Can We Pay The Price When The Cost Is Everything - 3

Part 3

Joe was patiently waiting in the cave. He stared at the ceiling thinking, “okay guys, a joke’s a joke, but this is ridiculous.” Joe waited and waited until he decided he may as well explore the cave since he had nothing better to do. For some unknown reason the cave was filled with sunshine and sweet-smelling air.

Joe stopped at a divide in the cave. One path led into a more brightly lighted area and the other was in darkness. Joe followed the dark side of the path. He was feeling adventurous and thinking, “who knows, there really might be treasure here.” Joe felt his way along the cave’s wall until he came to the end of the path. Joe was surprised because what lay in front of him was a lantern lit room with treasure laying everywhere. It was hanging from the rocks, stuffed on ledges and all over the ground.

Joe rubbed his eyes in amazement. He thought he was having a hallucination. When he reopened his eyes the treasure was still there. Joe ran forward and rolled around in the treasure thinking what his older brothers will think of him now that he’s filthy rich. Joe stopped and listened. He thought he heard a noise coming from another entrance that he didn’t see before. Joe could smell a sea breeze coming from that direction so he assumed it connected with the ocean.

The noise was getting louder and coming Joe’s way. Joe went to the darkened path and knelt against the wall. He was sure now because he heard mens voices and they weren’t his brother’s. They were speaking a strange language that Joe never heard before.

Joe started crawling backwards down the path he’d originally came through. Inch by inch he crawled backwards until he ran into something solid, but it was not rock. Joe tried to go around, but it moved with him. He tried to get up to run, but was grabbed and dragged back into the treasure filled room. The man who held him spoke the funny sounding language, but Joe could get the gist of what he was saying.

The big man announced to the others. “I’ve found myself a peeping tom. He knows our treasure is here and now we’ll have to get rid of him.” He was tired of the killing, but he couldn’t see any way to keep this kid alive. He’d broken their code and code must be obeyed. If someone finds their treasure room, be it male or female, they had to die.

The commander decided to put it off as long as possible, so he told the others to take the treasure and the kid to the ship”. They would find a more pleasurable way to kill the boy,” he said. The brothers would be shocked because they didn’t believe in marauders. They were just a myth and Joe thought the same. Marauders they were and they took their treasure, Joe and journeyed back to their ship. They knew that they could never come back to this land again. If one found it then others might not be far behind.

Joe didn’t need to understand the language to understand what his fate was to be. He sadly said goodbye to his father, brother’s and his home. He knew he’d never see it again and most likely wouldn’t see much of anything again once they got aboard the marauders ship. The ship came in view and everyone boarded, except for the leader and Joe. The walked towards the planked and climbed up to the ship.............................

Part 4 tomorrow