The Emerald Quest (14 page)

“Someone tried to make a ghost.” Anthony shook the fabric and the cans rattled noisily.

“I’ll bet the drug runners put that up to scare people away,” Riley said.

“It’s not that scary,” Noah said.

“Think about it if you were here at nighttime,” Anthony said. “This place would be a lot spookier.”

“I think we’ve found the place,” Frank said.

Anthony nodded. “It’s pretty swampy in there, but it’s definitely an island.”

Frank started the engine and the airboat drifted slowly away from the land. The boat eased forward through the water. They all focused on the island. Through the thick tree branches a tall structure emerged like a lone skyscraper in the forest.

“Is that it?” Juan Carlo asked.

Before anyone could answer, a low, moaning sound filtered through the trees.

“What was that?” Noah whispered.

Frank and Riley exchanged an uneasy glance.

“Another ghost?” Riley asked skeptically.

“Ghosts can’t talk,” Frank said.

Noah and Anthony looked around. Juan Carlo touched the crucifix again. The moan came again. Chills ran up Noah’s arms.

“Is anyone there?” Frank called out.

Silence.

Riley leaned over the side of the boat, gazing toward the land. “I don’t see anyone,” she finally said, sitting back down.

Anthony pulled a pair of binoculars from the backpack. He focused through the trees. “I don’t see anything that resembles a lookout tower.  Wait, what’s that?” He paused. “It’s a stone fireplace.”

“It’s still standing,” Noah grinned.

“Man, it’s leaning badly to one side,” Anthony said. “I’ll bet it’s sinking into the swamp.”

Frank came down from the elevated chair. He and Anthony used oars to push the boat to the edge of the island.

“All I see is tree roots, muck, and water,” Frank said as he poked his oar into the grass and brush at the edge of the island.

“Let’s see if we can get the boat over to the other side, closer to the chimney,” Riley suggested.

“Good idea.” Frank started the airboat and navigated through the marsh. As they rounded the island, they could see the stone chimney sticking up through the tree branches like a lighthouse. The house that had been around it had long since fallen down. Frank stopped the boat and they drifted until it clunked against tree roots close to the island.

“There’s not much dry land left,” Anthony said. “The swamp’s overtaken it. We’ll have to go through that quagmire to get to the chimney.”

Frank handed an oar to Anthony and both pushed the boat through the shallow water.

Noah thought about alligators and snakes. They were out there, lurking in the murky water. He looked around. Did he hear something? He cocked his head, listening.

“What?” Riley asked, noting his anxious expression.

Noah chewed his lip. “I thought maybe I heard something.”

Riley held up a hand and listened intently. She motioned for Frank and Anthony to stop rowing the boat. “I hear it too.” Noah saw the veins in her neck ripple with tension.

A high whine seeped over the marsh.

Riley relaxed. “It’s just another boat in the area.”

“Come on,” Frank gestured at Anthony. “Let’s find a good place to go ashore.”

They pushed hard, edging the boat along the shore of the island. Through the trees, the fireplace came into view. It was over fifteen feet tall, made of large gray stones. It was about ten feet at its base, a solid rectangle about five feet high. But then it narrowed to a tall column. The whole structure tilted precariously to one side.

“Whoever built it must have hauled those stones in,” Riley said.

“That’s a lot of work,” Juan Carlo commented.

Frank handed Riley his oar. “Keep the boat close while Anthony and I check it out.”

“Be careful,” Riley warned Frank.

Frank stepped off the boat, his foot sinking into the muck. He swung his other leg over the side of the boat, stretching forward. His foot hit something solid. Frank grabbed a tree branch and pulled himself upright.

“It’s not too bad here,” he said to Anthony. “There’s a bit of land here and there. It’s muddy, though. Try and stay on the tree roots.”

Anthony followed. “Ew,” he said as his feet slipped in the oozing mess.

Noah snickered.

“Don’t laugh too hard,” Anthony grinned at him. “I might pull you in, little bro.” Anthony slipped again, dropping his hand into the muck to keep from falling down. He lifted a muddy hand and wiped it on a tree trunk.

Noah hooted with laughter. Then a howl broke through the trees. Noah’s laugh died in his throat.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

SMUGGLER’S DEN

Frank froze. “What
is
that?”

Anthony’s shoulders tensed. He crept over to Frank. “Is something here?” he whispered.

Frank looked around. “Let’s check the fireplace and get out of here.”

The two men advanced to the fireplace, carefully stepping to find solid purchases for their feet. Frank touched the side of the fireplace. Then he pushed at some stones. “It seems solid enough.” His voice carried back to the boat.

“Yeah, but the ground’s not too firm.” Anthony walked gingerly around the fireplace, trying to step on tree roots instead of muck.

Frank stooped down and crawled into the fireplace.

“I can’t find anything,” Anthony said. “There’s nothing out here that would be a hiding place.”

“I don’t see anything, either,” Frank’s voice echoed from the chimney. “But I’m too big to check the stones up higher.”

Frank stepped back out of the fireplace and joined Anthony, who had made his way around the entire structure.

“How do we check high up on the inside?” Frank asked. “That’s the logical place to hide something.”

Anthony stepped back, stumbling into the mire. “Man,” he grumbled, lifting up a wet shoe.

“I can go up there,” Noah hollered at them.

Frank put his hands on his hips. He eyed Riley, who finally nodded. “Okay,” he said.

“Be careful,” Riley said as she helped Noah from the boat.

Noah hopped on a tree root and balanced himself. Then he skipped from dry spot to dry spot, tentatively making his way over to Anthony and his dad.

A wail pierced the silence. Noah stopped mid-step.

“Who’s there?” Frank shouted. He glanced around uneasily. “That sounded close.” He poked his head into the fireplace. “I wonder if it’s coming down the flue.” He ducked back into the fireplace and stood up. He placed a foot on a stone and climbed up a couple of feet.

“Come on, it’s okay,” Anthony beckoned for Noah to move forward.

Noah gulped and then bounded quickly over to him.

“Whoa.” Noah stumbled. He threw out a hand and grabbed Anthony. “How did anyone ever live here?”

“It was probably much drier a long time ago,” Anthony said.

“I’ll get stuck if I go any farther. My shoulders are too wide,” Frank’s voice came from inside the chimney. “Anthony, where’s the flashlight?”

Anthony reddened. “I didn’t bring it.”

“Well, go get it,” Frank said, exasperated.

Anthony rushed as quickly as he could back to the boat.

“Noah, Anthony and I will lift you up into the chimney,” Frank said. “Check for loose stones, just be careful not to drop any on us.”

“Okay.”

Noah backed up, trying to see the top of the chimney. He lost his balance and tumbled back into the underbrush. He got to his knees and started to stand up. But something tugged at his leg. It jerked him and Noah fell facedown into muddy water. Noah pushed himself to his knees again, gasping. He wiped at his face and looked down.

A Burmese python the size of a telephone pole had wrapped itself around his leg! Noah saw the python’s skin, which was covered in brown blotches bordered in black. It had to be over ten feet long!

“Dad!” Noah screamed as the python curled around his waist.

Frank ducked down, staring out of the fireplace opening. His jaw dropped when he saw Noah with the snake wrapped around him.

“Noah!” Frank stood up quickly and whacked his head on the stone fireplace. He dropped backward, momentarily dazed.

“Help!” Noah pulled at the thick snake’s body as it squeezed him. He knew that a python killed its prey by constricting its strong muscles until its victim couldn’t breathe. Noah pushed helplessly at the snake’s body. It was too big and too strong. He could feel the snake crushing his ribs.

“Hey!” Anthony leaped at them.

He grabbed the snake’s head and pulled it backward. But the python continued to wrap around Noah.

“Can’t…get…out,” Noah wheezed.

Anthony fell to the side as the snake whipped its head around. Its muscles relaxed momentarily and Noah slid toward the ground. But then the snake constricted again.

“We have to unwind it!” Frank yelled.

He raced over and pulled at the python’s tail. The snake thrashed, but the two men overpowered the snake and it quickly unwound from Noah’s waist. Noah twisted himself a bit, finally tumbling out of the python’s grip.

“Oof.” Noah landed hard in the brush and backed away from them.

“I’ve got its head,” Anthony yelled. The snake calmed a bit. “Get his lower body.”

Frank grabbed the snake’s middle. The two men hauled the snake to the other side of the island, grunting and lurching in the uneven soil. With a heave, they threw the python into the brush. It slithered away.

Frank rushed back to Noah. “Are you okay?” he said as he pulled Noah into his arms. Riley ran up, her jeans muddy from tumbling in the swamp.

“I’m okay,” Noah said, fighting not to tremble.

“That was too close,” Anthony said, breathing heavily. “You must’ve stepped on it.”

Noah nodded. “I knew they lived in the ’Glades, but I’ve never seen one.”

“Frank, this is too much,” Riley said. “We need to go back.”

“No!” Noah protested. “We’ve come this far, we can’t stop.”

Frank looked over at Juan Carlo. He was sitting in the boat, relief etched on his face. “Noah should come back to the boat,” Juan Carlo said.

“We can do this,” Noah ignored Juan Carlo. “Dad, you hoist me up into the chimney and I’ll check the higher stones. Mom, you and Anthony watch for that snake…or any others.”

“He’s right,” Anthony said. “We’ve come too far to give up now.”

“Okay.” Frank strode back to the fireplace, followed by the others. “Where’s the flashlight?”

Anthony hurried to where he had dropped it when he helped rescue Noah from the snake.

“Here.” He handed it to Noah. It was small and lightweight, perfect for Noah’s smaller hands. “Hurry.”

Frank and Noah crawled into the fireplace. Noah turned on the light as Frank wrapped his arms around Noah’s knees. Frank raised Noah up into the narrow part of the chimney.

“Can you move?” Frank asked.

“Yes.” Noah had about six inches all around his body. He shone the light around, searching for any loose stones. He saw one and reached up for it with one hand. He worked at the stone until it came out. Putting the flashlight in his mouth, he felt around with his other hand. Nothing. He put the stone back and repeated the process a few times. His shoulder began to ache.

“Anything?” Frank asked. He shifted and Noah bumped his elbow on a stone.

“No,” Noah mumbled around the flashlight.

“Oooooohhh,” a low wail sounded right in Noah’s ear. He stiffened.

“Dad,” Noah whispered. “It’s right here.”

“It’s okay,” Frank said. “There are no ghosts around.”

The moan sounded again.

“It’s coming from right above me.” Noah peeked above him. “It’s too dark to see.”

“Shine your flashlight where you hear the sound,” Frank instructed him.

Noah pulled his arm up, took the flashlight from his mouth, and shone it above him. He spied a crack in the stones. He reached up to feel in it, then stopped.
What if something’s in there?
he thought. Then he took a deep breath and poked his hand in the crack. Nothing bit at his hands. But Noah could feel air coming through the crack. Then the wail startled him. This time, Noah covered the crack with his hand. The wailing stopped. He moved his hand and the sound returned. He put his hand over it again, and the sound stopped.

“What is it?” Frank asked.

“The breeze is blowing through a crack in the chimney,” Noah said. “That’s what’s causing the noise!”

Frank laughed. “There’s your ghost.”

Relieved to know what was making the sound, Noah continued his search. He couldn’t see any other loose stones so he started pushing at them one by one with his hand. Dust and ash filtered down around him. He sneezed and coughed.

“Anything?” Frank repeated.

“Push me higher.”

Frank shoved him upward. Noah banged his sore shoulder. “Ow!”

“What?” There was fear in Frank’s voice.

“Nothing. My shoulder.”

Noah kept on, but he was growing discouraged. Had he brought everyone out here on a wild goose chase? He was the one who thought the emerald could be hidden in the chimney.

“What a dumb thought,” he murmured, slamming a fist against a stone.

It moved slightly. Noah pushed with his fingers. The stone was loose, much looser than the others he’d checked. It didn’t fit snugly with the other stones. He pulled at it and it suddenly popped out completely.

“Watch out!” he yelled, trying to catch it. He caught it momentarily by pressing it between his body and the chimney wall, but then it slid down.

“Ouch! It hit my foot,” Frank yelped.

“Sorry.” Noah reached into the empty space where the stone was. He felt something metal. He barely breathed as his fingers closed around what felt like a small box.

“I’ve got something,” he said excitedly.

Frank lowered him down. Noah’s feet touched the ground and he scrambled out of the fireplace. Frank ducked out after him and everyone stood around Noah.

“Open it,” Riley said.

Noah unclasped a tiny lock and opened the box. Inside was something covered in tattered leather. Noah dumped the contents out of the box. A large green gem tumbled into his hand. Noah held the gem up to a ray of sunlight. It glinted brilliantly.

“It’s beautiful,” Riley said softly.

“Wow,” Anthony said.

“Is that it?” Juan Carlo shouted from the boat. “Did you find it?”

“Yes!” Frank picked up the emerald and held it up for Juan Carlo to see. “We’ve got it!” he yelled jubilantly.

“And now I will take it from you.”

Max Scheff emerged from behind the stone fireplace.