Sunny was at the beach early. It seemed an age until 9ish whenever that was.
It just wasn't precise. Did it mean any time from 8.45 to 9.55am or did it really mean near as damn it, to 9am? He desperately wanted to check the shoreline for more bottles, flasks or anything that would give him more clues. He had promised to wait for Jen and he thought he would enjoy her company more if they searched together. He hoped desperately that she had worked out the simple clue from yesterday by just using the capital letters in the riddle. He sat on the sand and pondered the other clue, for the hundredth time since he had awoken at dawn. It still made no sense. He was lost in his thoughts when Jen arrived.
"You look deep in thought, Sun," she said.
"Been thinking. Good night?" he asked.
"Better than expected. Dad has placed the caravan to perfection. Mum did not make a mistake and the holiday did not get off to the usual arguments. Tea was served on time and at the correct temperature, the toilet block is not too far away and all in all they are as content as they have ever been in my experience. I really hoped that we would visit the camp site bar and restaurant, but it was not to be, as we had endured a stressful day. Also Dad wanted to make sure that the routine for putting the beds down and converting the day space into night time accommodation was carried out in accordance with his wishes. Now that was REALLY stressful. How about you?"
"Same old, same old. Nothing of any note. Early to bed early to rise, makes you a boring old fart!"
She laughed and appreciated the sentiments. "Worked the clues out?"
"Of course!" he said proudly.
"Me too', she said a little disappointed that she had not been the only one to work them out.
"You first."
"No, you first."
"I know we will do one line each."
"You go first."
"OK. Go."
"South."
"Cave."
"Not absolutely sure about the last line though, "not in fire," he said, "could mean literally not in fire or the opposite of fire. There were no capitals used in this line, so it must be a real clue."
"That's what I thought. What's the opposite of fire? -Water?"
"Good thinking, Batgirl. I'll settle for that. The treasure is under the water."
"You don't actually think there is treasure do you?"
"Course. Why not. The cave exists. Been there loads of times. Never seen any treasure though. Coming?"
"Betcha. Is it far?"
"Not really. Got to be careful with the tides though as they come in real quick round here."
"Is it dark?"
"A bit. Stinks of old seaweed and dead fish. Especially in the summer."
"Just as well I brought my handbag then, it's got a small torch in it."
"Cool," said Sunny before he realised he was using his parents favourite word.
Jenny did not want to be caught out with no pen and paper like yesterday and had decided that Sunny would not make fun of the hideous bag. He didn't even give it a second glance, as they set off down the beach, heading south as the clues instructed.
It was a long walk and it involved some scrambling over rocks at the far end to gain height from the shore. They walked in silence, it was funny. They both seemed content in their own company and words were not required. It was a refreshing change for Jen. She always felt that she had to make conversation. Talked a lot of nonsense half the time, but it always kept her friendships going back home. Sunny pushed ahead and did not wait for her. She liked that, he treated her as an equal, and not some namby pamby pink girly thing. Sunny had been right, this area stunk of old sea things and was not pleasant on the nose.
"Bit of a whiff round here," she ventured.
"You get used to it. Not far now. We have to clear the headland and get to the other side. Hardly anyone goes there as it's a pain to get to and there's no direct path from the cliffs down to it. Seen some nude bathers last year though. They thought no-one could see them, but I did. I'll watch the tide as it's started to turn and you can quickly get stranded here. There's no way in or out 'cept this way and you can't scale the cliffs."
Jenny found it hard going, but she was determined to keep up. She slipped once or twice and grazed her knees through her jeans. The stain left there by the green seaweed would cause a commotion later, but so what? Eventually they made the farthest side. Sunny stopped for a breather.
"You OK?"
"I'm fine. Where is it?"
"Over there at the base of the cliffs, behind those rocks." he said pointing.
"Let's go then!" she said making towards where he had pointed.
They scrambled over the rocks and she could see for the first time the outline of the cave mouth. It was not very big. She pointed this fact out to Sunny.
"It's the only cave I know of round here, and it's actually much larger inside than it looks from here." She followed in his footsteps to the cave entrance. Sunny had been right, it stunk worse here. "Got that torch Jen?"
"Let me dig it out and you can lead the way."
She handed Sunny the torch and they crept inside. Sunny had been right. It was bigger inside than it looked from the outside. They could stand upright which was more than they could have done entering the cave. They didn't really need the torch as although it was high it was not deep and the natural light shining in was adequate.
She looked around. It showed signs of human habitation. Old tin cans, bits of paper and refuse. There was also a dark cinder filled hollow in the rocks where a fire had been regularly lit at some point.
"That's new," said Sunny pointing at the ashes.
"Complicates the clue though," replied Jen.
"Not really. We stick with our original thoughts. There's a pool at the back, where fresh water trickles down through the rocks and into small trough that has eroded over the years."
"Let's have a look."
Sunny shone the torch over in the direction that Jen could now hear dripping water.
Sure enough there was the pool.
"Any vampires in these parts?" asked Jen with a nervous laugh.
"Not recently," replied Sunny with as straight a face as he could muster.
They went together to the pool. It was covered in green algae and although not wide it was quite deep.
"Do you want to go first asked Sunny?"
"Nah! You can get wet. I'll just wait and see if you find anything."
Sunny pushed his sleeves up his arms as far as they would go and then plunged his arm into the freezing cold water. He rummaged around and felt something solid. Odd, he thought. He hadn't really expected to find anything and he had fully expected this to be a wild goose chase. He probed again until he could get a good grip on the object.
The algae made everything slippery. He finally grasped it, and pulled it violently up, and out.
Jenny gasped. She had not really expected to find anything either and had looked at this as a mini holiday adventure. Just something to do on boring holidays.
They both stood together and viewed the object. It was a Pharaoh's head.
A replica of Tutankhamen’s head, if he was not mistaken. It was made of stone or something similar and was brightly painted in gold and blue.
"Let me see," pleaded Jen. Sunny handed it to her." What a funny thing to find here in West Wales," she said.
"Does it open?" asked Sunny.
Jenny tried hard to prise it in two, but with no success.
"Give it here," he said and twisted the head part where it joined the neck.
Slowly and irregularly the head unwound from the rest of it. Jen could hardly contain her excitement. The head separated. Sunny looked inside for any contents. He was not disappointed. There was another piece of thick paper inside, similar to the one that had brought them here in the beginning. Jen caught sight of it too and could no longer contain herself.
"What's it say? What's it say?"
"Dunno yet. Let's get back outside. I need to check on the tide and the stink in he
re is enough to make me sick."
Jenny realised that he only had their safety in mind but you would have thought that he could have spared two extra seconds to read the damn thing. Boys! she thought and made her way outside.
The air was refreshing outside and it was still a lovely day. It was difficult in the cave to remember that it was nice out here. Sunny checked the situation with the tide and decided that they were all right for the moment. He reckoned it would be another half an hour before they had to go. He told Jen of this, and gave her the option of going now and examining the message in safety on the other side or have a quick look now before they left the secluded bay.
She asked him, "what do you think?" and snatched the Pharaoh's bust off him and sat down on the beach.
Sunny still held the head and noticed that the screw top thread had been well waxed to stop water getting in. Jen unravelled the paper and read it out aloud so he could hear.
"my first is in four once
my second is in seven thrice
my third is in eight once
my fourth is in six thrice
my fifth is in two once
my sixth is in five twice.
moonlights shadow shows the way."
What the heck did that mean? thought Sunny. This time it was not easy and was a real puzzler for him. Jenny read it aloud again and still it meant nothing to her.
She passed the paper to Sunny and rummaged in her bag for a pen and a piece of paper.
Noticing what she was doing he passed the paper back and she carefully wrote the clues down.
"Better get a move on if we're to be out of here in plenty of time," he said getting up and brushing the sand from his bum.
They clambered back over the rocks and made it safely to the other side.
"I'm starving," announced Sunny.
"Me too, fancy coming back to mine for a sandwich and another look at the clues?"
"What about the weirdos?"
"Gone until late afternoon. Dad said he wanted to tour the local scrap yards looking for spares for his pride and joy."
"Your Mum falling apart is she?"
"No you dope! bits for the 1968 Morris Oxford. I've got the spare key and as long as I don't make a mess and you're gone before they return it'll be all right."
"Are you sure? I don't want to put you out or get you in trouble. I was quite happy to go home and meet you later."
"No bother at all. Hope you like salad sandwiches? 'cos that's all we got."
"That's OK by me, lead on!"
Jenny led the way and Sunny traipsed behind all the way back to the caravan.
She found the key and let him in. It was the most perfect caravan he had ever seen. It was immaculate, tidy would not describe the pristine condition the inside was in.
"Fab van."
"You don't have to be sarky with me Sunny."
"I wasn't. It's truly immaculate. It looks like new in here, but from the outside it looks as if it has travelled a bit."
"I suppose when you are in here, it does look like new." she conceded. She busied herself on preparing the sandwiches. "Do you take Heinz salad cream in your sarnies?"
"Bung some in, I'll give anything a go once."
Jenny could not think of anyone she had ever known that had not tried salad cream. She cut the sliced bread carefully into triangles like she had seen her Mother do. She put them on a nice bone china plate and made a small garnish of watercress, which she sprinkled over the top. "Crisps?" she asked.
"Oh yes please." He noticed how methodical she was in her actions and how she cleaned up as she went along. By the time the sandwiches were served the small kitchen area was immaculate again.
The sandwiches were heaven. Yummy. Shop bought sliced bread and that lovely salad cream took all the mundane taste of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber away. This girl could cook for him any time she wanted, he thought.
Jenny enjoyed preparing the food for him, and again she thought what an unlikely pair they made. They finished eating and offered him some pop. Not own brand stuff but the real deal. It tasted of heaven to Sunny. Jen carefully cleared all the plates and glasses away and made the caravan look as if no-one had been there. She had even checked on the carpet to ensure that there were no crumbs. They each got their respective copy of the clues out again and re-read them. Nope, still nothing not even a glimmer from either of them.
"This one has stumped me I'm afraid," said Jenny. "All the girls in school think I'm a bof. But I can't work this one out."
"What's a bof?"
"A boffin. You know… a nerd. Don't you use that around here?"
"No," he lied. He was often called a bof, but until now he never knew what it meant, and he was too embarrassed to ask.
"We'd better get out of here and go to the beach, the weirdos might be back soon and it saves a lot of explaining to do, if they find you here."
"Okay. There's a nice sheltered spot on the far side of the beach with a few trees, it's in a bit of a hollow so it's out of the wind and the trees give you shade from the sun."
"Sounds perfect, let me check the van once again and we'll go. Take a last look," she said, "as I doubt if you'll ever come in here again."
Sunny did not like the finality of that last statement. What was wrong? Had he done something to offend her? They were getting on like a house on fire and he hoped they could become best mates, at least until the holiday was over. He looked ashen.
"You all right Sun? You've come over all pale like."
"What did you mean the last time I'd see you?"
"Stupid boy! I meant the last time you'd probably be allowed in the caravan. If all things go as usual on fathers' schedule, starting tomorrow he will dismantle the Morris Oxford bit by bit, gently clean every single piece of it and put it back together. That's his holiday.
Mother will doubtless be bored stupid and take me for walks, sometimes in to the nearest town and we will do the most boring shopping expeditions you have ever seen.
Anyways Dad will be parked out front everyday for the next fortnight and we do not as a rule entertain visitors. That's all. Sensitive soul aren't you?"
"Nah, not really, but I thought as we were getting on so well and we haven't sorted out the puzzle yet, it was bit abrupt to end it all so suddenly."
"You can rest assured young man, that I am not going anywhere until we've sorted this puzzle out." she said in her posh voice.
Sunny laughed at her. She followed him away from the caravan and across the beach to the secluded spot he had suggested. It was perfect, quiet, secluded and with a great view of the beach. The shading trees would stop her from burning and as long as she did not suffer from hay fever, it was the ideal spot. They made themselves comfortable and got the clues out again.
"There is always a pattern to these, Jen. We've just got to get it." said Sunny.
"You got any brothers or sisters?"
"Nope, you?"
"No, Mum always said one was enough."
"I think the last line means that whatever the first bit is, has to be done at night, in moonlight."
"Merde!" said Jen. Swearing in a foreign language didn't count in her book. "The weirdos won't let me out after dark."
"We'll have to think of something. We've come this far, I think it only fair for us to complete it, whatever it is, together."
"Maybe I could convince them that I am going to stay with your parents. Do you think your Mum will come and ask my Mum?"
"Dream on, Jen. Your Mum will take one look at my Mum, and run a mile."
"We'll have to think of something else then. There's no way I can sneak out in the middle of the night with the caravan converted for sleeping. I would have to climb over both of them to escape. Far too risky."
"We've got plenty of time yet, as we haven't even cracked the code."
They spent the rest of the afternoon gently chatting away about everything under the sun. Then they spent a few minutes on the clues and ages and ages trying to com
e up with a scheme for Jen to escape for one evening. Sunny had pointed out that you could see the moon at about nine 'o' clock, so it wasn't as if it were a midnight adventure. Even if they found something again they could study it next day, she could be home by eleven at the latest.
Jen had the bright idea that she could tell her parents it was a special properly organised treasure hunt, organised by the local council for the benefit of holidaymakers. Sunny thought that a risky strategy as they were bound to find out that there was no such thing. But he had to concede that it was the best idea so far.
There was an internet cafe in the town and maybe when she went there with her Mum, she could knock up a leaflet and show it to them later. The idea grew and grew and in the end it was all they talked about. Jen had enjoyed herself so much that when she glanced at her watch she muttered "Merde' again. She got up quickly, made her excuses and promised to see Sunny at 9ish again on the following morning at the same place.
Sunny stayed where he was and watched her go all the way up the beach. It was cool to have a friend, and this particular case, a fellow conspirator and treasure hunter.
He gathered up all the bits and pieces, replaced the clues back into the Pharaoh's head, and headed off home. The head should bring in some cash at the boot sale he thought, as long as Jen didn't want it of course. It was odd for him to be thinking of someone else's feelings for a change, and he quite liked it. He just realised that he had not thanked her for lunch and was annoyed with himself.
Chapter Four