“Good night, and don’t have any more dreams about me slipping, or hurting myself.”
“I’ll try. And don't float away in your sleep.”
Everyone slept well that night, tired from their adventures. Everyone that is, except the nocturnal Peanut. The minute Helaina was sleeping peacefully, she escaped her cage from an opening where her water bottle hung, and spent the long hours of the night exploring Helaina's room. The minute the sun rose in the sky she would return to her nest, and be sound asleep by the time Helaina woke up. Helaina would not even know her little pet had escaped and went exploring on her own.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
WHERE’S THE WATERFALL?
Blueberry pancakes and bacon were ready for the family when they woke up the next day. Being a beautiful summer day, the kids and their grandparents took their breakfast out to the patio. William and J.R were dressed in their oldest jeans and tee shirts since their plan for the day was to get the motorcycle and bring it back home. Just as William was finishing up his blueberry pancakes topped with rich whip cream his cell phone rang.
“William, this is George Garret at the Nature Park, you have a minute?”
“How are you George, has your wife had the baby yet, let’s see that makes number 4 doesn’t it?
“We’re doing great, and its number five.”
“Are you trying to over populate the island with boys?” laughed William as he walked away from the table to a more private area.
“No, this is going to be the last; my wife is finally going to have that girl she always wanted.”
“Great, did you get more samples from that waterfall, and cave the kids found yesterday?”
“That’s why I’m calling. Are you sure you gave me the right GPS coordinates?”
“Positive, Mason and I had the same numbers. Why?”
“Because there is only a field here. There isn’t a waterfall, or cave.”
“That can’t be right, we have pictures, we saw it with our own eyes, and Mason and I went into the cave. We have pictures of all the cave art, and so do the kids.”
“I’m telling you it’s not there.”
“Go back and check,” William insisted.
“William, me and my assistant are standing at the coordinates you gave us as we speak. And I am telling you there is no Waterfall, and no cave, just the same dry river bed going through a field of grass.”
“J.R and I have to come and pick up an old Motorcycle they found yesterday. Meet us at the picnic area, and we will help you find the fall.”
“I wondered who put that old thing there this morning. I was thinking about taking it to the recycle center. Meet you in an hour, see you then.”
William then walked back to the family. He had to choose his words carefully, so as not to let the kids know that he had followed them yesterday. They would think the he didn’t trust their judgment. They wouldn’t believe he was just making sure that they remained safe. Right now that was his main priority.
“Hey guys, that was the Geologist that I sent to the Nature Park, I told him all about your waterfall and cave. I even sent him the pictures you took, and told him what an incredibly unusual place it was. The problem is he couldn’t find it.”
“We know where it is,” said the kids in unison, then giving each other a dirty look.
They were trying very hard not to speak in unison, they thought it was creepy. They believed that if they did it too much, someone might figure out their Mind Speaking secret.
William laughed, knowing what they were thinking. “I thought that before we pick up that motor bike you found, you could show George where the waterfall and cave are?”
“I want to stay here with Grandma, we are going to learn how to make blueberry jam, and she promised to show us her secret recipe for making flaky pie crust.”
“J.R, you think you can find it?”
“Sure, I know exactly where it is, can’t forget, it’s special.”
“I agree, maybe later I can take your Grandma there for a romantic picnic.”
“Yuck! Romantic picnics are for young people,” said J.R.
“I think that is sweet.” Helaina punched her cousin on the shoulder for his insensitive remark.
“That would be wonderful,” Jennifer agreed.
“You girls have fun, J.R and I will show George where it is.”
“Granddad, why doesn’t George know where it is, he’s the Ranger, and Geologist; he should know all the cool places in the park?” asked Helaina.
“That I don’t know. Let’s get going, we will take the ATV and the small trailer, I don't think we need the truck for an old motorcycle. See you girls for lunch, and I would love some blueberry jam on my peanut butter sandwich.”
“Have fun.” Helaina and Jennifer chimed together, as they picked up the breakfast dishes then headed to the kitchen.
“J.R, run upstairs and get those pictures you took yesterday. I saw that you used my computer to print them out this morning. You used up all my ink, by the way.”
“Sorry about that Granddad. Meet you in the garage in five minutes.”
When William and J.R arrived at the picnic area, George was waiting for them. George, an Asian gentleman in his late thirties was dressed simply in a pair of jeans and a button down work shirt with a long skinny towel draped over his neck which he used to dry the perspiration from his face, greeted the young man and his grandfather with a respectful bow, as was the tradition of his people. The first thing they did was put the rusty motorcycle on the trailer, a few of its pieces fell off in the process but they just threw them on the trailer with the rest of the old machine. Leaving the trailer, William and J.R followed George’s ATV as they drove into the park for about a mile and a half up the river. Another Ranger was waiting for them, a baby Bison was feeding out of his hand, as its mother stood watching. Getting off the ATV J.R went to investigate the Bison and talk to the ranger who he recognized as one of the older teens who like to surf and hang out on the beach. William and George spoke quietly, making sure that J.R couldn’t over hear them.
“The GPS coordinates you gave us, put the fall behind that grove of trees.”
“Okay! Let’s take a look. J.R. is this about where you found that fall?” William said, knowing that it was, because he was here yesterday.
“Yep, behind those trees over there! Come on, I will show you.”
J.R feeling important because they had found a place that no one else had, led the three men into the trees.
Following J.R for about ten minutes, and not finding the waterfall, the Ranger asked, “You sure this is the place?”
“I’m positive! It has to be here, the trees hide it.”
J.R looked in every direction, but it wasn’t there. Then he spotted something on the ground. The rope they used and left behind because they didn’t have room for it in their back packs, because the balls had taken up all the room. J.R picked it up to show the three men.
“Granddad, this is our rope, we left it tied to a rock near the waterfall. See it still has the ring we tied it to. Did you move it?” J.R asked the Rangers.
The Rangers shook their heads. “No, we didn’t even see it.”
They looked some more, but then the group came out on the other side of the grove of trees. All that was there was the dry river bed through the field of grass. Just as the Ranger told William.
“I don’t understand, it was here, I know it?” J.R, confused ran back into the trees, looking again but came out minutes later frustrated.
“Let me see the pictures again,” William told the boy.
The four of them looked at the pictures, the river, the fall and the cave did exist. They had proof in their hands. But why couldn’t they find it? One pictured showed the grove of trees, and they compared it to where they stood. They were at the right place, that crooked tree in the picture next to the fall was the same crooked tree that stood just a few feet away.
“How can it just disappear?” J.R wanted
to know.
“That’s a good question. Let’s get the bike and head home. Maybe George can find it later.”
“But Granddad, that crooked tree, it was by the waterfall. See?” J.R pointed at the picture again.
“I see. I’m just as confused as you are but we aren’t getting any answers. I promise I will have someone call a Geologist who specializes in such things. Don’t worry we will unlock the truth about a disappearing waterfall.”
The group went back to the picnic area, where William and J.R reattached the trailer to the ATV and went back home. J.R was silent the whole trip, William couldn’t hear his thoughts; he could only hear when the kids did Mind Speaking. But he didn’t have to hear anything this time, he knew the boy was confused, and was thinking of possible answers that made sense to him. Unfortunately J.R couldn’t think of anything that explained this mystery, neither could William.
By the time they returned with the old rusty motorcycle, Mark and Dylan were at the garage waiting for them, and helped get it off the trailer. J.R was unusually quiet; his friends sensed that something was bothering him.
“J.R what’s wrong?” asked Mark.
“I just don’t understand,” J.R said shaking his head in frustration.
“Understand what?”
“The waterfall, and the cave, they’re gone.”
“Gone?”
“They disappeared! Vanished! Nowhere to be found! Gone!” J.R was really upset about this.
J.R’s two friends looked at him in disbelief, and William assured the boys that J.R was right, that this was no joke. They stood there stunned at what they just heard. It was time for William to distract them, get their minds on something else; this was not a problem for ones so young.
“Hey guys, I just did a Google search on this rusty pile of metal you found. You made quite a find; it’s a 1970 Triumph Tiger TR6R; one of the faster bikes of her time.”
That little bit of information got the job done, the boys were now excited.
“We should take her apart, then rebuild her completely.” J.R’s mind was now working on the bike, and not the missing waterfall.
“Why did you call it a “she”?” Dylan wanted to know.
“I don’t know. My dad sometimes calls his Harley Davidson a she.”
“We can paint her black with racing stripes. Then race her.”
Mark always the practical one said, “I don’t think the sheriff would let us race.”
“Let’s clean her up a bit, then we can start taking her apart,” William suggested.
Everyone went into the garage to get some cleaning supplies and tools. Making big plans for when they had their new project up and running; which William figured would be just a few shorts weeks, knowing J.R. He would have to chain the thing up until the boy turned sixteen. He did know that Katie wasn’t going to like the idea of her son riding a racing motorcycle. She worried when Charlie was on his Harley Davidson. Her brother had lost his life while riding on one, going to a New Year’s Eve party, and she never got over the loss. Maybe by the time J.R turned sixteen they will have convinced her of his abilities, but he doubted that, a loss like that always changed a person.
The boys worked all afternoon on the bike, they had even gotten Mason and William to help. By the time lunch came around J.R had gotten William to order about two thousand dollars’ worth of parts. While the boys were busy, the girls were totally immersed with projects of their own. Their first project of the morning was to wash and dry all the blue berries and apples. They divided the berries, one half were to be frozen for later use, it didn't take long to bag and freeze the berries. Then the other half made was into tasty jam. As Jennifer gave them instruction the girls did exactly as they were told. Jennifer and Sophia watched them closely as they added ingredients to the bubbly mixture, making sure it got to the right temperature. Also having them continually stir the berry mixture so that the berries didn’t burn. When the jam was ready Sophia showed the girls how to do the canning. Two pots of boiling water really heated up the kitchen, steaming up the windows and making everyone all sweaty. One pot to sterilize the jars and lids, the other, to put the jars into when they were filled with the jam, to pressure seal the lids. The girls worked together, Emma sterilized the jars then handed them to Helaina, who filled them with the jam. Helaina handed the filled jars to Kellie, who cleaned the rim, removed the gas bubbles, and put the lid on. When having six jars filled they would boil the jars for 15 minutes. They worked together in assembly line fashion, each concentrating on their individual jobs. When done they had 24 jars of jam They put some in a little bowl and put it in the refrigerator to get cool, the girls wanted to taste their handiwork for lunch.
With the jam made, and the jars all lined up near an open window to cool, they began to peal the apples. They were still pealing apples when the boys came in covered from head to toe in grease.
“Okay ladies let’s take a break. I think we have a few hungry men to feed. After they get cleaned up that is,” Jennifer said, needing a break herself.
They fixed themselves some nice cold iced tea, then sat down at the kitchen counter. Sophia moved the apples into the refrigerator and took out things to make sandwiches, which of course would be peanut butter with blue berry jam, served with chips and dips. After the boys had gotten most of the grease off their hands, they came into the kitchen hungry. They were anxious to try the jam that the girls made and they weren’t disappointed; the jam tasted sweet and made the best peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Especially when it was made with Sophia’s homemade bread, made fresh the day before.
William followed the boys upstairs, after he had cleaned up, he waited until he heard them go back down to the kitchen. Taking his digital camera he went into Helaina’s room. He hated being a snoop, but he had to see those balls and their cases, and take pictures to document them. Not knowing what they were, or what they did, or if they posed a threat to J.R and Helaina, he needed to see them for himself. He wanted the company’s scientists to take a discreet look at the pictures so they could advise him on the situation. The most logical place to hide such items, he assumed, was the closet, and he was right. He was careful not to disturb anything, as not wanting his crime to be discovered. First he found the bag carrying the object, way back in a corner on the floor. Carefully removing it, he snapped a few pictures of it, case and all, making sure he got it at all angles. Then he placed the green ball back where he had found it. He did the same with the case he found on the top shelf, the one with the blue ball.
As he was leaving the room, a thought came to him. “The colors were those similar to the crest. Blue is for those from above, and green for those of the earth. It just couldn’t be a coincidence.”
He then joined everyone down stairs for lunch. The only witness to his crime was Peanut, who had stuck her head out from her nest to see if Helaina had come to get her, but seeing that it was only William she went back to sleep.
Peanut butter sandwiches with the freshly made blueberry jam made for a wonderful lunch, and for a lot of blueberry stained clothes. After this special treat the boys went back to the garage to work on their project for a few more hours. Being elbow deep in pie crust dough, and with enough apples to feed a small army, the girls worked together making pies, and apple turn overs. After running out of flour and butter, the girls made apple sauce, when they had enough of doing that, the remaining apples where frozen for use later on. By four in the afternoon the smell of apple pies, and turn overs filled the air, so much that it brought everyone together by the pool for an afternoon snack.
Everyone had to clean up the mess left from their individual projects, before they could relax in the recreation room, and enjoy challenging each other to games. Helaina and Kellie were setting up the shuffle board, but couldn’t find one of the disks.
J.R overheard Helaina say, “It just can’t disappear!” in frustration.
“Yes it can! The waterfall disappeared.” he stated.
The t
hree girls turned to look at him, for this was news to them. J.R recounted his story of this morning’s outing to the group, who listened but couldn't understand what they were hearing. They knew that J.R was speaking the truth because of the frustration and confusion in his voice. They believed his story, they just didn’t understand, but of course no one did.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
RETRIEVING THE LAST TWO BALLS
Kellie, Mark and the twins left to go home, taking two of the pies and a few of the apple turn overs with them. J.R and Helaina were left alone in the recreation room, playing a game of air hockey. This was the opportunity for Helaina to present her plan to her cousin.
“I had a dream last night,” Helaina said out loud.
“Quiet, Grandma and Granddad are out on the patio, use Mind Speak.”
“Okay! As I said I had another dream last night.”
“About the waterfall disappearing?” This was really bothering J.R and was front and center on his mind.
“Will you stop thinking about that! There has to be some sort of explanation, I‘m sure someone will figure out the mystery.”
“What did you dream about last night?” J.R swiftly scored when Helaina wasn’t paying attention.
“We have to get those other balls tomorrow, very early, before the sun rises. After you told us about the waterfall disappearing I have been thinking . . .”
“That can be dangerous to me,” J.R teased, interrupting her.
“Stop with the wise cracks this is important.” Helaina was now getting impatient with J.R.
“I know where this is leading. You think that since the waterfall disappeared after we got the first two balls, that the place where we get the second two will do the same.”
“That is exactly what I was thinking! What if some force is giving me these dreams, and directing us on what we have to do? Why us? Why give us the balls, and not someone else, like our Dads?”
“Hell! I wish I knew. We aren’t ready to be Guardians yet, besides we have to wait until Dad and Uncle David retire. I think we have another purpose. Do you think we should give the balls to Grandma and Granddad?”
Adventure to Destiny: The Unity Objective Series Page 15