Cabin Friends: The Mystery of the Candle Lake Caves

The summer festivities were about to begin back at Camp Candle Lake. As the parents met with Frank, the camp owner, (who the kids all called Fred) the girls had agreed to meet at the spot where they had buried the metal box and the memories of the past. Lillian and Allie were the last to arrive at the location near the river by the tallest oak tree. It was about a half a mile down a forest path from Camp Candle Lake. Joe and Izzie smiled at Lillian and Allie as they approached. Allie took Lillian’s arm and ran the last few steps toward their summer friends. They all hugged. Lillian bent down and reached for Izzie’s hand. Izzie grabbed Lillian and pulled her in close. Her hug was tight and familiar to Lillian. Lillian took a deep breath and smelled the floral scent of Izzie’s hair. “I missed you so much!” Lillian said. “I missed you too!” Izzie replied. “My turn!” said Joe. Lillian turned toward the sound of Joe’s voice. “Bring it in!” Lillian said. Joe stepped toward Lillian and gave her a great big bear hug and then softened her embrace and rested her head on Lillian’s shoulder. “Okay, let’s do it. Did everyone bring something?” Joe let go of Lillian. Allie and Izzie finished their greeting, and everyone was in place around a large stone at the bottom of the tree. Joe knelt and started to lift the rock up, like lifting a lid, and rested the erect stone against the tree. It revealed a large hole underneath it with a gray metal box that sat at the bottom of the hole. Joe reached into the hole and lifted the box up. Allie took her necklace off and what appeared to be a simple charm was the key to the box. Allie used the key and opened the box. “Does everybody have something?” Lillian asked. “I brought this newspaper clipping,” Izzie took out Leroux’s article that she cut out of the newspaper and placed it, folded, into the box. “Here’s mine.” Allie reached out and opened her hand. In the palm of her hand was a single straw of hay. “It’s hay from the wagon.” “What did you bring Joe?” Lillian asked. “I brought the letter,” Joe said as she placed it in the metal box. She fumbled a little as she tried to hold the box with one hand and put the letter in with the other. “Here, put this in,” Lillian reached into her pocket and took out a little plastic pig. “It’s my brothers but he’ll never miss it.” Lillian remembered the sounds and the smells of the farm last year. She remembered the sounds of the pig licking that monster’s face and the smell of the mud. She shuttered. “You okay?” Izzie asked. “I’m fine.” “Every year it will be harder and harder to find something to add to the box because it will be harder and harder to remember what happened last year.” Izzie reminded everyone why they were doing this. “This seems a little weird,” Joe said. “Maybe by next year we won’t even need to come here,” Allie said. “Maybe, but I kinda like it,” Lillian replied, “At least I’m here with you guys. I feel safe when I’m with you guys.” There was a long moment of silence. “So, do we say a prayer, or chant, or something?” Joe said, breaking the silence. “Joe, in the Mayan culture, the youngest has to bury the treasure and dance on top of the burial site,” Izzie said with a very serious tone. “Wait, what?” Joe said, stunned. Allie and Lillian looked toward Joe with a serious look. “It’s true, Joe, and you’re the youngest.” Lillian couldn’t hold in her laughter anymore. She burst out laughing and started chanting nonsense and danced around. Allie joined her. Izzie and Joe cracked up in laughter. After settling down, Joe placed the metal box, now containing a blue bow, a newspaper clipping, a creepy letter, a plastic toy pig, and a piece of hay, back into the ground. Allie helped Joe place the stone over the hole and then checked her fingernails for any damage. Lillian was still and listened to the sounds of the far-off camp. Between the camp sounds and where the girls stood there were sounds in the forest of animals and birds. She could hear woodpeckers, and squirrels in the forest. She could hear the chirps of insects and the flapping of wings from birds above the forest ceiling. Lillian heard the river current as water danced around the river banks and crashed off rocks at nearby Faith Rapids. Lillian could feel the life in the forest all around her. She heard everything perfectly … including footsteps running toward her!