This is a story I made a log time ago. So be warned, the story is not exactly what I call a bestseller.
It started on a sunny day about a year ago. Me and, wait I never told you my name. It’s Jack and I’m 16, but when the story started I was only 15. I was at my cousin Crystal’s house. We were playing tag in her backyard when my brother, Dan who is 4 started to chase a goose that was doing its business, dropping pellets from its body. As soon as Dan got close the goose honked and flew away. It was then Dan notice the tiny, already hardened pellets on the grass.
He bent down to touch it. I was so engrossed in rolling on the grass laughing while Crystal attempted to tag me while I was on the ground. Then I heard Crystals small sister Alaina say “EW Dan, don’t eat the poop” ! I looked at Crystal and we had a mind-meld
It started on a sunny day about a year ago. Me and, wait I never told you my name. It’s Jack and I’m 16, but when the story started I was only 15. I was at my cousin Crystal’s house. We were playing tag in her backyard when my brother, Dan who is 4 started to chase a goose that was doing its business, dropping pellets from its body. As soon as Dan got close the goose honked and flew away. It was then Dan notice the tiny, already hardened pellets on the grass.
He bent down to touch it. I was so engrossed in rolling on the grass laughing while Crystal attempted to tag me while I was on the ground. Then I heard Crystals small sister Alaina say “EW Dan, don’t eat the poop” ! I looked at Crystal and we had a mind-meld
we should stop him from eating poop
but it’ll be hilarious to watch him eat poop
we could always come up with an excuse for it too
but still,
fine
fine
And we both agreed. I stood up and started sprinting towards him and Crystal did the same. I was so intently watching what Dan was doing I didn’t notice where I was going. THUNK. I tripped over a stump and fell face first into the mud. Crystal laughed as she whizzed past me. That tree stump felt strange.
I stomped on the stump again. It still sounded hollow. I called Crystal over. She thought it was hollow too. We just needed to find a way to open the stump. I noticed a ant crawling into a crack in the wood. I picked up a stick and wedged it into the crack. I pushed and the top of the stump gave way. It fell of the stump and landed of to the side revealing a metal chest. “So this is what was making the noise”.
I asked Crystal to help me pull the chest up. When we tried, though the lid popped off revealing a yellowed scroll. I held it in my hand “This is papyrus” I exclaimed “This map must be really old.” Crystal opened the map which was tightly curled. Crystal exclaimed “I know this, this is the woods near my house” pointing to a green cluster on one corner of the map. “Lets go on the internet and see where and what the rest of the things are.” I suggested.
Crystal put the map unfurled on the windowsill while I got on my laptop and searched up a map of Crystal’s town. It was a perfect match. Suddenly we heard a hiss. There was steam coming off of the scroll and it looked like it was melting.
Then I noticed new lines appearing on the map. “Hidden writing” I exclaimed. Crystal found a piece of paper and traced the map including the hidden parts. “Let’s hide the map so that it if the person who owns this checks to see if it is still there he won’t go after us” she said. “Let’s not there might be more secret writing or something like that in the original scroll. We’ll put it away later”. Crystal agreed. So I checked the hidden parts against the map I printed off the Internet. It formed a trail which led to the forest.
I stomped on the stump again. It still sounded hollow. I called Crystal over. She thought it was hollow too. We just needed to find a way to open the stump. I noticed a ant crawling into a crack in the wood. I picked up a stick and wedged it into the crack. I pushed and the top of the stump gave way. It fell of the stump and landed of to the side revealing a metal chest. “So this is what was making the noise”.
I asked Crystal to help me pull the chest up. When we tried, though the lid popped off revealing a yellowed scroll. I held it in my hand “This is papyrus” I exclaimed “This map must be really old.” Crystal opened the map which was tightly curled. Crystal exclaimed “I know this, this is the woods near my house” pointing to a green cluster on one corner of the map. “Lets go on the internet and see where and what the rest of the things are.” I suggested.
Crystal put the map unfurled on the windowsill while I got on my laptop and searched up a map of Crystal’s town. It was a perfect match. Suddenly we heard a hiss. There was steam coming off of the scroll and it looked like it was melting.
Then I noticed new lines appearing on the map. “Hidden writing” I exclaimed. Crystal found a piece of paper and traced the map including the hidden parts. “Let’s hide the map so that it if the person who owns this checks to see if it is still there he won’t go after us” she said. “Let’s not there might be more secret writing or something like that in the original scroll. We’ll put it away later”. Crystal agreed. So I checked the hidden parts against the map I printed off the Internet. It formed a trail which led to the forest.
The next day I grabbed a flashlight and a pen with my notebook while Crystal got the map and we followed the trail. It led to an ancient looking tree. I examined some scratch marks and I realised it was actually writing. It said:
look up look up and what do you see
the next clue you will find among the bees
I looked up and saw a beehive. “I think the next clue is in the beehive”
told Crystal. Crystal found a foothold and started to climb the tree. She gingerly stuck her hand in and said “there’s no bees”. Exhaling, relieved I called up to her “is there something in there”. Slowly she pulled out another scroll.
When she came back down she said “ it came with this” holding out a small corked vial. There was writing on it too! It read:
to find out the next clue
sprinkle the scroll with blue
Below that it showed the number one.. “I think we need to put this liquid on the first clue/scroll” I said. So we hurried back home. I grabbed a paintbrush and dabbed it in the liquid. I slowly swept the paintbrush across the first scroll. It hissed again and new writing showed long with what looked like a map of Crystal’s house. The writing said:
this be the last clue you get
but the map will be your best bet
follow the directions
and the treasure you uncover will
make you a member of the guild
Crystal who was looking at the map of her house said “this looks like my house except the closet in my room. It shows a passageway into a level below the basement. “Then let’s find it” I said! We looked at the closet. Crystal noticed the door first, she wedged it open with the stick she used earlier.
It opened a small passageway. Barely big enough for us to fit in it if we crawled. So we crawled into the shaft with a flashlight. Soon we found a chute. I crawled back into Crystal’s room and grabbed a stone. I crawled back in and dropped the stone in. I heard a soft plunk which meant it wasn’t far down. I slid down the chute and landed on hard marble.
I called to Crystal “it’s safe” as I tenderly massaged my bruised shoulder. When she fell through we continued our search. Soon we found a door. On it was writing. It read:
beyond this door lies the greatest treasure
won from strength, courage and valor
few will enter
fewer will exit
only the greatest shall remain unschathed
I pushed open the door and gasped. So did Crystal. It was a room covered in amber mosaics. “The amber room” I said “I learned about this, it was stolen from the Russians and carted to Germany during the world wars. Then it disappeared. Nobody knows where it went after that. It’s called the 8th world wonder.” I said.
“It was us who stole it from the Germans. We could not risk our greatest work to be destroyed” said a voice. “Who are you” asked Crystal?
A lady walked into the amber room. “I am Amber, high master of the freemasons. And I will now make you the youngest freemasons ever because you have found the amber room. Only if you choose too, though.” she said “Gottfried Wolfram was the creator of the amber room and also a freemason. Germany was on edge so we convinced the king to send it to Russia. When it was stolen we knew we must hide it.”
“I want to be a freemason” said Crystal. “Me too” I said. Amber smiled. “You can visit me at the amber room anytime you want to learn the secrets of the freemasons” said Amber “now I pronounce you, Crystal and Jack, true freemasons”. She gave me and Crystal rings with the freemason insignia. “Now I’ll show you the way out of there” said Amber.
Once we were out there was another message on the floor which simply read
don’t tell anyone about this,
welcome to the freemasons,
you will need lessons,
meet me at the amber room
tomorrow at 5am
I looked at Crystal and smiled and she smiled back as my dad called us for dinner. A smile of mischief and hidden secrets.
Epilogue
1 month later:
Crystal and I pushed our way into the amber room. I called for Amber but nobody answered. I pushed into Amber’s quarters. There was no one there but there was writing scratched into the wall.
We found her,
You are NEXT,
No freemason
is safe...
I looked at Crystal and we agreed. We were going to find Amber no matter what. No one will stand in our way. This is what we were training for. And this is what we are going to do.
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