The Crystal's Curse

by Vicky de Leo

  “I have not seen this myself, but I have heard stories.”

  Maria leaned forward. “What can you tell me?”

  The old man looked at her. He placed his carving on the ground next to him. “I don’t know that I can tell you anything that will help you find your son, but I will share what I can. We are the Quiche tribe. What do you know of our origins?”

  Maria thought about what she had read about the Quiche and some of their ancient traditions in the Popol Vul. According to the priest who wrote about the Quiche` geneses myth, they believed the earth was brought into form by Gugumatz, the Plumed Serpent, who eventually created four men and four women who became the ancestors of the race. It was said that the Quiche believed that they were created by extraterrestrials. She decided not to mention that. “Only what I have read in books written by the white man.”

  The old man nodded. “The story is long and complicated and many parts are for Quiche ears only, but it will help if we start with what I can tell you.”

  Even though Maria couldn’t understand his words, his voice demanded her attention.

  He paused periodically for Ricardo to translate. “The gods were lonely so they came to earth and decided to create man. First, they created mud men, but decided they were not sturdy enough. Then they tried wooden men but they too were unsatisfactory. Next, they created beings that were just as strong and intelligent as they were, but the gods soon became afraid of these and destroyed them as well. Finally, they created the humans, the Quiche. The gods decided these were perfect, not as strong as the gods, but beings they could interact with. The gods came and visited the Quiche often. There were good gods like Kukulkna, who taught us about time and space and when to plant and harvest.

  “These carvings,” he said, pointing to some of the glyphs that Maria had recognized, “are part of that calendar. There were also evil gods who ruled the underworld and demanded blood sacrifices. They brought famine and disasters to the Quiche. Kukulkna helped the Quiche to anticipate the times of evil.

  “This,” he said, tapping one finger on the picture of the recess, “is how Kukulkna traveled between his world and our world. Tradition says only he possessed the power to activate the chamber. He left instructions painted on a wall that if he ever failed to return, the room was to be hidden so that the evil gods could not use it to bring more like themselves to plague the Quiche. If you have uncovered this room, it could be very bad. Perhaps that is why your son was taken,” he said without looking at them.

  Maria gasped. Thinking that the Quiche had taken Joshua as punishment for uncovering the room, she asked, “What can we do to get him back?”

  The old man looked into Maria’s eyes. “Perhaps, if you hide the room again before the evil gods can activate the chamber, Kukulkna will show mercy and return your son.” The old man picked up the wooden plank and began to carve again. Obviously, the interview was over.

  Maria, Ricardo, and Rob got up and left. They walked in silence to the Jeep. Once seated, Maria started to shake. Tears poured down her face. She pictured Joshua held captive, alone and afraid.

  Ricardo reached over and patted her hand. “It’s going to be all right. We’ll get him back.”

  Angrily she brushed away the tears and tried to pull herself together. Even in movies, she’d always detested the stereotypical female who felt apart in a crisis. Crying was stupid and useless. She took a deep breath and motioned for Ricardo to start the Jeep.

  Once they were out of earshot of the old man, and Maria more in control, she said, “We can’t go by the village now. We need to make sure that no one else finds out about the room. If word gets out, the Quiche will never give Joshua back.”

  Ricardo agreed. “Let’s get back to Sam, wrap up the dig, and get the crew out of here as soon as possible, before anyone else is taken.”

  * * *

  Sam had extended the search area deeper into the jungle. Returning to the campsite after several futile hours, he spotted a Jeep coming. He stood watching, hoping it was Maria and Ricardo with better news.

  The Jeep pulled up and stopped. Erik Johansen jumped out. Sam recognized him from Ricardo’s description. He was a little taller than Sam, with a blond crew cut, and an air of arrogance. His crisp khaki pants still had a perfectly ironed crease. He wore a light blue polo shirt that showed off the muscles on his arms and chest.

  He took off his sunglasses, revealing startling ice blue eyes. He approached Sam and extended his hand. “Hi, I’m Erik Johansen. I heard about your amazing discovery in town.”

  “Samuel Carson,” Sam said, wiping his hands on his pants before reaching out to shake the other man’s hand. Sam noticed Mr. Johansen’s manicured nails, hands that were large and smooth without any calluses, not the hands of an archeologist. His grip was firm and lasted a little longer than necessary. Something about the man was unsettling.

  “I was hoping to be able to see your find for myself. That is if you don’t mind,” Erik said with a smile that failed to reach his eyes.

  “I’d be happy to show you around the village we found,” Sam qualified. “But first, let’s get a cold drink. You must be thirsty. I just came in from the field. I’d like to wash up and rest a bit.” He led Mr. Johansen over to the mess tent, trying to stall until he could think of some way to get rid of the man. Maybe if he sees the village, he’ll go away happy, he thought. He left Erik no choice but to follow him and wait at the table while Sam washed up.

  Sam returned with two bottles of water, setting one in front of Erik and taking a large swallow from the other. He sat down across from Erik and said, “We haven’t had any visitors before. We’re quite a ways from civilization. What brought you out this far?”

  “I heard that there were ruins in this area. I’m scouting a place for my next expedition.” Smiling Erik looked directly at Sam.

  Sam frowned slightly. “Really, who did you hear that from? I’m curious because I was pretty sure that we’re the only ones interested in this area. I haven’t told anyone exactly where we are or about the ruins we found.”

  Erik shrugged. “I don’t remember exactly. You know how it is. Someone probably mentioned it at a convention I was attending.”

  “Who did you say was sponsoring your expedition?” Sam asked, taking another drink.

  “I don’t actually have a sponsor yet. That’s why I’m here scouting on my own. I was hoping to get sufficient evidence to convince the British Archeological Museum to sponsor a dig. I’m sorry to hear that your son’s missing,” he said.

  Sam hesitated. Finally, he said, “Yes, it’s really upsetting his mother. He’s a teenager. I’m sure he is just hiding nearby because he’s mad at us. He’ll show up soon, when he gets hungry enough.” Sam wasn’t sure why he said that. Something about the way the man’s eyes narrowed when he asked about Joshua alerted some inner sense of unease. Trusting his instincts, Sam decided not to enlist his help, nor give him any reason to stay.

  At that moment, Sam saw Maria, Ricardo and Rob drive up. Jumping up he said, “Excuse me, that’s my wife. I’m afraid we’ll have to postpone your tour. I need to take care of her. Perhaps another time,” he said walking away.

  Erik rose as well. “I understand. But since I’m already here, perhaps your man could show me around,” he called to Sam’s back.

  “I’m sorry, not today,” Sam threw out over his shoulder. As Sam helped Maria out of the Jeep, he spoke quietly to Ricardo. “Make sure he leaves, and post guards so he can’t get anywhere near us.”

  Ricardo nodded. He went to escort Mr. Johansen to his Jeep. Erik was still protesting, but Ricardo was firm that he must come back another time.

  “What’s he doing here?” Maria whispered.

  “He heard about our discovery in town and wanted a tour,” answered Sam.

  “Did he see anything?”

  “No he just got here. I was stalling, trying to decide what to do when you drove up.”

  Maria sat down at the table.

  Sam
could see from her expression that the news wasn’t good. “What did you find out?”

  She told him about the old man and the Quiche legends. “He made it sound like the Quiche took Joshua as punishment for opening the room.”

  When Ricardo came back from posting the guards, he joined them.

  Maria went on, “If the Quiche did take Josh, the only way we’re going to get him back, is by making sure that the Quiche know we’ve hidden the room again. But how do we do that? I mean we can cover it up, but how do we get the word out to them and will they trust us enough to give Joshua back?”

  Ricardo added, “I am also worried about the rest of the crew. What if they decide the gods won’t be satisfied until they eliminate all the witnesses?”

  Sam shook his head. “I am still not sure that’s what happened to Joshua. How did the Quiche get him out? No one saw anyone around. We haven’t been able to find any doors or other openings. What did the elder say about the glyphs?”

  Maria spoke up, “He confirmed that the inner-ring glyphs are part of a calendar. He said these outer glyphs helped them predict disasters, but he also said that only the gods were able to operate the chamber to travel between worlds. That would suggest that if it is a door, they don’t know how to open it.”

  Ricardo shifted in his seat. “Perhaps, if we close up the site, then we can invite the Quiche to come help us search for Joshua. That way if they have him, they can give him back without admitting they took him. And if they don’t have him, maybe they’ll be willing to help us search the area for him once they know the site is sealed.”

  Sam thought for a minute and then said, “That’s a good idea. Maria, can you fix up something to cover the entrance to the room that makes it look like we’ve sealed it up again?”

  “Sure. If you can rig up a piece of plywood that fits the opening and secure it to the cave walls, I can faux finish it so it looks like we bricked it up,” she replied.

  “If the Quiche don’t have Josh, I don’t want to permanently seal that room yet, but we have to make it look as though we did, if we want the Quiche to help us. Ricardo, can you get the exact measurements for the plywood tonight?”

  Ricardo nodded. “It should be easy to cut the plywood without anyone getting suspicious tomorrow while we’re making crates for shipping the artifacts.”

  Sam said, “While you keep the crew busy packing the artifacts and backfilling the village, I’ll make a production out of hauling bricks and mortar into the cave. Maria can stay in there, painting the plywood. The crew needs to believe that we’re sealing the room as well. We’ll make sure that the crew is gone before we ask for the Quiche’s help.”

  Maria and Ricardo both nodded their agreement.

  Sam got up. “I’ll take the phone to a clearing and call the Smithsonian to let them know to expect the artifacts.” Ricardo handed Sam the keys to the Jeep.

  Driving to the clearing, he couldn’t help thinking that wherever Joshua was, he was running out of time.

  Chapter Three

  Once Erik was away from the camp, he stopped the Jeep in a clearing. Frustrated, he couldn’t see any way to investigate the site without making a scene. Something he was not prepared to do, yet. He took out his communicator and called the command center.

  “Field Agent Erik to Watcher One. Watcher One, please come in.”

  “This is Watcher One. Please report.”

  “I’ve located the general location of the portal, but I haven’t been able to conduct an extensive search. There’s an archeological team here excavating. They’ve posted guards to protect their latest find. The portal may be an old one unearthed during their excavation. They’re asking questions of the locals about some setting symbols, claiming they copied the symbols from a painting. I haven’t been able to confirm that.”

  “And the power source?”

  “One of their team is missing, a teenage boy. However, they’re conducting a search for him, so he may just be a runaway. There’s no indication they have a power source. It’s still possible an insurgent triggered the surge, and the archeological team is just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I won’t know for sure until I can find the exact location of the portal.”

  “Could an insurgent be one of the archeological team?”

  “I’ve met the leaders of the team. They’re all human. It would be difficult for one of us to pose as a mere worker.”

  “How long will it take to find the portal?”

  “It could take another couple of days, unless my orders are changed with respect to casualties.”

  “Maintain cover and report in when you’ve located the portal. Watcher One out.”

  Chapter Four

  Joshua opened his eyes to darkness, not total darkness, varying shades of black and brown, punctuated with pinpoints of light. Moving his hands out to the side, he realized he was lying flat on his back on what felt like wet grass. As he continued to stare upward, the points of light resolved into stars peeking through some kind of foliage. Dressed in khaki shorts, tennis shoes and a t-shirt, he shivered. The grass and the surrounding air were cold, not just cool, but icy. Goose bumps stood out on his arms. He sat up. A wave of dizziness passed quickly, leaving only a slight throbbing behind his eyes like the beginning of a sinus headache. Even though it was dark, he could see his breath as little puffs of white mist. Patches of snow covered the ground around him. He shivered again. Where am I? This is not Guatemala. It doesn’t snow in the jungle. It doesn’t even get cold.

  He lowered his head in his hands, and tried to think. The last thing he remembered was being on the dig with his parents.

  That’s right; I was standing in that odd recess looking at the holes. I pulled the crystal thing out of my pocket to see if it would fit into one of them. Then nothing, until I woke up here. How did I get here? Where is here and, how long have I been out?

  He looked at his watch. If it was the same day, only a few minutes had passed, and yet it was dark. He reached down to pick up the faintly glowing crystal lying on the ground next to him. Warm in his hands, it represented tangible proof that he hadn’t lost his mind.

  He stood and looked around. He’d been lying on a patch of ground surrounded by trees. It looked like a park with large oak trees, not the sort of trees that formed the canopy of the forest in Guatemala. Only the sound of the leaves crunching beneath his feet marred the stillness. Off to his left and a short distance away he could see lights. He rubbed his arms and blew on his hands. Dressed as he was he needed shelter soon. Deciding to head for the lights, he began walking. A surge of energy coursed through his limbs. Instead of walking, he found himself running effortlessly. Moments later he reached the edge of the park, a least a mile from where he started, without even being out of breath.

  He stood under streetlights next to a paved street dotted with colonial style houses. Modern cars parked randomly on either side of the street, and in driveways. Lights glowed through curtained windows. Joshua looked up and down the street trying to decide what to do next. He had an odd sense of déjà vu. This street, even the houses looked familiar somehow. He turned right and decided to walk down the street a ways to see if he could find a street sign or some other indication of where he could be.

  Half a block later, on the left side, he came to a stop. It couldn’t be. He stared for a long time at the house in front of him. He recognized this house, and the yard with the large oak tree out front. He knew that the white picket fence, peeking out under the ivy behind the tree, encircled the back yard. He’d been here before. This was his grandfather’s house.

  Boston! I’m in Boston? How did I get here? I remember thinking about coming here. How could I possibly get from Guatemala to Boston?

  He opened the hand holding the crystal. Maybe this crystal is some kind of transportation device. He shook his head trying to make sense of what he was seeing. There had to be a logical explanation for why he found himself alone in Boston outside his grandfather’s house, without any memory of
how he got there.

  What if it is a transporter? Can I return just as easily? I wonder if all I have to do is think about where I want to be and voila, I’ll be there. It’s worth a try.

  Standing across the street from his grandfather’s house and holding the crystal in both hands, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and thought really hard about being back in Guatemala.

  When he opened his eyes, he was still in Boston. If it was a transporter, then it took more than just thinking about it. Okay, what now? I don’t have any money or warm clothes and I can’t stay outside in the cold. At least I know where I am. What do I tell my grandfather? I can’t very well tell him the truth. “Hey, Grandpa I don‘t know how I got here. One minute I was on a dig with my parents and the next I was here. I think I teleported here. Can I stay with you, until I can figure out how to beam back?” Yeah, that’s not going to work. I did it and I don’t believe it. I guess I could come up with a plausible story, but Mom always says I’m a terrible liar. Okay, so I stick to the truth as much as possible without looking insane. I could say I must have amnesia, because I don’t remember how I got here. That much is true. What if he decides to take me to a doctor? How do I explain? If I just show up on his doorstep without offering any explanation, he’s going to think I ran away. Well, I did sort of. So let’s go with that. I ran away, I didn’t have anywhere else to go so I came here. I just hope it’s still the same year and Grandpa still lives here.

  Joshua took a deep breath, crossed the road, and knocked on the door. He finally exhaled when he recognized the short, heavyset woman with gray hair who answered the door as Mrs. Stewart, his grandfather’s long time housekeeper. Dressed in a dark dress and low-heeled shoes, she stood in the doorway wiping her hands on a white apron.

  “Mrs. Stewart, you may not remember me, but I’m Joshua Carson, Joseph Carson’s grandson. Is my grandfather home?”

  Even though Joshua was standing one step lower, she had to look up to him. “Joshua? You’ve grown a bit, but, yes, I do remember you. No, your grandfather isn’t home. He’s out of town at the moment.” When Joshua shivered, she said, “Goodness, please come in, you must be freezing. Why are you dressed like that? Don’t you have a coat?”