The Riddle

Chapter 7

"Pirates would map this out," Robert said like a know-it-all, standing in the corner of his bedroom.

"But we aren't pirates," Joseph replied. "Let's just do this."

"What if that doesn't work? What if we die?" Robert asked defensively.

Joseph let out a deep sigh and turned back to Robert. He held a large piece of paper in his hands. Joseph then took a box of crayons shoved in his backpack that contained a large coat, that laid on his bed. Robert started drawing after Joseph handed him the crayon box. He drew "x's" all over it as if they were searching for a million treasure chests.

"Ok," Robert said like he was the smart one, pointing at the partially-mapped piece of paper. "We go here, and then jump at it with our guns, and start firing those bullets. I'll distract it, and you'll pull my rope out of my backpack, and tie it up."

Joseph snickered evilly.

"Let's go," Robert said with a grin.

Joseph opened Robert's closet where all of the armor was stored. Robert came up to the closet, grabbed the gear out, and Joseph snuck out to check the halls.

"Coast is clear," Joseph whispered, coming back in the room, giving Robert a "come here" gesture.

They tiptoed out the front door. Robert's mom was getting ready for her evening work shift, so the boys had to be careful to sneak past her.

Joseph opened the riddle as soon as they got outside and hid by the fence to Robert's backyard.

"Okay," he said. "we just follow the pebbles? But where are they—"

"Hmm..," Robert said as they appeared in front of Joseph one by one at rapid speeds. "Maybe they're right in front of you!"

Joseph looked down from the book. Sure enough, there were a trail of tiny, green, rocks leading the way. They walked to the sidewalk, and followed them all the way to Hickory Park.

When they got there, they both noticed an even longer trail of pebbles into a large pavilion with stone walls.

"Do you think that's the place?" Robert said excitedly.

"Oh, yeah," Joseph responded. "It has to be."

They followed the rest of the pebbles to the pavilion to notice the entrance gate was locked. Without second thoughts, Joseph took his gun and shot it open.

Robert laughed, and Joseph smirked from the loud unfamiliar "boom" sound the semi-automatic machine gun made. Although Joseph's father taught him how to shoot a gun, he had never done it himself.

They walked into a pitch-black room. The place seemed to scream for a huge zombie-mutant.

The place was bigger than they thought, with a narrow hall, and many different turns.

They finally awaited at a drawbridge inside the pavilion. Once again, the door was locked.

"That's it," Joseph says angrily.

"Woah, you're in a mood today," Robert said as Joseph shot the door.

BANG! the drawbridge fell.

Nervous, the two creeped in slowly. They heard the slight growls of the monster.

"Sounds like it's purring," Robert whispered.

As soon as the words came out of Robert's mouth, he instantly regretted it. The giant, Statue of Liberty-green monster popped out of a pair of old, wooden double-doors on the side of the arena-like structure. It freaked the living daylights out of both of them.

The only thought Robert contained was the girl as the mutant tried to tackle Joseph.

"Time to save a life," a voice whispered in his head.