“Oh my gosh!” Lacey said in disbelief. Ben took his foot and cleared some of the larger pieces that were still connected then climbed through the opening. Lacey followed him, still in disbelief at what she had just witnessed.
They saw the lake in front of them, down a steep incline of obsidian, they started to move as quickly as they could down the slope. As they approached the half-way point, they heard the man coming through the opening. Lacey looked to her right, the rock that had the paper in it was still there, it was only ten feet away, she ran over to get it. Ben realized what she was doing and saw the man coming closer to her. He looked down grabbed a palm size piece of volcanic glass, took his pitching stance, and then nailed the man in the forehead. He fell instantly, he wasn’t unconscious, but was extremely bewildered.
“Nailed it!” Ben yelled in a high pitched voice as he snapped his fingers.
“Yeah, you picked the wrong kid to mess with!” Lacey yelled at the man as she lifted the rock and then rolled it down the hill. Ben was chasing after the obsidian hoping to catch it before it went across the trail and into the water, luckily just as it impacted with the last stone before the trail it broke in half.
“No way!” Ben yelled as he ran up to the broken glass. He saw that the paper was only being held in the tube by a thin piece of glass, so he took his foot and stomped on it just as Lacey came down the hill. Ben grabbed the paper and shoved it in his pocket, he saw that the man was coming down the hill even faster, and then he noticed a fishing boat coming around the bend in the lake. “Hey! Help!” He screamed waving his hands toward the boat. The fisherman stopped and looked at them, he noticed a large man running behind them then the boy and woman jumped into the water and began swimming towards his boat. He slowly eased the boat toward them.
“You guys okay?” he asked.
“No- those guys were trying to kill us!” Lacey wailed. The fisherman pulled them into the boat, just as the man made it to the trail. The boat pulled around, Lacey and Ben were facing their attacker, they both lifted their hands and waved mischievously. “Wow, thank you so much!” Lacey said to the fisherman. He brought them back to the marina and showed them where the Ranger’s office was so they could report the two men.
“That was crazy.” Ben said.
“Insane” Lacey agreed “I’m gonna have to start calling you Red” Lacey teased.
“Why?” Ben asked clearly overwhelmed by the last hour.
“Dude, you just whooped those guys, I’m gonna tell your mom that those karate lessons are paying off!” She nudged his arm. “You’re a red belt Ben; get it, ‘Red’?”
“Oh I thought you were talking about blood.” Ben said as he motioned to his hand. Just then Lacey looked at him and noticed that his hand was dripping with blood. She reached for it and saw that a huge piece of Plexiglas was lodged in his wrist. “Oh it’s no big deal.” Ben said, he then looked at the piece of glass, looked back up at Lacey and passed out.
6
As the doctor stepped out of the small room Lacey walked in. “Hey man, how you doin’?” She asked Ben.
“Oh good, hey look I got twelve stitches, can you take a picture with your phone?” He asked anxiously.
“Sure.” She snapped the picture then sat on the stool next to the exam table. “So I spoke with the Ranger, he thinks those guys are some Native American grave robbers. They have noticed a lot of artifacts come on the market recently, which they think may have been looted. So anyhow, they should find them soon, thanks to you kicking their butts!”
“Oh cool, hey just so you know I took the piece of paper out. It’s soaked, but I could still see the coordinates for the next place. It’s just on the counter there.” He pointed to the small counter behind Lacey.
“Do you think we should go to it?” Lacey asked, obviously concerned.
“Um, yeah, why not?” Ben replied.
“I just feel like this is getting really dangerous, ya know.”
“Well, yeah, but it’s fun, too.” Ben looked at his shoes. “I never get to do anything like this, I mean we’re like Indiana Jones! Aren’t you having fun?”
“Well yeah, I’m having fun, I was just worried that you could get hurt, I mean, look at your arm, your mom was ticked when I told her what happened. I assured her that you wouldn’t trip and fall on any more glass.” She looked at him, communicating the fact that he better stick to the story. Had Lacey told his mom what really happened, Ben would be on his way home.
“Well, can we just see where the next one is, the clue is a little smeared, but the numbers are okay.” Ben pleaded. “Then if it’s too far, or too scary we can go home.”
Lacey looked at the soggy paper on the counter behind her, “42 degrees 11’47.9” North and 122 degrees 42’51.0” West. Do not dismay, you are well on your way. In the words of The Great, your next clue awaits.” Lacey breathed deeply, “So this probably isn’t going to be the last spot, it says ‘your next clue’ I wonder how many more there can be.”
“Do you have the GPS unit?” Ben asked. Lacey pulled it out of her purse and handed it to him. “Tell me the numbers again.” As soon as he entered the numbers he smiled brightly. “I think we’ll be okay, look the next spot is in Ashland, we can go there, find the next one and if the one after that is too far, we can just go home.”
“Well it does help that Ashland is only twenty minutes from your house.” She looked at the GPS screen again. “I mean we are going that way anyways, what’s one more stop? Let’s get the heck out of here!”
They walked out of the doctor’s office with a new spring in their step, they just had to stop at the camp site, load up their stuff and within four hours they would be back in the Rogue Valley, just in time for dinner.
“Okay that makes sense.” Lacey said as she pointed to a banner that said Oregon Shakespearian Festival.
“Shakespeare? Like Romeo and Juliet?” Ben asked.
“Yeah, Shakespeare is considered to be one of the all time best known writers in history, actually probably the most famous writer ever. I took a class last term; we read a lot of his work.”
Ben held the GPS unit up so he could look at the screen, “well it has to be here.”
Lacey and Ben circled the parking lot of the Oregon Shakespearean Festival at 7:20 pm. Seeing no available parking spots they parked on the street a few blocks away and walked to the large entryway of the festival. Music and the loud voices of the actors’ filled the air. It was still light and beautiful outside, especially in the garden that wound up a path to the theater entrance.
“This is going to suck with all these people here.” Lacey said.
Ben nodded in agreement, “If we wait though, it’ll be dark, which will be worse, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, hey from right here what does the GPS say?”
Ben pulled the GPS unit from his pocket and turned it on, “Points to 350 feet south.” He pointed the way that the arrow on the screen was pointing.
“Looks like it would be in the building then, behind the stage maybe. Let’s head toward the back of the stage and see if there is a door we might be able to get in.” Lacey said as she started walking toward the building.
They walked around the back of the building, suddenly a security guard stepped around the corner, “Can I help you?” His loud voice made both of them jump. They looked at each other, and then Lacey said,
“Yes, that would be great, see my nephew here is in the play, we had a flat tire so we are so late, could you let us in the back here please?” She smiled at Ben.
“Well yeah, but can I see your ID card first?” He motioned to Ben.
“Uh…” Ben froze then said, “Oh shoot, I think I forgot it at home!”
“Could you make an exception for him, please?” Lacey begged the man.
“Well, I guess, but next time, don’t forget it.” He said to Ben sternly.
“Yes Sir.” Ben said sheepishly. The guard opened the side door, which led into a dark cement corridor.
<
br /> “You know your way from here, I’m sure.” The guard said.
“Thanks!” Ben and Lacey said with a wave, then turned and started walking down the dark hallway.
“Okay we need to find some costumes; if anyone sees us back here they will know we aren’t supposed to be here.” Lacey said quietly. Ben pulled the GPS from his pocket again.
“Cool, we just have to go to the right here, about seventy feet.” He put the unit back in his pocket.
As they peeked around the next corner they saw at least twenty people buzzing around, talking loudly, and carrying loads of costumes and wigs. There were tables with mirrors lining the walls, actors and actresses stared at themselves as various people put the finishing touches on their costumes.
Ben noticed a large rack of huge ballroom gowns hanging about ten feet to the right; he quickly walked over and slid behind it. Everyone was so occupied, no one noticed. Lacey stayed around the corner and could barely contain herself when Ben came back around in a huge blue ballroom gown and a long blonde wig.
“Are you kidding?” Lacey laughed quietly.
“This way I can walk around and find the clue without being questioned.” Ben said, obviously proud of himself.
“Should I get one?” Lacey asked, as she pulled something out of her purse.
“If you want, but I can probably just find it real fast.” Lacey grabbed Ben’s chin.
“Close your eyes.” She ordered, and then started applying some makeup to his eyes, and cheeks. “Okay now do this with your lips.” She opened her mouth widely; Ben obeyed and was slathered with lipstick.
“Great.” He complained to himself as he looked in the mirror of her compact. “Well, at least no one will recognize me here.”
“Okay so just remember the clue, it said 'In the words of The Great.’ Obviously they are referring to Shakespeare, so we just have to figure out exactly what that means.”
“Well I will go to the exact spot, and I’m sure I’ll see something.” Ben slipped around the corner and headed in the direction that the GPS was pointing. He turned to his left and walked up some narrow stairs. No one seemed to notice him looking around, they were all nervous and rehearsing their lines, Ben couldn’t believe his disguise was working so well.
He approached the top of the stairs, he could hear the sounds from the play getting louder and louder, he must be getting close. At the top of the stairs there was a small standing area bordered on one side with a brick wall and the other side a thick red curtain. Ben checked his GPS again, five feet through that red curtain was the spot he needed. He slowly approached it, then lifted the edge and peeked through. Bright lights blinded him momentarily; suddenly he could hear someone approaching from behind. He closed the curtain quickly and slipped the GPS unit back down the top of his dress.
“They told us not to bring cell phones…shame, shame.” The man said as he motioned to the bulge in the top of Ben’s dress, then he looped his arm through Ben’s. Ben tried to step aside, but the man was not letting go, he hadn’t even looked at him, he was staring straight ahead. Ben tried to wiggle free. “Nervous are we?” The man asked with a hint of sarcasm. “Well, no time to throw up now.” The man said then took one step forward, Ben hadn’t moved, “Come now, that’s our cue!” He drug Ben through the curtain, the lights nearly blinded Ben as he fumbled outside of the curtain, he froze as the audience caught his eye. Somewhere in the distance he heard a man say,
“But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labors, most busy lest when I do it.”
The man holding Ben’s arms squeezed his wrist slightly, and then nudged him gently. Ben not getting the hint just stood dumb founded. He turned slightly to see the person who had just spoke. Staring blankly at the man he said “Huh?”
The audience started to whisper and giggle, then the man said “Most dear Miranda, won’t you please us with a word or two?” He looked at Ben suspiciously.
Ben again just stood his mouth gaping, he turned to the audience, there must have been at least five hundred people staring wide-eyed at him. “Um,” he said in his normal voice then looked down realizing he was wearing a dress. “Oh” he said in a high pitched voice, “I’ve just been looking for thou, or thee…um…” he looked again at the audience then back at the man standing across from him. “I’ve come to see the…” he looked around the stage and saw a large chest sitting in the corner approximately where the GPS had indicated, thinking the clue could be in the chest he said, “the chest.” Ben pulled his arm free from the man who had forced him on stage and went toward the chest. The two men just stared at one another, totally bewildered, not knowing what to do; they just watched as Ben opened the prop and realized there was nothing in it.
“Uh…O most dear mistress, the sun will set before I shall discharge what I must strive to do.” The man spoke again, trying to stick to the script. Ben stood and looked around the stage again. Everyone in the audience was whispering now, Ben was starting to sweat from the bright lights and overwhelming embarrassment.
“You shall do the thing you want to do.” Ben replied, trying again to sound as girlish and as Shakespearean as possible. The two men looked at him again, their eyes piercing into him. Suddenly the man who had originally pulled Ben on stage said,
“Oh Miranda, I have forgotten something, join me for the retrieval.” he grabbed Ben’s hand, and started pulling him offstage, as Ben was trying to move with the force, his tennis shoe got stuck in the slip of the large gown and he fell, the bottom of the dress ripping loudly on stage. He stood, with his blue jeans showing through the huge tear in his dress, and his blonde wig, twisted awkwardly on his head. He looked at the audience, not knowing what to say, he lifted his hand and with an awkward wave loudly said,
“Enjoy the show.” As the audience roared with laughter Ben exited the stage with the man who had drug him on in the first place.
“Who are you?” a woman’s voice called out from behind them. “I came up here and found you on stage in my place.” She was also wearing a large gown and had on a matching blonde wig. They both stared at Ben expecting an answer. Suddenly Ben made a run for it, he headed straight back down the stairs, not knowing what to do he slipped into a small doorway labeled “lighting” at the bottom of the stairs. As he entered he saw that the room extended the entire way under the stage. TV screens lined one wall, and under each was a computer, he assumed to change lighting features during the show.
“What’s up?” one of the men sitting at the screens asked him. They didn’t turn around, so Ben said nothing and just looked around. He lifted the torn skirt of his dress as he wandered to the location that the GPS had said to go; at this point he was directly under the same spot he had been standing on stage.
One of the men turned around to see what he was doing. “Need something?” he asked in an annoyed tone. “Actors are not supposed to be down here!” he said with an even more annoyed tone.
“Oh I just need, um…” he continued to look around then saw a leather bound booklet labeled The Tempest on the table that lined the monitored wall in front of him, “Oh, I just need to look at that.” He said as he pointed to the script. The man handed it to him, then turned once again, with a loud sigh of irritation and focused on the monitors. Ben thumbed through the script, not noticing anything right away; he walked backward to the door, and then slowly poked his head out to make sure the coast was clear.
No one was around; he could hear the bustling of the dressing room, knowing how he looked he put one hand on the skirt to hold it in place and lifted the script in front of his face to block anyone from seeing him. He quickly slipped around the corner and found Lacey hiding in a small alcove by some electrical meters.
“This is all I could find.” Ben said as he handed it to her. “I got pulled on stage, wow that was awful!” his face was still red with humiliation.
“Well, all we can do is look.” Lacey said as she sat on the floor and began to flip through the script. In addition to the charact
er’s lines this copy had technical directions for the lighting crew, it showed different angles and numbers indicating certain lights that needed illumination at various times. “There are a lot of numbers in here.” She said as she thumbed through it. Ben sat down next to her and rested his head on his knees. She glanced over each page hoping that something would jump out at her as different. Half way through she thought she had found it. “Hey check this out, right after Ferdinand speaks, in parentheses it says, 44 degrees 44’49.7” North and 124 degrees 3’57.1” West, in the grains of the devil’s drink, be careful- do not sink.” Lacey pointed to the excerpt as Ben looked over her shoulder. He pulled the GPS unit out of the top of the dress he was wearing and entered the numbers.
“Great,” he said with an overwhelmed and exhausted tone. “Looks like this one is back on the coast.”
“Well, shoot…it doesn’t say clue, so maybe this is the last one, and since it is on the coast that would make sense, to start and end on the coast.” She said reassuringly. “What do you think?” She asked Ben. “I mean we have already done so much what if this is the last one, we can’t just, not go.” She paused for a second, “Right?”
7
Ben felt the late morning sun warming his face. He was beyond exhausted, but also so excited that it really didn’t matter. He and his aunt were sure that this would be the last geocache; it made sense to have the game begin and end at the coast. A smile came to his face as he thought about holding his share of the ten thousand dollars, within a few hours that would be a reality.
Waypoint: Cache Quest Oregon Page 4