Treasure

“Do you know where we should start?” I chuckled and looked at Jace, we have been walking for ten minutes, and we haven’t still figured out how we should start looking for the treasure.

“No, I have no idea,”

“Why don’t we start with grounds with fewer leaves and branches?” he suggested, my brow furrowed, as I looked at him, he seemed to get what I think, “My family has usually gone tripping and camping when I was a kid, my grandpa taught me a lot of things about camping,”

I shrug, “Okay, we can do that,” as he said, we start with the spot where there are less leaves and branches, and after ten minutes of walking, we saw a cave.

What might be that?

“Do you want to go in?” I shrug, “We can drink cold and clean water inside,” I chuckled, Jace seemed to really know a lot about this, “Is this your first time camping?”

I nodded, “I barely attend activities like this, I mean, I don’t want to get tired, also, I’m not enjoying it,” I turned to him, “You must be really going here every summer?”

“Yeah, but I prefer going here when falls, most insects go out at night, and you can only enjoy it when it’s fall,”

“You’re close with your family?” however, upon seeing his expression change, I regret asking.

“Hmm, no, I’m not, well, I grew up in an abusive household, my mom is an alcoholic, and she will surely beat us, once she finishes her bottles without sleep, so, my mom, uh, re-married, and that guy turns to be abusive too, I have two other siblings, I pack my things, and planned to live with our grandparents, however, my mom didn’t let go of my siblings, so I have no other choice but to leave them behind, I grew up with them after that,”

I nodded, “Are you okay now?” I asked.

It seems that he didn’t expect my question, but it was just a brief silence until I heard him sigh, “Well, I’m working out to be fine,” he removed the leaves falling from his shirt and hair.

“How were your siblings?”

“I’m still trying to reach them out, my mom left, three months after I left the place, some say they went abroad, but some say they just rent another place to stay, I haven’t heard from them, since then,”

“How about your dad?” he looked at me, and tilt his head as if asking what I just meant to what I said, “I mean, your uh, real dad?”

“Oh,” I let my shoes get wet in the cold water of the cave, at least, it gives me enough calming effect, “I don’t know, my mom never mention anything about him, so I don’t really have any idea,”

I shrugged, and he offer his hand when we were walking on a narrow part of the cave, I smile and accept it, however, the moment, his hand touches mine, I felt electrified, I immediately withdraw my hand, which made him confused.

I waved my hand in front of me, “I can manage, watch your steps,” instead, I said, to which he responded abruptly.

“Thanks,” he muttered, and I just nodded.

“Wow,” I can’t help but be amazed, the cave was surrounded by a different kind of rock formation, some of it was melting ice, and it was reflecting with the blue cave water, “Beautiful,” I mumbled like I’m seeing the real treasure in front of me.

“It’s beautiful inside, isn’t it?” I nodded, not looking at him, “Come on, it’s prettier when near,”

We stayed for almost thirty minutes, I didn’t want to go, I’m still fascinated with nature, and I haven’t seen anything like this, I think, I need to go out often to see this kind of peace.

“I think we should be going,” I instantly looked at Jace, my eyes widening, “Yeah, I think, uh, one of the teams already found the treasure, we should head back,”

I scratched my nape out of embarrassment, “I’m sorry,”

He chuckled. “That’s fine, let’s go?”

I nodded, but just before we exit the cave, a heavy rain abruptly fall, “Oh, shit,” I heard him cuss under his breath.

“Let’s wait for it to stop, it will stop afterward, it’s just one heavy fall,” I said, and sat again, like what I suggested, the rain didn’t last for ten minutes.

The cold weather made me shiver, “You’re right,” I chuckled and gave him an I told you to look, I silently and carefully walk to exit the cage, when I felt Jace’s grip on my shoulder, “Vera,” he was frowning, but his eyes were darted behind me, so I followed his gaze.

We exchanged glances, and a smile formed on our lips as we pulled off the box.

“We found it!”

THIRD PERSON’S POINT OF VIEW

A hooded man was walking down a dark path, he entered an underground room, and use his drop of blood as a passage to the secret room.

When he arrived, there are twelve other people in the room, they all stood up and bow to the man before they all sat down.

“What must be the agenda of this sudden meeting, my lord?’ the man, whose spot was on the first right corner.

“Our tribe has been standing still for the past four hundred years, however, due to the blasphemy of the late alpha, our tribe meet the end of the rope, and now that they are long gone, their son, continued their legacy, however, should we always follow blindly?”

“But my lord, isn’t it our ultimate rule? The continuation of the bloodline from our ancestors, should be followed, right?”

“The Alpha, is he a pure-blood Everleigh? Does he have a blood of Karusa tribe, a witch bloodline, the tribe who helped the humans slain half of our clan? Isn’t that unfair?” The man stood up, “Can you soundly sleep at night, knowing that any minute, we, and our wives, husbands, and even children will be bound to be killed? I beg to disagree,”

“What must we do now, my lord?”

The man took off his cloak, “We must eradicate the curse before it destroys any of us,” he smirked, and looked at his fellow, “We must replace him, either by killing him, or dethroning him,”