Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt! Part Five

We don't often talk about the 'real world.' Mostly because this is meant to be an escapist blog (if you haven't caught on to that by now, haha). But we just wanted to say that we hope everyone who lives in the path of Hurricane Irene is safe-- you, your family, your friends, and your pets. We have you in our hearts and thoughts this weekend. Be safe!

Okay, back to our 'dolly reality'... haha. Hurricanes are too scary to discuss for long periods of time... it's better to talk about fake scary stuff... heehee.

Welcome to Part Five of Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt! 

Maple and I went back home with our shattered magnifying glass. Sure enough Penny said she'd get us another one. She also asked us about our next hint.

"Oh, Maple clumsily tripped and we forgot to look at it!" I said smiling. Maple shot me a look.

We unrolled the hint to find a drawing of a flower. That was it. Just a flower. No hint.

"Holy cow! You got the wrong thing!!" Maple gurgled and then threw herself on the couch.

"I didn't get the wrong thing. It was the only hint at the top of the Tower!" I responded.

Penny smiled at us. Oh great, another person who knows more than we do.

"It's invisible ink," she commented while pointing at the paper. "Under the flower is probably a message."

"Well how do we see it?' I asked.

She picked up the hint and smelled it. She is a weird woman.

"Lemons. It's written in lemon juice so you heat it up. Let's go get the iron," she said.

So we ironed the hint until a message started to appear. It read:

What was not there

Can now be seen

From cool to hot

From light to dark

Start at the heart

Travel west two hundred paces

To find where the Deadman

Waits for you at dusk

"Yeah... I think this is where I stop going on these journeys," I said. "I'm not planning on going anyplace where a dead person is waiting for me."

"Don't be such a chicken. It's just talking about Deadman's Grotto, from the map. There aren't actually dead people there. It's just the name," Maple insisted.

I looked at Penny. She just smiled again. I waited until she said something.

"Have fun you two!" she chimed as she left the room to put away the iron.

Aren't adults supposed to be the responsible ones who prevent children from going places at dusk?

"C'mon Nora... it'll be fun. And we've come this far. How can we stop now?" Maple pestered me.

I was curious about this treasure, I knew no one else would go with her, and I felt guilty if she had to go alone.

"Fine. Let's go back to the compound tomorrow." I slogged my way upstairs to my bedroom for what might be my final night of sleep..... I could hear Maple clapping in delight that I would still go with her.

The next day we are ready to head out once again. Maple has dressed herself in a black and white top from All Dolled Doll Clothes, jeans and a white tee from Liberty Jane, and a sock monkey hat from 123 Mulberry Street.

We journeyed back to the heart-shaped lock at the base of the Spanish Tower and took out our compass to know which direction West lay. Then we traversed the two hundred paces, once again with difficulty in keeping count. Why can't it ever be 20 paces instead of 200?

Our path ended at the base of a rocky hill near a group of large droopy trees. We crawled into the center of them, assuming this was Deadman's Grotto and it was where the hint was located. But there wasn't anything there.

"I guess we really do have to wait until dusk," Maple said.

"So you think some dead person will come bring us the hint at dusk?" I said with a horrified look on my face.

"No. But maybe it's just like the invisible ink. We can't see the hint until something reveals it...."

Sounded innocent enough. Too bad I was still scared. And it is difficult to take photos when your hands are trembling.... I swear something was watching us....

"Keep that camera steady!" Maple shouted. So understanding.

"I'm gonna hang out on the other side of these branches," I said, backing up to hide. 

There was definitely something rustling in the distance.

"Chicken," Maple snorted. She looked just as scared as me though.

We stood still for a long time. The sun moving slowly out of view. It was getting darker and darker.

"Do you hear that?!?" Maple called into the darkness around dusk. I took a photo, but saw nothing in it except Maple...

"I don't hear anything!" I responded.

"I can't believe you are making me stay in here by myself!" she shouted back.

"Fine, I'll come in and take some photos." 

It was getting a little too spooky to stand by myself.

The first shot came out pretty well. But when I went to take a second photo, something dark moved in front of the camera! Eeek!

I looked at the photo on the camera and practically peed myself. There really was a shadow there!!! Ahhhck! But the hint was there too!!!

"There it is!" I pointed.

"What was that though? That thing? Didn't you see that shadow?" Maple replied.

"Let's just get the hint and leave!"

"We have to take more photos though!" 

Oh poodles. She must be joking. She glared at me.

"Fine, get over there and pose before that thing comes back!"

Rushed glamour shots..... filled with trepidation...

"Do you hear that?" I asked.

"It's nothing. Keep taking photos," Maple whispered.

"If it's nothing, why are we whispering?"

"Sssshhhhhh."

"Are we done yet???"

"Almost.... make sure you have enough photos..."

"I have enough photos for sixteen blog posts!!!"

Then there was really movement in the branches around us.

"Don't you hear that noise Maple?!? Let's get out of here!!!!"

She froze.

So I grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the grotto, barely managing to snatch the hint as we ran out. And we kept running until we found Stone Rock Road where we stopped to catch our breath.

"Do you think that really was a dead man?!?!?" Maple gasped.

"Didn't you see that shadowy thing?!?!? I don't think it was a squirrel that magically 

appeared and gave us that hint!"

"Ahhhhh!!!!!!!".... is all Maple could manage to say as she started to 

run again towards home.

So much for that brave adventure. I don't think we'll be visiting Deadman's Grotto again anytime soon....

Stay tuned for Part Six of Maple's Pirate Treasure Hunt!!!