AGiantMystery
佚名/Anonymous
ThesoundoftheclockmadeBridgetjump.Ithadbeensoquietinthelivingroom.Hereyeswenttothecarvedblackcaseonthedesk.Insideit,theclockcontinuedtochime.Thenotessoundedsadandempty.
EverythingseemedemptyinRoseCottagesinceGrandpahaddied.He』dlivedhereforeighty-twoyears,andBridgethadvisitedhimeverysummerofherlife.Nowthecottagewouldbesold.
「YoucankeepsomethingtorememberGrandpaby,」momhadsaid.
Bridgetlookedawayfromtheclock.Thatwasn』twhatsheneededtoremindherofGrandpa』steasingeyesandhishugs.Wouldabookmakeherthinkofhim?Shewenttotheshelf,butmostofthebookslookedboring.Thenshesawapaperstickingoutofabook.Gentlyshepulleditout.
Adatewaswrittenononesideofthepaper:February1,1927.Ontheothersidewassomethingexciting.Bridgetgaveashoutthatbroughtherbrotherrunning.
「LookwhatIfound,」Bridgetsaid.
Colintookthepaperandglancedatthedate,thengaspedwhenhesawtheotherside.Aboveadrawingwerethewords「MyTreasureMap」.
「Grandpaalwayssaidhe』dburiedatreasureonhisland,」Bridgetsaid.「Ithoughthewasteasing.」
「SodidI,」Colinsaid.「Thismapprovesthathewasn』t.」
Itwasasimplemap:justabigcirclethatsaid「TheGiant」andanarrowpointingfromitwiththewords「Twenty-YardWalk」.Attheendofthearrowwasasmallcirclemarked「Stone」,andanX.
「TheGiantiswhatGrandpacalledthatbigboulder,」
Bridgetsaid.
「Andthetreasureisburiedunderastonetwentyyardsfromit,」Colinsaid.「Let』sgo!」
Theyranoutsideandgrabbedshovelsfromtheshed.Theyracedacrossaf?ieldtoTheGiant.ItwastheonlybigboulderontheIowafarm,anditstoodbesideastream.
ColinstartedtowalkawayfromTheGiant.Itwasn』teasytomeasuretwentyyardswithhisshortstrides,butaglancearoundthef?ieldshowedonlytwostonesthatcouldhidethetreasure.
「Thisonef?irst,」Colinsaid,rollingasidethebiggerstone.
Bridgetthrusthershovelintothedirt.Whatcouldthetreasurebe?「Goldbars,」sheguessed.「Orjewels—achestfullofsapphiresanddiamonds.」
Didtheoldtreasuremapmakesense?
Colinlaughed.「Berealistic,Bridget.I』llbetit』smoney.」
「Enoughtobuyanewcomputerorabike?」
「Maybeenoughtosavethisplace,」Colinsaid.「Ifwef?indalotofmoney,momwon』thavetosellthecottage.Wecanalwaysspendoursummershere.」
Bridgetknewitwouldn』tbethesamewithoutGrandpa,butshelovedtheoldcottage.Thethoughtofsavingitspurredheron.Shetightenedhergripontheshovelanddugharder.Buthalfanhourlater,allthey』duncoveredwasdirt.
「Itmustbeundertheotherstone,」Colinsaid.
Theymovedtotheotherspotanddugforanhour.Bridget』sarmsbegantoache,andherfaceburnedinthesunlight.「Thetreasureisn』thereeither,」shesaid.Sheturnedandwalkedbacktowardthecottage.Colingrittedhisteethandkeptdigging.
BridgetwentintothecottageandstaredatGrandpa』smap.Wastheresomethingshehadmissed?Someclueshehadn』tsnappedup?Shesearchedthedrawinginchbyinch,thenturnedoverthepaper.Theonlythingtherewasthedate.