June March stood on the edge of the chasm, her lips drawn into a tight line as Sarah jumped across. She had agreed to go last again, Sarah needing plenty of convincing to get across. June considered this jump one of the least scary things she had done in days, the nerves biting at her terribly as she prepared for the leap. John B positioned himself to catch her, his hands outstretched as she gave him a nod.
"And you'll catch me?"
"Of course. I got you." John B said, the jump getting scarier by the second now that she was faced with having to actually do it. She sucked in a deep breath and jumped, John B catching her just like he said he would, Sarah letting out a relieved breath at the fact they had all made it. She was holding the flare, the Cameron girl turning around and looking into the new part of the cave that they hadn't seen yet.
"Great...more climbing." June said as they started into another cavern, her arm aching as she pushed out of John Bs grip. They started climbing, June backing the group once again, the girl finding it quite comfortable to be at the rear, knowing if danger was ahead, she could be the first to run out. John B pulled himself into another area with a groan, Sarah quick to try and scout it out.
"See anything?"
"Yeah. It looks like another chamber up ahead. Let's check it out." John B said, reaching out for Sarah to help pull her up.
"Okay."
"Let's go. I got you. I got you." They all walked carefully into the cavern and John B held the flare up, all of them trying to see what they were surrounded by. They got to the edge and they all stood, June standing to the left of John B and Sarah on his right, all of them straining to see what was ahead of them. "What's down there? I can't see anything."
"Only one way to find out right?" Sarah said, John B holding the flare up and then throwing it. June watched as it landed, thinking they had lost another flare until it illuminated the cavern, and her eyes widened.
It took a moment to process what they were looking at, her heart stopping in her chest as a small gasp escaped her lips. Even though she knew they were in here to find the gold, part of her had never expected them to find it. And now as she looked out at the giant pillar of it, something inside of her felt complete. They had found El Dorado.
John B started to laugh and the two girls let out wondrous chuckles to join him, June shaking her head in disbelief as she crouched down, amazed by what they had found.
"We...we did it. We found it. Look at that, Dad." John B said, June letting out another breath of disbelief as she stared at the gold. She couldn't look away, Sarah being the next to speak as June continued to come up speechless.
"I can't..." Sarah laughed out in disbelief herself, none of them being able to look away.
"It's El Dorado." John B said as June stood back up, Sarah speaking again.
"I can't believe..."John B looked over at his girlfriend with wide eyes, pushing into her side and wrapping his arms around her.
"Sarah. Hey, come here." He hugged her, his eyes looking over her shoulder as she stared right at it. June finally was able to comprehend this, running a hand over her mouth and then letting out a laugh.
"Holy shit...we really did it." She said in a low tone, finding it incredibly amusing that they managed to defy all the odds. She felt her heartbeat start again and she looked at the two of them, knowing this meant so much to them both. June put her hands on her hips, wishing they were all there to see this. This was possibly the most amazing thing she had ever seen, knowing that they had uncovered a historical treasure, knowing they had completed a 500 year conquest and found one of the biggest myths on the planet. El Dorado. They had done it. They had done it.
"After everything we've been through. It actually exists." Sarah said between sniffles and laughs, June smiling up at them as she felt like she could cry. After everything they had been through, they had finally won. It was healing to know they didn't fail at everything, amazing to feel not like a failure for once. "I told you."
"You were right. You were right." John B said, both of them looking back out at the gold as he held her face in his hand. They looked around and John B was quick to point, his eyes wide as he spoke again. "You see all that on the ground? That's loose gold guys."
"Oh my god it's everywhere."
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" John B asked, looking to June now as the girl had her eyes glued to the loose gold he was talking about.
"I'm thinking about a lot of things so yeah probably." June said, John B nodding his head at her as Sarah confirmed she was also thinking the same thing, the three of them starting towards where they could get down and to that gold. June was first this time, the girl being the one to drop and then help the other two.
"Oh my god it's everywhere." John B said, June reaching down as she looked at the gold on the ground. She pulled a big chunk out, her heart pounding as she rubbed some of the dirt off of it and looked at it. She was amazed by what she was seeing, the girl turning and looking at the other two with wide eyes.
"I can't believe this is happening." She said, seeing that the other two were holding their own pieces. They all shared a looked and then chuckles of amazement, John B speaking next.
"Hey, to going Full Kook?"
"Full Kook."
"Full Kook." They all agreed, June feeling her chest tighten as she realized once again they had done it. This was reality and they had actually done it.
"To going Full Kook!" John B shouted, the girls laughing as they put their gold in his bag. They put as much as they could before the light started to dim, June feeling a momentary panic as it went dark.
"It's okay, hey. Last flare. We've got 20 minutes to get back. Twenty minutes. Alright? We'll come back for the rest. Ready?"
"Let's go." June said, already starting towards where they had come from. They climbed up and she took one final glance before John B ushered them out, the light disappearing from the cavern and El Dorado quickly being overtaken by the darkness. June was ahead of the others still, the girl jumping over the chasm with more confidence this time, John B and Sarah having to throw the bag together considering how heavy it was. They made it over and the three of them were almost completely silent as they got through the cavern, the only sound being loud breaths, grunting, and the sizzling of the flare. There was no time to talk. June hesitated at the edge of the water, a panic riddling her body as she's looked at it. However she knew she couldn't stay hers, so she waded into the water and then dove first, John B lighting the way from right behind her. She focused on anything but the water, the two of them passing her and coming out of the water first. When June resurfaced she sucked in a loud breath for air, a haunting voice greeting her immediately.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy there young Routledge, easy. Go for a little swim now did you? Step out of the water and put your hands up, all of you. Now! Put your hands up."
