The Clear Creek Mysteries - Rocky Rises

Chapter 9: The Library

"I think that we should stop looking for people and start looking for these sticky-notes instead," exclaimed Alex. "Since we aren't having luck with finding anyone, I mean." he added.

"He's right," Brooke agreed. We've been looking for a long time. Why don't we at least do something helpful."

"They do have a point," Maddie tried to say, but was interrupted by Max.

"Yes! Yes! Please can we do that instead? Please?" He asked Lincoln clinging to his shirt sleeve.

"Okay, Okay," Lincoln half yelled. "Just get off!" He laughed, shoving Max down. Karen helped Max up, giggling uncontrollably.

Lincoln brushed himself off, and said, "Maybe we should look at the gym more. And the lunchroom. We haven't paid much attention to those places."

"I was also thinking about checking the attic," Karen said. "We never thought of up there, and nobody ever goes there, anyway. We might be able to find a key in the custodians office, if we don't find anything in the gym." "Great idea, Karen!" Brooke said.

"It is," Alex agreed. "And you're right. Nobody goes there, so there's ought to be a clue somewhere up there."

"Exactly." Max said, slowly turning red at the ears.

They started off toward the gym. They were almost there when the lights flickered, and shut off.

"Flashlights," Karen said. "Who has the flashlights?"

"I do." Lincoln replied, quickly handing the three of them to Max, Maddie, and Alex. They quickly made their rest of their way to the gym. As soon as they got there, everyone was totally freaked out.

"Alright guys," Max said, looking at everyone. "Start investigating." Karen soon saw something like a message or clue on the floor. She knew she saw words and letters, though.

"Guys," she called. "You might want to check this out." As everyone gathered around, Maddie shone her flashlight on it.

"It's a message!" Alex exclaimed. He pushed to the front of the group so he could read it. "'Look for what shines. Look for what gives you a show. A presentation.' What does that mean?"

"I think it's a clue leading us to the next sticky-note!" exclaimed Maddie.

"Yeah, but where would 'A show or a presentation' be?" Max asked.

"Maybe it's a riddle," Maddie replied. "It's got to be somewhere within the school."

"A presentation..." Lincoln muttered.

"A show." Karen said.

"A presentation..." Lincoln repeated. He gasped. "The library! The screen! Everytime we go there for a presentation, they almost always use the screen! And," he continued. "There is also one in the kiva, so we have two chances."

"Brilliant!" Maddie exclaimed.

"Let's look here first, then go over there," Max suggested. "Then, we can go and find a key to the upstairs." All six of them agreed, and quickly started off to the library.

"Um, guys?" Lincoln said before the others could get out the doors.

"Yeah?" most of them responded.

"I found something, but I can't really see it without a flashlight," Maddie quickly came over to him. "A STICKY NOTE!" Lincoln was very excited.

"It says 'A'." Maddie told them.

"Yup." Lincoln said.

"Well, lets still go to the library, just in case there is any more sticky-notes there." Max said, turning to walk to the kiva.

As soon as they got there, they started looking for the key to unlock the screen, and lower it down.

"I found it!" Alex said from the place where the librarian, Mrs. Kent had the children check out books. He ran over to the keyhole in the wall, and jammed it in. Lincoln pushed him over and turned the key, and the screen began to slowly come down lower. He turned the key again, and it stopped. They were expecting a slide, or a clue or something, but found nothing.

"We shouldn't forget about the kiva." Karen said, pointing over across the room. She, Maddie, and Max ran over to the kiva, while the others stayed and kept looking for clues. A few minutes later, Alex, Brooke, and Lincoln heard Karen holler.

"I found something! Another sticky-note! Come quick!" They all ran to the kiva, to find Max reading the paper aloud.

"It has a 'B' on it." He flipped it over, not expecting anything, and found something interesting. "And on the back it says ROCK!"

"Turn on the projector," said Maddie, pointing to the button to turn it on. "The sticky note was on it, so maybe there will be a clue."

"Okay." said Karen, who took the flashlight that was in Maddie's hand, and began searching for the key. When she found it, she put it in the keyhole, and turned it. It slowly began to lower. Max found the remote to turn on the projector, and pushed the power button.

"Oh," Alex exclaimed, pointing to the other room. "That's why there wasn't anything in the screen out there!" All the boys ran to find the remote for the other projector.

"I found it!" Lincoln yelled, holding it up. All of a sudden, Alex and Max jumped on him, and started fighting for the remote.

The girls laughed for a few moments, then turned back to the projector. They stayed in the kiva, wondering what would be happening on the screen.

The screen flickered, and then a picture of all the sticky notes they had found showed up. They were all facing the back where they hadn't looked. It made circles and centered on the word ROCK. There was one sticky-note missing. They had found all of FABULOUS except for the 'U' in the middle.

"It's centered on the middle U," Maddie gasped. "So, we only have one more to find!"

Her breathing had stopped for a minute, and when it had come back, she was breathing very deeply. Everyone else gasped in happiness.

"Yes!" Alex shouted.

"Shush!" Karen whispered desperately.

"Sorry." Alex said, shyly.

"Well," Karen said, but Max interrupted her.

"WAIT!"

"What?" Karen and the others asked desperately. "We still need to check up in the attic place!"

"Oh right!" everyone else said together. They all rushed to the custodian's office for the keys as fast as their legs could take them.