May 11, 2011

• Do You Want The Key? Final

     Okay folks.  My student has finished his story, so we don't want to leave you hanging although you may feel like that isn't a fair statement when you reach the end.  Here's the final installment of The Key To The Universe:  For the last two, you can click Here and Here then come back here and read on.
  
  

  Josh woke up to the smell of bacon. He yawned and got out of bed, walked slowly into the bathroom and took his morning shower. Josh lay down in the tub and let the water from the shower hit him. He was exhausted. He drifted in and out of wakefulness. He heard his mom call from the kitchen so he climbed out, dried off and got dressed, all the while turning the events of the past few days over in his mind.

  “Good morning Josh,” his mom said.

  “Morning,” Josh mumbled. She handed him a plate of food with a look of concern

  on her face.

  “Are you okay Josh?”

  “Not really Mom, but don't worry I just didn't sleep well. I have a lot on my mind.”

  “Like what?”

  “You know just kid stuff.”

  “Is someone bothering you at school. Is it that boy down the street?”

  “Don't worry about him, Mom.”

  They talked a bit longer about school stuff until he convinced her not to worry, and although he wanted to tell her everything, he knew she would freak out and that wouldn't help anything.

  Josh went off to school with his thoughts still spinning. He hardly paid attention in his classes, just enough to stay off the teacher's radar. As he stared off into space he made a small plan about getting over to the museum and figuring out what Pop was talking about in the note.

  Right after school he went to the museum and slipped in unnoticed. Pulling the map from his pocket he spread it out on the workbench where Pops had done many repairs. The map was very simple. It was a horseshoe arch shape with a key in the middle where the arch rounded. There was a line that looked like it might be the entry to the museum, at least that was what Josh was hoping. He couldn't see how the map worked as he stood at the entry. He moved to the the middle of the room and turned in circles. He turned the map around in his hand. Nothing in the room looked like that map and he was running out of time. He thought he had just a enough time to go see what the hardware store guy had to do with the key. As he entered the store, Josh saw the familiar check out lady that had greeted him the time before.

  “Is Mike here?” he asked.

  “ Mike who?”

  “You know, the guy that made my keys.”

  “No...you mean Harry maybe?”

  “Harry? No, I'm sure it was Mike. He had crazy black hair with a white stripe down the middle.”

  “Nope, I'm sorry I can't help you.” She turned away and started waiting on the customer that had come up to her register. Now Josh was more confused than ever.

  He was on his way back home and passed by the museum, so he decided to check it out once more. He stood there at the door taking in the room with his eyes. There were three train cars that were set at angles side by side across the room. The rainbow arch, horseshoe pattern that showed on the map wasn't visible at all. Josh was stumped so he went over to the work bench and sat down, frustrated.

  He threw the map off to the side, opened the drawer of the workbench and mindlessly pull out a random piece of paper. His eyes came to a sudden focus as he realized what he was looking at: it was an aerial photo of the museum that was taken just before the roof was put in place after bringing the trains into the museum. The trains had originally been placed in a horseshoe like pattern with one on each side and one in the middle of the room. Josh could feel his heart beating. Which train car held the answer to the key?

  Josh stood up slowly realizing that from here on out everything would be different. He felt scared and excited and sort of sick to his stomach as he approached the first train car. Josh opened the door. It was an 1876 Dream Classic steam engine. The car was an old fashion kind of train, but it was in mint condition. Everything was bolted down from the light fixtures to the shovel that was used for feeding the coal into engine.

  He looked through the whole thing but found no key slot. His lost watch beeped from the workbench and Josh jumped. He laughed out loud, collected the watch, and looking at the time: five o'clock, Josh knew he was in trouble.

  As Josh rounded to corner, he saw his mom out side his house. He was pretty sure she was taping her foot with impatience.

  “Joshua Little, where have you been! You were suppose to be home an hour ago!”

  “S s s s sorry Mom.”

  “Go to your room. You can eat dinner alone tonight and no dessert.”

  “But Mom...”

  “Not another word, Joshua Little!”

  Josh sigh.

  He went into his room, lay down on his bed and instantly feel into a deep sleep. He woke up and the clock it was illuminating the time in red. 12:00 midnight. Josh was hungry. He hopped out of bed and walked straight to the refrigerator. He opened the door and there was a plate that had a note on it, “ In case you get hungry.” The good thing about Mom was that she got over things quickly.

  Later that morning Josh woke again, got dressed quickly and quietly and slipped out the door before his mom woke up. He left a note telling her he'd be on time today and that he was sorry for worrying her. He had no intention of going to school. He was on his way back to the museum to find the slot for that key. He knew that if he spoke to his mom, he'd spill the whole story and he knew she'd think he was nuts and would try to stop him.

  He arrived at the museum and slipped in unnoticed. Josh ran to the second car and opened the door slowly. His heart was pounding out of his chest again. He was pacing the whole train car with key in hand when suddenly the key slid out of his hand and dropped through a crack. It almost felt like it was pulled out like a magnet. Josh jumped out of the car, crawled underneath and the key was sticking up like it was in a key slot. Taking a deep breath to help steady himself, Josh turned the key and the tile floor dropped down with a thud.

  Josh grabbed onto the ladder that appeared at the side and climbed down. As he neared the landing at the bottom, the room got brighter with no visible lighting to be seen.

  The light was getting more intense as he walk down a long hall. Finally he could see where the light source was coming from. It was...a door? Josh opened it slowly and the light was so bright that it cause him temporary blindness. Everything was a blur. He stood still as his eyes adjusted to the lighting once more. The blur became clearer and he heard a gravely cough.

  “Josh whipped around and there was Mike from the hardware store.

  “Hey kid. I was wondering when you'd figure it out.”

  “But...how...huh?...”

  “Me and your Pop were good friends. He sent me a letter before he died entrusting me to share what he'd been working on for many years under the museum. You see kid, he built this place from top to bottom. He wasn't just a railroader, he was a genius and a gentleman.”

  “Wait! You knew Pop?”

  “Catch up kid. Haven't you been listening to what I said? We've known each other for many years and we've share a very important secret that I will now be sharing with you. It was both your Pop's and my hope that you'll take over the work from now on. I'm not going to be around forever and you're a smart kid...”

  “Uh...wait a minute...what work?”

  “Everything you want to know will be answered on the other side.”

  “The other...side?” Josh was looking for an escape just in case Mike was crazy.

  “You probably think I'm crazy, eh kid? That's what you're thinking,right?'

  “Well...I just don't get it.”

  “That key you have holds the secret to the universe, kid. Are you ready for the biggest adventure you've ever imagined?”

  Josh gave him a worried look, but said nothing.

  “ Go ahead and run home to your folks. I'll disappear and this tunnel and door will be gone forever. You have to trust me on this one.” Mike pulled a paper from his pocket and handed it to Josh. “Your Pop wanted me to give this to you, kid.”

  Josh took the note and another deep breath and opened it up. It was definitely in Pop's writing.

  “Josh, if you got this far, you took my advice and found the opening that brought you to Mike. Listen to what he says Josh. He's a good man and if you're ever in a fix, he'll be the one to get you out of it. What lies before you is something you have to see to believe, so take the next step and let Mike lead the way.

  Mike smiled as Josh looked up at him. “Are you ready kid.?”

  For the next moment there was an eerie silence that filled the room. Josh could hear his heart pounding and the rasp of Mike's breathing. He smiled back at Mike.

  “Let's go!”

  Mike lead Josh to a key hole in the rock wall of the tunnel.

  “You know what to do, right kid?”

  Josh pulled the key from his pocket, slipped it in the keyhole and turned the lock. It snapped in reply and the light got even brighter. So bright that it encompassed them, then flashed even brighter, and the room was empty.

  Note to reader: So what happened to Josh and Mike? You can take it from here or wait until we return with another story. What do you think happened next? You decide.

  “FLASH!!”

  
  
  

  • 2:03 pm
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