Quetzalcoatl: Chapter Ten

LOUIE: What's in the bag?

DAVY: Garrett stuffed the leather pouch in his pocket and continued to climb

TOBY: What did you find, Garrett? Gold doubloons?

DAVY: Garrett's face went white. How did they know? he thought. They didn't. It was a guess. But Garrett's face told them they had guessed right.

TOBY: We heard about the armor and the sword. Where'd you find it?

DAVY: As Garrett climbed the rocks, he pretended to struggle so he had time to put rocks into his pockets. Garrett climbed a couple more boulders to the crest of the highest rock. There on the sand in front of him were all the boys that had humiliated him in front of the whole school, as well as a few new ones.

LOUIE: What's in yer pocket, Garrett?

DAVY: When Garrett got within a short distance of the group, he stopped.

TODD SMITH: We found your crutch over there on the beach. Tell'ya what, we'll trade you the crutch for what's in your pocket.

GARRETT: I don't want any trouble. I just want to be left alone and go home.

TODD SMITH: We don't want any trouble, either.

TODD SMITH: So just give us the gold, and there won't be any problem.

DAVY: The boys all laughed at Garrett as he was forced to keep hopping. The boys smiles left as they all began to surround Garrett.

TOBY: I said give us what's in yer pouch, kangaroo boy.

DAVY: Fred moved closer. 

GARRETT: Ok.

DAVY: Garrett pulled a handful of rocks from his pocket and let one fly.

FRED MUNROE: Owwww!

DAVY: Fred was so close and so surprised that Garrett would do anything that violent, that the rock struck him square in the forehead, and he fell backward like a buoy struck by a cannon. Garrett hit three more boys with rocks in quick succession and grabbed his crutch. The others scattered and Garrett started to run for home. The boys found their own rocks and began returning fire. Several missed, but finally one of the boys hit Garrett squarely in the middle of the back and knocked him to the sand. Garrett tried his best to ignore the pain and get to his feet. He turned to throw another rock, but the boys were on top of him. In moments, they had him pinned to the ground. Todd reached into Garrett's pocket and pulled out the pouch. Garrett grabbed it and clung to it with every bit of strength he possessed. The pouch ripped open, scattering the gold on the sand.

DAVY: Garrett snatched the doubloons and the pouch almost the instant they hit the sand, but not before the boys had seen them.

LOUIE: Pirate's gold!

TODD SMITH: Doubloons!

DAVY: Toby pulled Todd off Garrett.

TOBY: Get out of my way! Let me take care of him! I'll get the gold!

DAVY: Toby doubled up his fat fist and raised it up near his shoulder. He was ready to deliver the knockout punch of his life when suddenly the ground fairly shook by the force of the sound.

QUETZALCOATL: "Screeeechhh!"

DAVY: Toby turned to see Quetzalcoatl's enormous bloody face only inches from his.

TOBY: Aaaa!

DAVY: Toby rolled off Garrett and sprinted to his friends who had all run to the safety of the rocky slope. The boys were stunned by what they saw. Quetzalcoatl lay stretched out before them in terrible majesty, blood still oozing from his open wounds. Garrett put the gold back into the torn pouch and stuffed it back into his pocket.

LOUIE: Give us the gold, and we'll let your lizard go.

DAVY: Garrett's blood boiled at the very mention of harming his gentle friend. Garrett reached into his pocket, but before he could even grasp another rock, he was struck squarely in the chest by a baseball size stone. Garrett tumbled over backwards as if he had been hit by a meteor. In the blink of an eye, Quetzalcoatl pounced forward like a gigantic jungle cat placing himself between them and Garrett. It was obvious from Quetzalcoatl's spring that he was capable of completely overwhelming all of them on a whim. Several boys saw that they were hopelessly outmatched and wisely fled.

LOUIE: I'll get my dad and the others, and we'll kill that thing!

DAVY: Toby and those that stayed all moved back to where they were sure they were a safe distance from the creature.

TOBY: Now, give us the gold!

DAVY: Garrett was struggling for breath. Louie hurled a fist-sized rock that struck Quetzalcoatl squarely in an open wound. His whole body flinched and trembled. It was in that moment the boys knew that they had the upper hand. They could stand back and kill the creature from a safe distance and then take the gold. The boys began to hurl their rocks. With the impact of each stone Quetzalcoatl's great body quivered and shook. Fresh blood began to trickle down his beautiful green feathers. With each stone, the boys' confidence grew. They knew they could kill this great animal, and the feeling of power drove them to a frenzy. Quetzalcoatl's long body and tail curled tightly around Garrett's limp body. Like warm, healing wave, Garrett felt new life and strength sweep through his body from head to toe.

DAVY: Garrett's face went from a pale ashen gray to reddish pink. The pain in his back, chest and head were gone. Quetzalcoatl spoke to Garrett's heart. Run! Garrett's eyes flew open. He looked at Quetzalcoatl, and then for the first time in his life, Garrett wiggled the ankle and toes of his crippled leg. It was what he had wanted his entire life, the experience he thought he would never have. He could feel strength, power and feeling in both of his feet. Both his legs were long, straight and powerful. He was whole! Garrett spoke to Quetzalcoatl. You run, too. Once you're in the water, they cannot hurt you. Quetzalcoatl spoke to Garrett's heart. Run. Run to the ocean. Garrett looked puzzled. He could see Quetzalcoatl was making no attempt to move. Garrett looked down and saw Quetzalcoatl's leg was now crippled and disfigured exactly as his had been. In that instant Garrett's joy turned to absolute anguish that pierced his soul like a white-hot barb.

To listen and read along with the rest of this month's episode of QUETZALCOATL, go to www.talesofdavyjones.com or www.kidsvillenews.com. A Teacher's Guide to accompany this 12- chapter story is available at www.KidsvilleNews.com. An audio version CD set and workbook are also available online. Copyright 2011 by Carl F. Gundestrup. All rights reserved. Now Available: Get the “Digital Download” audio adventure for $1.99 for Kidsville News kids, teachers and parents at www.talesofdavyjones.com. Use the code word DAVY JONES.