“Run!” Jack cries.
With the door in sight, the four race toward it, dancing around vines and dodging shooting darts from a bamboo plant. Finally, they smash through the door it into another room.
Chapter 73
The group is now in the Grove. The room is dark except for a dull glowing light that exudes from the windows of a small little cabin tucked away in the corner.
The well-studied map has shown the travelers that they are now on the right path. They should take a door that is straight ahead, although the path there may not be a straight one since trees and stumps are littered around the room. Jack thinks that, if not for the danger lurking around every corner, this might have made a nice romantic spot for Amy and him, whose hands are still clasped while they deliberately trail behind the others. As horrifying as things have been, Amy and Jack feel that at least this part of the experience is exciting and fun. Still, every time Mason or Scotty turns to speak to either of them, they separate their hands as if they had been caught in the cookie jar.
Although the cabin looks interesting, Jack realizes there is no reason to check it out. All he wants to do now is simply follow the map, get to the doors, and finish this deal.
“Maybe we should check out the cabin,” Mason says.
Jack thinks, Oh, just great. I am in no mood to argue anymore. He clinches Amy's hand and gives her a look, trying to encourage her to take up his argument for him.
Getting the hint, she asks, “Shouldn't we just get through the next set of doors?”
“Amy, if we get to the vault and don't have the key, what good is that going to do?” Mason counters.
Jack realizes, That's true. Mason is making some really good arguments. Perhaps he's right? Maybe the narrator is not helping us? Bedsides how long had it been since—
“Perilous trails and plants that bite.
Two friends that avoid a fight.
Voices want their way, they shout.
Only the end will see them out.
A foolish choice has been made.
Retrace their steps for the price must be paid.
But, for now, keep eyes set on high.
Danger, which lurks, their success to deny.”
Did I just will that to happen? wonders Jack.
“Hey, the marrator. More gobbledygook,” calls Mason.
After scanning the room, Jack spots a narrator robot beside the doors on the opposite wall, but he asks himself, Was that there before?
“Okay, Mason, you have to know he's talking about us now for sure,” Jack says casually, trying his best not to sound argumentative. “’Two friends that avoid a fight’? It said we made a poor choice; he wants us to follow his direction. Maybe we should go back?”
This last question has pushed too far, though. Mason glowers at Jack and states, “We are not going back.”
Quickly retreating from the confrontation, Jack flippantly asks, “What do you think he meant with that last part?”
“I don't know, Jack? I get it—whatever it is, whoever he is—it's talking about us. I give in. But he can talk about us all he wants, that doesn't change the fact that we need a key, a treasure, and an exit. And I am willing to bet if we are going to find the key, it will be somewhere like that,” says Mason while pointing to the cabin. He begins making a direct path toward it.
Jack thinks, No use arguing any further. It would only spoil the peace.Scotty sees Mason heading toward the shack and follows initially, but then stops.
Amy and Jack, who are just behind Scotty and enjoying the lack of attention, walk up behind him.
“What are you looking at?” Amy asks her brother.
“You guys gonna join me?” Mason inquires. He is already at the porch of the cabin.
“Hold on, Mason. Scotty sees something,” Jack calls.
Scotty says, “Look at that stump, or mushroom. Whatever it is, it looks…. Wait a minute. It's pretty dark over there. Jack, shine the flashlight over.”
Scotty walks toward the object of his attention and says, “Looks like someone's thrown out a little bowl here on the ground.”
The flashlight clicks on, and Jack swings it over to Scotty.
“Oh man, guys, this one's easy. This is curds and whey!” Scotty announces proudly.
Scotty walks back over to Jack and hands him the bowl. Jack does not look at the contents but flashes his light around the room instead. After arching the flashlight up and down, he finally sees something near the ceiling: eight little glowing orbs descending from above the mushroomlike stool.
Chapter 74
Jack drops the bowl to the ground and yells, “Let's get out of here!” as the giant spider is lowering itself towards him.
From the steps of the shack, Mason runs towards the commotion and sees the spider for himself. He takes out the axe and heaves it at the eightlegged monster. However, He misses badly, and the axe crashes into the far wall.
“The door—get to the door!” Jack yells.
Without wasting any more time, all four of them make a quick dash for the door on the far side of the room.
The spider is slow and deliberate as if it knows something the others do not.
Amy reaches the door first, but is unable to open it. She announces, “It's locked.”
“What?” questions Jack. He frantically shoves at the door before confirming that Amy is right.
Jack feels a wisp of air above his head and hears a dull thud against the door. He realizes that the spider is shooting webbing at them.
“What do we do?” Scotty asks while looking at Mason.
The spider is now on the floor inching toward them. Jack notices that the bowl is a few feet in front of the menace, and he decides to run and grab it.
“Jack!” Amy calls as she watches him run right at the spider.
Before the spider can reach it, Jack picks it up and hurls the dish and its contents at the spider. It is a direct hit, and the thick curds and whey blankets several of the glowing eyes.
“To the shack! If it's locked, we'll bust through the window—come on!” Jack commands.
As they sprint to the porch of the shack, a shot of webbing just misses Amy's feet.
Jack grips the doorknob and turns it while crashing his shoulder into the door, praying that it will give. It does, and all four move into the protection of the cabin.
Chapter 75
Five frustrated parents, some kids, one sulking teenager, and a handful of park employees stand outside the Dark Ride. All of them are looking intently at Howard Snodgrass.
Why me? thinks Snodgrass. It is a question he has asked himself multiple times over the last seven years. He wonders, How many worthless nights have I spent babysitting this worthless park?
Facing the crowd, he says, “Look, my employees are doing everything in their power to see that the kids get safely outside.”
He feels he has already answered the same 20 questions multiple times: first from the Carnahans, then from the Chick guy in his tailored business suit, followed by the Braddock couple, who arrived last with their silent, brooding teenage daughter.
H
oward reassures everyone again, saying, “Just stay calm. There is no need for panic. This kind of thing happens all the time.” He has already said that same line six times tonight. This time, he adds, “Your little darlings are totally safe.”
“Look, Howard,” says Titus Chick while sending a menacing look his way. “These things, as you say, may happen all the time, but not to my son. I don't think you realize who you are dealing with.”
Actually, Howard knows exactly whom he is dealing with. Everyone in Cassidy Falls is well aware of the Chick law firm.
The lawyer continues, “How do you lose track of four teenagers for well over two hours in a ride? You are aware that this has lawsuit written all over it—especially if this happens all the time? I'll tack on negligence for fun.”
The other parents all nod in agreement.
Howard wonders why he had ever been sent to this forsaken place. He recalls that one day he was working as supervisor of the mailroom at the Newcastle Group home office in Annapolis when his father, the CEO, had promised great things, telling him, “Howard, we've got a special assignment for you. We've purchased an amusement park in Tennessee. We would like you to oversee the operations.”
What Howard did not know was that the assignment was simply a way for his dad to ship off his spoiled deadbeat son.
The happiest day of Howard Snodgrass's life had been the day he heard that they were tearing down Storybook Hollow. He had badgered his father on the phone nearly every day since the announcement of the park's closing, and he had been promised another assignment once the faltering park closed its doors for good.
“Have you called the police?” Wallace Braddock asks.
“The police? Are you not listening to me? Your kids are going to be out any minute. It's a building—where could they have gone?”
“I don't know,” replies a combative Houston Carnahan, raising his voice. “Isn't that your job to figure out?”
My job? thinks Snodgrass. This is all the frustrated man can take. He declares, “My job is not to play mama bird to some reckless teenagers. Have you considered that they are the ones who are sneaking around there in my ride unattended? Do you know what unsupervised teenagerss do? And I'm happy to counter-sue for any damages inside the ride and anything that's missing.”