Disappearance at Lake Huánuco

The beautiful shimmering light reflection of the moon. It radiated a heavenly glow, but the picture would deceive.

My friends and I had been planning this trip for a while. They were interested in seeing all of Peru and the ruins, all the tourist stuff. I wanted to find the Gold. I knew of this legend from a man I visited in the nursing home where I worked. People called him crazy Jose, but his stories of the treasures he saw astounded me.

I would sit at listen to him and forget my shift sometimes. I started coming in early just to talk with him. He had no family around any more, and so I felt sorry for him. At first he didn't trust me with the information, but after time our deep friendship grew. One day I went to visit him. He had pulled out all of his pictures from his childhood. There were hut like houses. The walls were made of stone, the floors of dirt, and buckets were full of water to wash. He told me this was the house he grew up in. I felt so bad for the way I treated my parents after that. I thought my house was a dump, but the trailer we lived in was a castle in comparison to the homes that these people lived in.

He showed me how the homes improved over time with electricity and all the fancy stuff. Well that is what he would call it. Still most were made with bricks and dirt. The straw was mixed in with the dirt to make insulation.

Even the modern day houses were not as nice as my home. I stopped complaining and started being kinder to my parents. They thought I was on drugs. I just was humbled.

In the pictures the mountain area was cold. They people wore cloths that were made of wool of the Llamas. The women in the villages would have weavers that they would weave the blankets and shirts with. The young women learned early to do this. Another strange thing he showed me was the bathroom. Women would wear this short dresses that fanned out around them so no one would see them. They would just squat in the streets. The earth would soak it up like a sponge using the nutrients to grow the vegetation.

His stories kept me coming day after day, week after week. After a while he was dying. He begged me for one thing. He wanted to be taken home. I knew that he could not go. They would not let him in his condition. We made a plan. I told him I would loose my job doing this. He assured me I would never need to work again if I did this.

He knew where there was Gold left from the Incan Empire and he would give me a map. The only draw back was it was in the lake of his home town.

I had been on scuba diving trips with friends, but the water was clear and warm in the Atlantic. This was a different story the water was murky and cold.

The first thing I needed to do was get guardianship over him to help him get home. It was not going to be easy, but I did have a friend in my collage that could forge documents. So I went to work.

The second step of the plan was to enlist friends to go to cut cost. I asked friends if they wanted to travel with me to see Peru and backpack around. They were more then excited. Three of my friends were majoring in Archeology. I am not sure what they would do with that degree, but that was their choice, and it helped me out. So paperwork check, friends check, now we needed the gear.

One of my bunkmates surfed and had wetsuits for each day of the week. He was a little relucted to share, but I told him I would pay if it was ruined. He asked why I needed it. The water on the beach should be warm this time of year. It was the summer in Peru, well in the low lands of Peru. He didn't know I planned on going in the water up in the mountain area. He decided to pack a few for himself and let me have one. I asked how we got tanks if we wanted to dive. He thought that was odd, but told me the shops by the beach should have tanks for dives. I went with it. Dive Suite check.

I found a nice water proof pack that fit my clothes and gear. Backpack check. It was time to check in with Jose and see what else we needed to get for him to be comfortable at home.

I knocked on his door. "Jose", I asked quietly. He was sitting by the window with a piece of parchment in his hand. "Hey it's me Diego", I said as I entered the room and closed the door. There were tears in his eyes as he handed me the parchment. On the piece of paper it had a name. Everything was in Spanish. I took Spanish in high school so I knew enough. This was a death certificate.

My imagination ran wild. The name on the paper was David. "Who is David?" I asked. He sat down on the chair by the window and had me sit down on the other chair.

"David was my brother. You remind me of him. He was full of fun, and adventure was in his blood. He wanted our family to have a better life so he heard of the Gold in the lake, and decided to go searching for the gold. We never heard from him again. They had a funeral for him without a body. This was when I was 16. I wanted to go and find him. Find the legend and solve it all. When I snuck out of the house one night. My mom was sleeping, dad was drunk, this happened most of the time because he lost his job from the grief. No one noticed. I went to the water and dived in. I had a copy of the map as well. He left me one. As I dived in the water it became so dark that I couldn't see. I didn't have any fancy stuff they have now, but you promise me you will ok", Jose said as his eyes glossed over. "I touched something. I could not see it clearly. It was slimy, and just as I touched it I lost my breath. I tried to get to the surface, but something was grabbing my leg. All of the sudden I was out. The next thing I knew I was lying on the side of the lake. The sand over me and in my hand a coin. The coin was ancient. I had never seen anything like it before. Then in my other hand there was David's knife he used fishing. I got up and ran back home to tell my parents. They didn't believe me. I showed them the knife they took it and buried it in the yard. "DO NOT TALK OF HIM AGAIN! ", my mother shouted. I never told them the rest of the story. I never told any one.

"What do you think held you down?", I asked.

"I am not sure", he said, "but they say that who ever searches for the gold will be the servant to it".

I am not one to be scared. This story made me think twice, but I needed this.

On the plane Jose and I were in First Class. Jose bought our tickets. He said it was payment for getting him out of the prison he was in. I laughed, but could understand not having anything or anyone around you familiar then being all alone for so lone, well until I came to work there.

"Thanks for the tickets", I said sipping on my wine. "I have never flown first class before".

"I use to work for a big firm as a lawyer", said Jose. "That was a long time ago".

"I didn't know that", I said surprised. "I guess we only spoke of the old time in Peru not in the United States".

"It's okay son, there are many more things that I will tell you before you leave me to die", he said sadly.

"Listen, I will stay until you pass', I said with a feeling of happiness. " You know how stubborn I can be".

The got off the plane. Jose was in one line and I in another when we went through immigration and customs. He was waiting out in the area where all the rental cars are located. He said "Here, This is a local cell phone".

"I can't take that. That is a lot." I told him. "You need to save your money".

"Diego", said Jose "I have no family. My wife and child died a long time ago"

"Thank you", I said sincerely. "I wanted to give him something back, when I find the treasure both our names will be on the claim. Your name will live on".

I hated to make a promise incase I couldn't keep it, but I was determined.

I told my buddies that I would be with them only for a moment then I was heading to Huánuco with Jose to take care of him and to find the gold that took his brothers life.

I said goodbye to my friends then hopped on a bus heading to Huánuco. We slept mostly, except the screaming. I thought it was from some one near me. When I looked around it was me screaming. The winding roads and narrowness of them made me scared. Jose took my hand and calmed me. These drivers have been taking this route for years. No need to worry.

Jose's eyes were bright with joy. He was in his home. I was happy to be here with him. The bus dropped us off at the depot in town. Then Jose called a taxi.

The city has changed. I am not sure if I know my way around anymore. I will call a friend from my childhood.

Jose called a Pepe. "Hello my friend. Can you help us. I wanted to try to do things ourselves, but he trusted Pepe and Pepe did live here.

I started my Journal so I would remember everything.

Day One:

The bus dropped us off at the town square with also doubled as the bus depot. Pepe is a friend and he will help us with everything. Jose even got him to talk about the Lake. Pepe said since Jose left there has been many disappearances. Mostly children. They go to swim in the lake and then something takes then under.

This is the same lake that I am going to explore. I wonder if it was planned ahead of time. Did Pepe call Jose to get someone to investigate, and I was just the gringo to do it. Well, I made a promise and I was going to keep it.

Pepe drove us to Jose's old home. It was still his families. Which meant it was his. He had sent money back all his life to fix it up. It was like a serine retreat. The rest of the houses were kept up around it. Pepe lived next door. He said Jose sent money back not just for his home, but for the community. They had running water and electric system. The school was named after him.

"Wow, you don't need me. You have a whole town", I said as we walked into the home.

"I need you because you are my family", Jose said. "Always remember that".

I decided to go for a walk. I wanted to see the area and the town. I especially wanted to see the lake. This is where I would dive to find the treasure and end this idea that there is something there. I got the dive tanks in Lima before we got on the bus. Everything was set for the dive tomorrow.

The water was mesmerizing in the light. The dusk reflected off the water.

I started to take off my clothes, then I jumped in. It was pulling me to it like a dream pulling you in. Something caught my ankle. I struggled for a moment, but then I looked down. It was a child. The child was begging me to come. This freaked me out. I swam as quickly as I could to the top. I gulped in some water on my way.

I woke up laying on the sand. I looked in my hand. There was a coin. The other hand held another memento, I am not sure what it is, but It had a name and address with it. I decided to go the home.

I knocked on the door. A woman around my age answered. She was sad.

"Can I help you with something", she asked. Then she saw the item in my hand. "Where did you get that?".

I told her of my experience. She started crying. What did the child look like?

I told her the child looked like her. He was white though and shimmered in the water. I handed her the toy car. It was not that old.

She invited me in, I lost my son last week. We could not find him anywhere. The officers sent in the divers, but the water was to murky to see anything.

I felt sorry for her. I told her it might have just been a dream, and I found the items on the shore.

I said my goodbyes and went back to Jose's home. Pepe was there. He was frantic. Jose's heath turned. He might not live through the night.

I sat up in a chair watching him, making sure his breathing was steady.

He called me over. "where is your journal?".

"I left it on the table", I said as I checked his vitals and gave him his medication.

"I want you to write down my dream. I dreamt of all the missing children. My bother was there. They were all in the water. They were at peace there. Along with them was a man he held them all by a string of water. They couldn't leave, but they didn't try too either. Please write this down. Someone needs to know", Jose said then he started coughing. His air way was blocked by something. Water started to come from his mouth.

"Jose, what is going on", I cried. "Let me get help".

He would not let go of my hand

"My brother is here for me". he sputtered. "I am going now. Everything is yours now. Don't dive again into the water".

With that his life force was gone. A light lite the room so bright that it blinded me. Then I went to write everything down.

Night time:

Jose is gone. He left me everything. There is a letter giving me control of his lives work. I did not know how well off he was. In his bank he had millions of dollars.

I should be happy, but I want to find out what is happening to the children of the town.

I was conflicted. I had all the money I needed for life. There was no need for me to find the treasure.

As I looked around the house and in the desk draw I found something that gave me the chills.

There was a letter from his brother.

Jose

It is me David. I am writing this letter though you have gone from home. I came back for you. Mom was gone, and you were in the United States. I found the treasure. The thing with it is I can not stay. I am leaving some of the treasure with you. I hope you know that when you get back it will be here for you.

There is a price that will be paid for the treasure. Not just my life, but the life of every child born in this town will be owned by the treasures owner. I can not say his name. It is forbidden. I am saying goodbye, do not come look for me again, or the treasure. Live until I come for you.

David.

This is why there was a reflection of light in the room. The ripples of water on the wall. The feeling of bubbles around me as Jose passed through the door of life to his death.

I wrote this all in my journal. Then I went to sleep.

Pepe came the next morning to check on Diego. All he found was a journal.

He started to read the story, but then closed the book and ran. The journal still lies on the desk of the beautiful kept house.