I started digging carefully like I’d learned from my handbook Treasure Hunting 101 Rule number one Always protect the scene My fingers found something solid It felt like a bottle I pulled it out of the sand and held it over my head like a trophy I had found the first treasure of the day Hey Sam called out What’s that He ran into the water and stood next to me Aw said my little brother joining us It’s just a bottle Hang on I said Something clinked inside the bottle I flipped the bottle over With a THUNK a blob of wet sand fell out Stuck inside the bottle was a beautiful pink shell that glimmered I tried to shake it out Whoa that’s cool Sam said I’ve never seen a shell like that before Maybe it’s from the ocean my brother said 4
That’s impossible Bug I said My brother is eight years old His real name is Ben Mom thinks I call him Bug because he likes creepy crawlers But really it’s because he’s so annoying a real pain in my butt I always have to babysit him Is not Bug said He crossed his arms I grunted The closest ocean is more than a thousand miles away But Bug had a point This shell did not look like any of the brown clamshells I’d found at the bottom of the lake I shrugged Lost treasure We made our way back to the beach Sam and Bug followed me up to the rocky ledge where we’d left our bags and bikes Close to Mrs Wilson’s cabin it was the perfect place to stash our stuff away from the crowds of people on the beach Bug pushed between us How did that big shell get in that tiny opening anyway he asked Beat it Bug I peered into the bottle I’d seen a ship in a bottle before down at the Treasure Trove 5
the local general store But someone had built that boat inside the bottle piece by piece Bug was right How did a shell get inside this one But I want to see said Bug He grabbed at the bottle I lost my grip and the bottle fell out of my hands It smashed against the rocky shore Glass shot everywhere like sparks at a campfire The shell slid between two rocks just out of reach Bug I yelled Look what you did Bug stepped back crossing his arms again and pinching his lips together I’m going to tell Mom you’re not being nice I’ll tell her you smashed a bottle I said trying to dig out the shell And here of all places Right on cue a screech came from the front porch of the cabin What are you kids doing down there Old Lady Wilson stood there shaking her cane at us Run I pulled the shell free threw it in my bag and jumped on my bike 6
I didn’t wait for Bug or Sam I kicked down the pedal and took off I didn’t stop until I got to the top of Crow’s Hill Soon Sam caught up to me both of us huffing and puffing We had escaped We had the shell Everything was perfect Wait I said Where’s Bug 7
