Treasure Quest

“Are we there yet?” Elu huffed. Sweat streamed down her flushed face, and her chest heaved for air as she panted. “I’m thirsty and my feet hurt.”

Awan glanced back at the vast dunes behind them. His own feet ached from the shifting sand, and the hot air stole moisture from his parched throat. He tried to ignore the throb at his temples and the taste of salt on his crinkled and cracked lips. “Not much further.” He slid out a metal canteen from his backpack and shook it. A frown pulled down his face, and he peered at Elu. “I’m out.”

She held up her own canteen. “Same.”

Awan sighed. “Well, there’s nowhere to go but forward.” He sat his bag down, savoring the wind on his sweaty back, and pulled out a small, worn, black journal given to him by his grandfather. He leafed through its yellowed pages to a hand drawn map. “There should be a shack up ahead.”

“How far is up ahead?” Elu stared at the mountains off in the distance. Sand and the stray cactus occupied the distance between. “Because all I see is more desert.” She looked back at Awan, meeting his amber eyes. The sun illuminated her grey ones and kissed her skin a beauteous bronze. The wind whipped her dark tresses into the air and filled it with sand, but she appeared unbothered by it. Despite her complaints, she seemed at home, blessing the landscape with her Native American beauty.

“Does it matter?” he quirked a brow and stuffed the journal back in his bag.

“I guess not, but if I die, I will come back to haunt you.”

Dimples flashed in his cheeks as he laughed. “I would be disappointed if you didn’t.”

Elu rolled her eyes, but joined in the laughter. “Do you think the shack will have water?”

“I hope so.” The smile fell off his face, replaced with the clenched jaw and narrowed eyes of apprehension. He reached out and squeezed Elu’s hand. They stole a glance at one another, then trudged forward, wayfarers of the Mojave.

The pair hiked into dusk with the hidden sun painting the sky swaths of orange and pink at the horizon. Stars shimmered above; denoting the size of the universe and making the desert feel small.

“I’d appreciate this more if I wasn’t so miserable,” Elu muttered. “You said it wasn’t far.” She leered at Awan as she clomped down the dune with a weary slouch. Sand filled their shoes and coated their skin, and Elu sputtered as a gust of wind blew dirt into her mouth. “Remind me to never join one of your quests again.”

“I’m sorry, but at least for you, this is my last one.” His face fell and his crestfallen eyes darted toward the sky. Guilt hit Elu with a pang in the heart as Awan held back tears over the quest memories he made with his grandfather before he died.

“Awan, I’m sorry.” Elu’s brows furrowed as her eyes locked onto Awan in earnest.

He held up a hand. “It’s okay. I know. I just…” The weight of his body propelled him forward and down as the land dropped off. He yelped in shocked and found himself in a pool of water with a splash. Water burned his nostrils and filled his lungs as he breathed in. He whipped his head up, gasping and coughing for air.

Elu rushed down to the water’s edge, careful not to fall in behind him. “Are you okay?” Her wide eyes darted around, unsure what to do. A tremble took over her body and her heart pounded in her chest. As she made a move to wade in, Awan nodded his head with vigor in confirmation as he beat his chest with his fist. Water spewed from his lips, simultaneously painful and relieving.

“I’m… good.”

Satisfied with his ability to speak, Elu kneeled down and scooped handfuls of water into her mouth. The water soothed and cooled as it traced its way passed her lips and down her throat. A moan escaped her lips as she closed her eyes and rubbed water onto her neck and face. Her eyes fluttered open, revealing the dark terrain. A smirk spread across her lips, and she nudged Awan on the shoulder. “Looks like we found your shack.”

Awan’s head flew up in a blink. He swashed through the water, his arms flailing for balance as his feet sunk in the mud with each step. Elu followed with heedful steps behind him. The shack was no bigger than a toolshed. The weathered, wooden boards threated to collapse. Some laid on the ground with rusted nails stuck out like miniature spikes. They rounded the side of the shack to the front. Though warped and splintered, the door remained. A wiggle of the doorknob confirmed it as locked, and Awan slid off his bag for the key. He pulled out a tarnished, brass key with a long shaft and a cog for the bow. He held it out in front of the key hole with a pause. “We made it grandpa,” he murmured. Then, he slipped the key in.

The shack lay barren within. Elu pointed a flashlight at every corner, but nothing occupied the inside. She gawked in befuddlement with her mouth gaped open at the sand floor. “Where’s the treasure? Didn’t you say there should be something?”

Awan nodded as he scoped the room, likewise perplexed. He tilted his head to the side as he recollected what the journal contained. “Yeah, it definitely mentioned a treasure to find. He always had something for us to find on our quests.” He reached a hand out to Elu. “Here, can I borrow that flashlight for a moment?”

“Sure.” Elu handed it off and stepped back into the shack’s doorframe.

Awan gave the shack another once over, but ended empty handed. “I guess there isn’t anything.” A lump clogged the back of his throat as he clicked off the flashlight. His lips trembled and his lungs tightened as grief overcame him. The quest had kept him going, but now it was over.

“Awan?” Worry dripped from Elu’s voice. Even in the dark, she knew his sorrow and the tension in the room. “It’s okay. I’m here.” She placed a hand on his shoulder and rested her head between his shoulder blades.

Awan pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth as he balled his hands into fists. He held his breath then released a heavy sigh as he tried to focus on the warmth of Elu’s head pressed into him. With a nodded, he turned to her with the mantra “it’s okay” in his head. “Thank you.”

Dim starlight leaked through the doorway to reveal the trace of a smile of her lips. “Of course.” A moment of silence lingered as she relished the strength of his lean arms wrapped around her, and he found comfort in her nurturing hug. He rested his head on her shoulder and gazed out into the night. As he stared out, a head-sized rock caught his eyes.

“Wait a minute.” He parted from Elu and strode over to a round rock with a winky face drawn on it. A grin as wide as Uranus broke out as elation crinkled his eyes.

“What is it?”

“It’s the treasure.” He waggled his brows then dropped to his knees to dig. Sand flew all around as he dug like a dog until he unearthed a small metal box from under the rock. He held it up for Elu to see, and she dropped down beside him. Eager to learn of its contents, Awan flipped the box open to reveal a letter and envelope. He unfolded the letter and read the short message aloud.

Dear Awan,

I hope you enjoy my quest and hiding spot. I cherish my quests with you and they hold a special place in my heart. I’m sorry I can’t continue with you, but I hope you go on questing without me. So, I left you a gift for your future adventures.

With Love,

Grandpa

Awan’s eyes welled up, but his lips curled into a smile. He placed the letter back into the box and opened the envelope. Within, Awan found a $20,000 check. He stared at it, his face contorted by a mix of emotions, and then he looked up at Elu with a peaceful smile. “Want to go on another quest?”