Trapped

by S.A. Bodeen

  Marco shook his head. “But how did it get here? Someone would have had to steal it and bring it here.”

  Sarah said, “According to the book, a lot of those treasures get stolen and sold within a few days. The thieves only want the money they can get for the treasure most of the time.”

  Marco said, “So someone could have bought it from the thieves and transported it.”

  Leo said, “But why would they leave it here? When someone else could just take it and—”

  Sarah asked, “Cash, you’ve seen the chest before, haven’t you?”

  Cash shook her head. “I never saw it.” She was quiet a moment before adding, “But I overheard it described. By Fox.”

  Sarah sucked in a breath and glanced at Marco.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell y’all before. I … I wasn’t sure I trusted everyone.” Cash shrugged. Marco and Sarah exchanged a glance. Maybe it was time for them to trust Cash all the way. Marco said, “We think this might be the island Fox wanted to find.”

  Cash asked, “What makes you say that?”

  Sarah said, “We saw a face rock earlier.”

  Cash slowly dropped to her knees. “This is the island?”

  “I think so.” Marco said, “When Fox was here, it wouldn’t have been much but sand and rocks.”

  Leo said, “No one would recognize it from even one of your years past.”

  Sarah gazed at the chest. “So this has to be the treasure Fox is looking for.” Her eyes rose to meet Marco’s.

  Cash said, “Makes sense to me.”

  “What does that mean? Who is Fox?” asked Leo.

  Sarah smiled. “It means they’ll be back. And we’ll have a way out of here.” She told Leo, “Let’s open it and then go get my dad.”

  14

  Leo stood in front of the chest. “I still think you should all turn around, just in case. Okay?”

  Sarah said, “We’ll just watch until you’re gonna open it.”

  “Yeah,” said Marco.

  Leo frowned. “All right. But you must do what I say.”

  Cash stayed in the sand where she was. “Can you tell me what’s happening?”

  Nacho, Sarah, and Marco all crept in closer. Sarah grabbed Ahab’s collar.

  Leo spread his fingers, which made the webbing even more apparent, and set them on top of the chest. He then slid one hand to the left and the other to the right, inching toward the lower corners of the chest. He paused. His chest rose up, as if to take a large breath. Then his hands pushed down, so very hard that his chin wobbled with the effort.

  Mist rose around, shrouding him.

  Marco nudged both Sarah and Nacho back a couple of steps. Ahab bumped Cash, who asked, “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing. Yet.” Marco’s breath caught in his throat as the mist continued to thicken and rise, until the chest and Leo were enveloped, nearly invisible. His heart sped up.

  “Is it opening?” asked Cash.

  Marco said, “I don’t know—”

  Suddenly, a light shot out of the mist, straight up, and Leo cried out.

  “What happened?” cried Cash.

  Marco held his breath.

  The light vanished.

  Slowly, the mist dissipated.

  The top of the chest was raised, blocking their view of Leo.

  Sarah stepped forward, pulling Ahab, but Marco grabbed her arm. “Don’t.”

  Sarah shook him off and took another step. “Leo? Are you okay?”

  “Y’all?” Cash tried to stand up, but Nacho set a hand on her shoulder and whispered, “Leo got it open.”

  Leo stood up. His face was paler than before, but slowly the color returned. “You found it.” The corners of his mouth turned up. “The other half of the progenitor is really here.”

  Marco moved toward the chest, but Leo held up a hand. “Stop.”

  “Kids?”

  They all turned.

  Yvonna walked up behind Leo, wobbling a little. She set a hand on her forehead. “What’s going on?”

  Leo held out a hand. “Don’t come any closer.”

  Yvonna’s eyes widened as she stared at Leo. “What in the—” Her startled gaze went to the chest, and whatever lay inside.

  And then she collapsed.

  Marco ran and dropped to his knees beside her. “Mom?” He slid an arm under her and lifted up her torso. He gently patted her face. “Mom!” She didn’t respond. Marco didn’t know what to think. Did she collapse because she was sick? Or because of what she saw in the chest?

  Slam!

  Leo shut the chest. “I’m so sorry.”

  Marco’s hands trembled. To have something terrible happen to his mom, the way Cash’s time as Leo’s prisoner had made her blind, terrified him. “We need to get help.”

  Nacho turned to Leo. “Can’t you do anything? Don’t you have some kind of medicine?”

  Leo nodded. “But I don’t know if I can help her.”

  Sarah said, “You have to try.”

  Leo hesitated. “But I—”

  Sarah pointed at Yvonna. “My stepmom is sick. Really sick. If you can help her, you have to.”

  Leo said, “But I’m running out of time. Now that I have the whole progenitor, I can finish what my grandfather started. And I can leave here.”

  Marco’s heart pounded harder. “We had a deal! You have to let my stepdad go and then you have to help my mom.”

  Leo’s voice was shaky as he said, “I don’t know if I can.”

  Sarah let go of Ahab, pushed past Leo, and sat down on the chest. “Then I don’t know if you can have the chest.”

  Marco darted a look at her. What was she doing?

  Leo stood up straighter. “But I already do.”

  Nacho sat next to Sarah. “Seems to me like we have the chest.”

  Leo frowned. “But you gave it to me.”

  “Well, we’re taking it back,” said Sarah. “You said you’d unfreeze my dad.”

  “What if I help you?” asked Leo.

  Sarah folded her arms. “That would be a start.”

  Leo began to pace. “I don’t know if our medicine will work on humans.”

  Marco said, “She’s pregnant. I think she’s just dehydrated. I mean, unless the thing in that chest did something to her, she just needs fluids. Like an IV of some kind. You must have something like that?”

  “Perhaps.” Leo nodded. “If you help me take the chest to my ship, then I can give you the medicine.”

  Sarah frowned. “Wait just a second. You made a deal. We proved we have what you want; now you give us what we want. You let my dad go and then you can have the chest.”

  Leo’s eyes narrowed. “But I need to take the chest now. So I can get started.”

  Sarah glanced at Marco.

  He wasn’t sure what her plan was, but he gave her a nod to let her know he was on board, whatever it was.

  She held up a finger. “You thaw my dad out.” Another finger snapped up. “You give us medicine. Then you get your chest.”

  “What about me?” asked Cash.

  Sarah popped up another finger. “You make Cash see again.”

  Leo put both hands over his face.

  “You’re wasting time,” said Marco. “You know you’re not getting the chest until you help us first.” He looked down at his mom. “She needs help now.”

  “Fine.” Leo began to walk away.

  Marco called out, “Hold up! You’re not going alone.” Marco gently lowered his mom to the sand and stood up.

  Leo whirled around to face Marco. “If you want the medicine, I need to go back to the cavern, my ship.”

  “Where you can get another tube, or maybe a weapon we don’t even know about.” Marco shook his head. “I’m not stupid.” He pointed at the chest. “If you get what you want, then we will never get what we need.”

  Leo said, “But I do need the chest. You know I do. Don’t you trust me by now?”

  “Um, Marco?” Nacho slid off the chest.
>
  Marco ignored his brother. “I know what you’ve told us and shown us. But trust you?” He shook his head. “I don’t know. And I’m not willing to take a chance.” He pointed at his mom. “It’s not worth the risk.”

  Leo asked, “So what do you suggest?”

  Sarah hopped off the chest. “I’ll go with you.”

  “Marco!” yelled Nacho.

  The three turned to look at him.

  Nacho’s right arm was extended behind him, pointing toward the water. “Look.”

  Marco’s gaze went out to the lagoon. And immediately focused on the sailboat entering the far end of it, still so small he could just make out the white sails.

  Sarah screeched. “We’re saved!” She waved her arms and sprinted down the sand. “Help!”

  Ahab barked and followed her.

  “Is it a boat?” asked Cash.

  Marco took a step to follow, then froze. He asked Cash, “What does your grandfather’s boat look like?”

  Cash said, “White sails, white hull. HMS Cashmere painted on the side. Is it Sarge? Are they here?”

  “Wait a sec.” Marco ran over to the pile of things off the Moonflight and found what he was looking for. Binoculars. He raised them to his eyes and aimed toward the boat with white sails and a white hull. “One man at the wheel. Another beside him.” He lowered the binoculars to the hull. “HMS Cashmere.”

  “It’s them!” cried Cash, a huge smile on her face.

  Sarah and Ahab had reached the water’s edge.

  Leo asked, “Who are the people on the boat?”

  Cash said, “My grandfather. And two people with a gun, looking for their treasure. Your chest, if our theory is right.”

  Marco glanced at the chest. “Do you think Fox figured out that this is the island?”

  Cash shook her head. “It looks so different and he never even thought about looking for the face rock here. Maybe they gave up and just came back to get me?”

  Nacho said, “They can give us a ride back.”

  “I doubt it. They basically boat-jacked Cash’s grandpa. They won’t want any more witnesses than they already have.” Marco scratched his head and tried to figure out what they should do.

  “What if they use the gun to take the chest?” asked Leo.

  Marco swallowed. “We can’t let that happen.” He cupped his hands around his mouth. “Sarah!”

  She didn’t turn around.

  So he tried again, “Sarah!”

  Finally she turned, waving and jumping up and down.

  He beckoned with an arm.

  She raised both her arms in the air.

  He beckoned again.

  She dropped her arms, shook her head, and then jogged toward them, Ahab beside her, tail wagging, tongue flopping. “What? I wanted to make sure they didn’t leave without us.”

  Marco said, “It’s Cash’s grandpa’s boat. With the people looking for the treasure.”

  Sarah’s eyes widened. “Do they know this is the island?”

  Cash said, “We don’t know. But we can’t let them get the chest or they’ll leave us all here.”

  “What do we do?” asked Sarah.

  Marco glanced at Leo. “Leo and I will take the chest to his cavern. We can’t risk Fox getting it. Sarah, we’ll get your dad out, and then we’ll come back.” He took ahold of Sarah’s arm. “You need to stay here with Nacho and Cash and take care of my mom.”

  “Why can’t I go with Leo?” asked Sarah.

  Marco pointed at the beach. “Because if they had binoculars, they already saw you. You stay here, make up some story about how you and my mom and Nacho were the only survivors of a shipwreck or something.”

  Sarah shook her head. “I don’t want to, I—”

  Marco forced his voice to be gentle. “You can do it. You have to. You have to let them think it’s only the three of you with Cash. My mom’s sick, Cash is blind, Nacho’s just a kid—”

  “I’m standing right here, you know.” Nacho frowned.

  Marco rolled his eyes. “And you’re just a girl—”

  “Hey!” Sarah protested.

  “Listen. I didn’t mean it like it sounded. To a guy with a gun, a skinny girl is no threat to him. And we need him to think you’re no threat, okay?” Marco held his breath, hoping she’d go along with it.

  Sarah nodded. “Okay.”

  “We have to go because it’ll be dark soon,” said Marco.

  “Maybe they won’t come ashore until tomorrow,” said Cash.

  “I can’t take that chance,” said Marco. “We need to go now.” He hugged Nacho and then told Sarah, “Please take care of my mom.” He gave Ahab a quick pat on the head, then knelt beside his mom, kissed her on the cheek, and then laid a hand on her forehead. “I’ll be back.” Then he got to his feet and grabbed one side of the chest. He looked across to the other end where Leo stood, looking at him.

  “What?” asked Marco.

  “You can trust me. I swear,” said Leo.

  “I’m counting on it.” He glanced at his mom, then the others. “We’re all counting on it. On three. One, two, three.” Together they lifted the chest. Marco adjusted his hands.

  The thing wasn’t that heavy, but holding it was awkward. The trip would take them a while because they’d have to stop along the way to rest. He told Sarah, “You guys have to stall them, okay? Do not get on that boat.”

  “I don’t plan on it,” said Sarah.

  Marco nodded. “Whatever you have to say, do it. We’ll get back here as soon as we can.”

  Nacho and Sarah looked at each other. “We’re good,” said Sarah.

  Marco told Leo, “Let’s go.” With the chest between the two of them, they headed off through the trees.

  Sarah called after them, “Good luck.”

  Marco glanced back at her. She seemed like she was trying to be brave, but he could tell she was scared. “You too.” He hated to leave them, especially his mom. How would they deal with a man with a gun?

  But his best chance was to free John. His stepdad would know what to do. Marco hoped so anyway.

  They hurried, carrying the chest between them, ducking under tree branches and swerving to avoid obstacles on the ground. Marco realized something else—after everything that happened, he had come to actually like Sarah. She still annoyed him half the time, but she certainly wasn’t the stupid, self-centered girl he thought she was. He was okay with having her around.

  Walking away and leaving her behind felt strange. Because quite honestly, she was part of his family now, and he did not want anything to happen to her. He hoped nothing did.

  15

  Sarah’s stomach clenched as she watched Marco walk away. She never thought she’d be unhappy to see him leave, but as he disappeared with Leo and the chest, she felt tears well up in her eyes. How was she going to do this without him?

  “You okay?” asked Nacho.

  Sarah nodded and quickly swiped away the tear that spilled over and ran down her cheek. “Yeah. Just kinda worried.”

  Cash called out, “But Sarge is here. Or at least out there. He won’t let anything happen to me. Or you guys.” She tilted her head. “Or your mom.”

  Sarah wondered how Cash could promise that. Sarge hadn’t exactly been able to stop Fox from stranding Cash, had he? Sarah dropped to the sand and touched her stepmom’s shoulder lightly. “Yvonna?”

  Yvonna’s eyelids fluttered a little. She moaned and set a hand over her eyes. “It’s so bright.”

  Sarah’s dark eyes met Nacho’s. Was he thinking the same thing? Wondering if whatever was in the chest had done some kind of damage to Yvonna?

  Sarah felt a slight chill and looked up. The sun had gone down far enough so that the shade extended far beyond their camp. “It’ll be dark soon.” She hadn’t spent a night alone. Well, she hadn’t spent a night without an alert and capable adult. And there was no way they would make it to the cave they’d stayed in the night before. She looked overhead to the platform and the mat
tresses. “We’ve got to get her up there.”

  “No way. We’ll never be able to.” Nacho shot a look at the fire, which had dwindled to a weak stream of smoke. “I can build up the fire some more. We could stay there.”

  Sarah thought of the crabs. “We need to be up in the trees.”

  Nacho glanced overhead. “But we can’t leave my mom down here alone.”

  Sarah sighed. “I know.” She took Cash’s elbow. “Let’s get you over to the fire.”

  Together, Sarah and Nacho threw more wood on the fire. The pile seemed bigger than earlier. Sarah asked Cash, “Did you gather wood?”

  Cash nodded. “Before the lights went out. I wanted to help.”

  Sarah smiled. “Well, you did. Nacho, help me get your mom over here.”

  Sarah grabbed the blanket Yvonna had been lying on and took it over to where her stepmom had collapsed. She spread it out, then Nacho helped her roll Yvonna onto it. They each grabbed hold of a side and began to drag her through the sand.

  Sarah’s back started to hurt at the strain. “Rest. For just a second.” As they caught their breath, they looked out in the lagoon. Dusk was upon them, and lights from the sailboat glittered.

  Nacho said, “I thought maybe they’d come in by now.”

  Sarah said, “I don’t think they’re coming tonight. Maybe they didn’t see me after all.”

  Nacho pointed at the fire. “Well, they might see that.”

  Which could be good or bad, Sarah thought, depending on how you looked at it. She would have liked an adult there, even one with a gun, because she had no idea what might happen in the night. She also couldn’t help but think about the black cat with the crimson beard and tail, still loose on the island. And probably still hungry.

  “Okay. Let’s go again,” said Nacho.

  They took up their edges of the blanket and pulled some more, Ahab trotting beside them, providing moral support. After another rest break and more heaving, they finally arrived at the fire.

  Sarah ran back to grab a couple of pillows, then placed them under Yvonna’s head. Nacho had several beach towels tucked under one arm, a mesh bag hooked on the other. He dropped the bag and spread out a towel for Cash, then helped her onto it. Once she was comfortable, Nacho plopped down on another towel as Sarah claimed the last one, Ahab joining her.