"Into the Darkness; The Final
Chapter" an original frametale by Michelle Wilson
"Victorio Peak Mystery
Treasure"
"Jeb, stay here with the girls; Danny and I will check it out,"
said Christian decisively. Danny grabbing a flashlight, nodded.
Together, they went off into the dark passage. The storm raged outside,
but inside there was an eerie silence. Down the hall a door
opened to the right. Danny heard something stir in the darkness.
Without thinking he made a running tackle and found himself battling a
smallish figure with surprising strength. Christian rushed in behind
Danny and with his added mass they managed to subdue the lurker.
"Who are you!"
demanded Christian.
"Cadrach, it is only
Cadrach, don't hurt me," he whined in a raspy voice. The light revealed
a disheveled figure with tattered robes. His hood kept his face in
shadow and his hands were wrapped in dirty bandages. The skin that
could be seen was crusty with filth and scabs mixed with oozing sores.
Alarmed, Danny shoved him away; Christian blocked his escape.
"Oh kind masters! You
be good to Cadrach. Don't hurt Cadrach. Cadrach will be nice to you! he
will take you to what you
seek."
"How could you know
what we seek?"said Danny.
"You seek treasure!
All men do," he nodded sagely. "but, you I will show. I am a humble
servant of the Master. I need not riches. You take them for your
kindness to Cadrach."
Christian yelled for the others,
keeping an eye on the captive.
"What's he supposed
to be?" asked Natasha.
"A religious zealot I
suspect. He claims to know where the treasure's located but I doubt he
is right in the head if you get my meaning," whispered Christian.
"What do we
have to lose? We outnumber him six to one. I say we take the chance. He
might be telling the truth," said Sedona. After a quick discussion
everyone agreed except Meeca who remained reluctant. They followed
Cadrach with Danny and Christian flanking the wizened man. He led them
through a labyrinth of passages led finally to the expected chimney
mine. Sedona could barely contain her excitement. Cadrach moved a rock
from the entrance and lit a crude torch that lay near the door. They
descended into the darkness. The flickering light revealed painted and
chiseled images similar to the ones seen at their last camp.
"Who made these?"
asked Danny.
I once lived in an abandoned mine
shaft in New Mexico. It was in 1937. A man named Doc came seeking
treasure there. He thought Indians made them" replied Cadrach.
Christian eyed him
suspiciously and said "He's off his rocker! He would have to be much
older than he appears to have been there in 1937."
Cadrach ignored
Christian. As they went deeper they found themselves in a cavern. There
they were shocked to see skeletons kneeling and bound to stakes in the
ground. Cadrach picked up his story.
"He found skeletons
like these. Seekers left to die. Doc found twenty-seven bodies within
the caverns. He also found coins, jewels, artifacts and statues. He
found letters and documentation from 1797 and 1880. Then he found gold
bars. He estimated the value of this, "his" precious treasure was more
than two billion dollars..."
"Who did this?"
Natasha interrupted horrified.
Cadrach stopped
and turned, "Why the servants of the Master! And, now you can join you
fellow seekers!"
Out of the
shadows emerged many robed figures. The explorers were vastly
outnumbered. They were over-powered in no time. Their hands were
secured behind their backs and bound to stakes. To the original four's
surprise, Jeb and Meeca were left unbound.
"What's going
on?"shouted Danny looking at Meeca. She shook her head sadly. Tears
rolled down her cheeks.
"I tried to
warn you in the only way I could. You would not listen or turn back.
You wanted to know the fate of the other sister. Now you do. I was the
other sister. My soul is enslaved to the Master and it is a fate worse
than death."
"What about you Jeb?"
accused Sedona.
"I do as she
commands...I ain't gotta choice."
"Keep walking,"
commanded Cadrach. We go to meet the Master now. They came to a cavern
filled with treasure and the dead. The room smelled of decay. There was
a throne upon a raised dias upon which a beautiful woman was seated.
Her hair was as dark as a raven's wing and her eyes were pools of
night. The monks prostrated themselves before her as the captives
watched.
"Welcome Seekers, I
am the Dark Lady. I have been since before time and will remain after.
You sought treasure but now you will become it. Each of these jars on
the shelves behind me contains a soul. They are my most precious
treasures. You will be joining my collection. You already have met
Meeca and Jeb. I hold their souls and they are bound to my will and
bidding. See how Meeca cries? She hates what I make her do, but, she
must obey! I found her lost in the desert long ago grieving for her
sister. Jeb followed the siren lore of greed like you. Now you know
what your fate will be. Your bodies will rot away; but fear not, your
souls will remain here enthrall to me. Freed only when you are summoned
to my service or my pleasure."
With a clap of her
hands, the corporeal forms of Jeb and Mecca dispersed into wisps of
mist which the monks captured in jars marked with archaic symbols. The
four remaining party members found they could no longer speak. As the
lady advanced they all had a last thought.
Natasha paralyzed
with fear thought, "This can't be happening, please God, let me wake
up."
Danny who had always
been so cheerful was a broken man, resigned to his fate, "Just get it
over with," he thought closing his eyes.
Sedona was fighting
the lady's will until the end, seeking an avenue for escape. "No, no,
no!" she shouted in her mind struggling with all her might..
Christian caught in
the nightmare couldn't believe anyone so lovely was so evil. His eyes
were drawn to her face as a moth is to flame. "So beautiful..." he
thought mesmerized. He watched her loom ever closer. She was ethereal
and graceful Her once dark eyes glowed with power as she reached them.
The last thing they saw was the dark lady ringed by her priests. She
lifted her hands and they were forced to kneel before her...
And then everything went dark.
Quotes to ponder in the dark:
"Monsters are real, and ghosts are
real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win"
Steven King.
The waves were dead; the tides
were in their grave, The Moon, their Mistress, had expired before; The
winds were wither'd in the stagnant air, And the clouds perish'd;
darkness had no need Of aid from them--she was the Universe.
Lord Byron (George Gordon Noel
Byron)
Yet from those flames No light,
but rather darkness visible.
- John Milton
Author's note: Jeb and Mecca were
unfortunates that fell into the Dark Lady's clutches. Their souls
comprised part of her treasure. They were enslaved for all time as are
our four intrepid explorers. You never know what fate holds for you so
be careful who you trust and make every day count! Meeca was the sister
that I added to the earlier story obviously. I told part of Doc's story
"Victorio Peak Mystery Treasure". He and his wife Babe took coins,
jeweled swords, and gold bars from Doc's first trip. They worked their
"claim" and found a jeweled Crown, and rubies as well as historical
documents. This is a very long story that evolves into a battle that
spans into the present.The descendants of Babe and Doc and the United
States Government fight over ownership of the claim. There is even a
possible government conspiracy! Check out the rest of the story at the
link!
"Victorio Peak Mystery Treasure"
High Country Legends (New Mexcio)
found at Legends of America.com, A
Travel Site for the Nostalgic and Historic Minded.
Author: Kathy Weiser/ Posted
March 2004
images found at:
skeleton: Alicia
Patterson
treasure cave:
All posters
Dark Lady:
Aaren
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