The Golden Curse

by Brooke J. Coutts-Wood

Lucy was a little girl. She had long blonde hair and green eyes. Her face was beautiful and cream with blushing, soft, rosy cheeks. Her parents were rich. Her mum always went clothes shopping and her dad always gambled.

Lucy liked to sit in the sand next to the gold fountain, in her garden, in her dress.

She leapt up and went to touch the water springing from the golden lips of a statue lady. As her bare feet slipped through the sand something spiked her feet. She sat down and checked her feet. She slid through the sand to see what she had stepped on. Her hand sank in the tiny rocks. It went deeper and deeper. It wouldn't stop. Down it went until she was lying on the sand with her whole arm, up to her shoulder, buried.

Lucy's hand wriggled through a small hole. Inside the hole was a box. She twisted her fingers around it and pulled the box out like a chicken pulling a worm.

This small box wasn't what she stepped on at all. It was round like a chest and was buried too deep. Lucy tried to open the box but it was locked with an old fashioned keyhole.

Lucy searched some more but she found nothing. The moment she gave up a bright shine of gold blinded her. It came from the spot where she had hurt her foot. The shine came from a pure gold key with a matching pyramid attached to it.

What's this Lucy wondered. She ran inside to fetch her dad's magnifying glass. She took her mum's gold earrings and sat them next to the key. As she set the magnifying glass up to the key and the earrings, she heard the door open. Quickly she grabbed the box, earrings and key, headed for the basement and shut the door behind her.

In the basement Lucy carried on with magnifying. Yes she cheered. It's real gold. Lucy ! Lucy ! It was her dad. Lucy raced out of the basement, down the hall and into her room.

Carefully, she placed the box and key into her draw. She decided not to tell her parents in case they took it off her to sell. I'm in here she replied. Walking out of her room she reminded herself that Ruth, Lucy's best friend was coming over. "What is it Dad" Lucy asked when she had reached the end of the wide dark hallway. "Your friend Ruth is here to see you" he answered plainly. "Ruth!" Lucy questioned running to the door. "Oh yeh, how could I forget when I was thinking about it a minute ago," Lucy thought to herself. Excited, Lucy showed Ruth to her room. Lucy opened her wooden draw and pulled the box and key out carefully and placed them in Ruth's hand. "What's in the box?" Ruth asked. "I don't know," Lucy returned. "Unlock it," Ruth commented. So Lucy grabbed the gold key and unlocked the box. Inside was an old crumpled piece of paper with pictures printed on it in gold ink.

It is Egyptian writing. "We must show it to Mama" Ruth cried. Lucy nodded knowing it was some kind of curse.

At Ruth's house the two children hurried into the kitchen handing Ruth's Mum the box, key and piece of paper. Ruth's family was Egyptian. Their house was made out of limestone and had the funniest smell that was indescribable. The house had pictures made out of gold, statues of half women, half lion and their backyard was all sand with a little oasis in the corner. Ruth's Mum studied the piece of paper when suddenly she blurted out "Oh, Lord". "What is it Mama" Ruth asked with concern. "We are moving. Now ! You are to stay away from that girl ! We will fly to California tomorrow morning" she threatened, leaving Ruth with a puzzled face.

Lucy had been woken up by the sun shining through the window. She looked outside, but the morning fog had blocked her view of Ruth's house. Quickly she ran down the stairs and opened the door. As she walked down the path she was greeted by the noise of trucks. Packing trucks !

Through the mist Lucy could make out a figure. The figure was Ruth. She crept up behind a bush. "Psst" Lucy hissed, trying to get Ruth's attention. "What's happening" Lucy whispered. "My Mamma wasn't joking. We're moving to California" Ruth answered looking quite worried. "Ruth catch" Lucy warned as she tossed a silver chain necklace with a flat silver leaf pendant hanging off the end, into Ruth's hand. On the back of the leaf was a poem saying From now until forever more, I was always a friend of yours.

Ruth read the leaf and looked at Lucy in shock. "This is your special pendant" Ruth whispered. Lucy replied with a nod. "I want you to have it", Lucy added. Ruth hooked it safely around her neck. "I will keep it safe forever", Ruth promised. A tear fell out of Ruth's eye and caused Lucy to react in the same way. "I will miss you", Lucy convince Ruth. "Me too, Lucy" "Who are you talking to Ruth" asked Ruth's Mum. "No-one", Ruth replied running to the car. "Bye", she mouthed to Lucy while leaning into the car.

The trucks drove off with the car. "Bye", Lucy sighed answering to no one.

Ruth was gone and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Lucy looked at her feet walking home. She felt like catching the first plane to California and beat Ruth there. Then everything would be all right. But it's not that easy. First she'd have to pay over 500 dollars, then getting on without an adult and finding a plane that left sooner than Ruth's. Sure the airport was only a couple of streets away, but you can't go through all that hassle and money.

So Lucy walked on watching, as the spring beetles ran across the paving to another patch of grass. "I wish I had never found this stupid key ! ! ! !" Lucy yelled, locking the box and throwing the key, which landed in the mist with a clunk.

Gloomily Lucy walked through the door forgetting what time it was. "Where have you been" her Dad said spotting Lucy by the door. Lucy had to think of a good excuse. "I was looking for dropped money". That was close. "What? In this foggy weather" her Dad chuckled. "Um, yeah".' You should have asked. Here you go, now run along.' Lucy was running into her room clutching the twenty-dollar note her dad had shoved into her hand. Entering the door the most peculiar thing happened.

In the chimney here lay the golden key. "Oh no !" Lucy gasped. "It is cursed and I've got to get rid of it". Lucy had the perfect idea. The lady who lived in the next house that separated Ruth's and Lucy's was a flight assistant. So Lucy got her breakfast and made a plan.

Fist she took out the pocket book of cookies her nana gave to her. Down the page she found choc-chip cookies. She knew Marian, the lady next door loved choc-chip cookies, so off to work she went. Mixing and baking and testing until she had a plate of 10 warm cookies.

She grabbed the key and the plate of cookies and carried them carefully over the footpath. Lucy rang the doorbell twice and a young blonde haired woman opened the door. She welcomed Lucy in with a smile. "What do you want" she asked with a kind voice. "I brought you some cookies", Lucy replied. "Thank you " Marion said. "Lucy can you please get my bag for me" Lucy walked over to the black bag sitting next to the dresser. This was her chance. She dropped the key in the bag and handed the leather handle to Marion. With a smile Lucy said goodbye to Marion and skipped home. It was done, the key was gone and there were no more curses.

When Lucy got home she realized that getting rid of the key didn't and wasn't going to bring Ruth back.

That night Lucy took her time to think. She wasn't going to let herself be kept from seeing Ruth so she made a dangerous decision. Lucy was going to run away.

She got a big bag with wheels, packed clothes, food and a stolen map. Lucy got plenty of fruit, bread, spreads, water, biscuits and a whole bundle of matches, wood and she stole 700 dollars, a credit card with it's pin number from her Dad's wallet, plus her own 20 dollars.

Lucy crept down the street with the humungous, bulky bag on wheels and set off for a train station. She sat and thought for a while. The airport was closer than the train and much faster, but she'd have to sneak on. So Lucy made her decision and turned in the other direction, getting closer to the sound of planes.

She did it; Lucy had entered the door of the heated station "Oh, no", she cried. On the black board there was a sigh saying "California: 10.15". On Lucy's watch it said 10.10. Quickly she raced up the lift and slowed her pace. She crept behind a sign and made another plan. She walked up to the tunnel leading to the planes and cried. "What's the matter darling?" said a lady with red hair. Lucy relied sulking "My mummy and daddy are on the plane and forgot to take me. "Well hurry, run on, the plane's about to leave" said the lady. So with a hidden smirk, Lucy ran on to the plane, found a seat and sat happily. Lucy wheeled her bag under her chair and watched the movies on the big screen. Lucy fell asleep for the whole trip. She grabbed her bag and walked into the airport. She got out a burger and started eating it on the way to the taxi parking, grabbing her 20 dollars out of her purse. A taxi driver approached and beckoned Lucy in. "Where to young madam?" asked the taxi driver. "A cheap Motel in the city, please", answered Lucy. She stepped in to the car and waited until the taxi arrived at a street full of different motels. Lucy said cheap but she couldn't resist going for the best building.

Inside was beautiful. Lucy didn't know how she would get a key. So being sneaky again she grabbed a key hanging from the rack behind the counter and rose up the lift. She approached number 123; the same number on her key and unlocked it. She entered the room pulling her bag behind her. The room was beautiful and pink with gold statues. There was a waterbed and everything.

Lucy got changed and went downstairs to a restaurant. She ate as much as she could. She had 3 eggs, three pieces of toast and a plate of bacon. After breakfast Lucy forgot about Ruth and went to the heated spas. There was a boy in the spa who was floating towards Lucy Without warning he crashed into the edge. "Owe !" he said. "Hey kid, where are your parents?" yelled a security guard. The boy shot out of the pool and ran to the hall of rooms. Lucy realized the children were meant to be supervised by an adult. Could he be a runaway too? Lucy ran after him. She found him hiding behind a door. "Don't tell. Please?" he begged. "Are you a runaway?" Lucy asked. "Yes" he hissed. "But please don't tell". "I'm a runaway too ! Of course I wouldn't tell," she said. "What's your name?" "Jack". "Why did you run away?" "My parents were going to send me to an orphanage". You?" "Looking for a friend, but I'm ages away from that. I should just give up".

"You can't turn back ! It's too hard". "I suppose" "What's your name?" "Lucy". "Nice to meet you". He put his hand out and Lucy shook it. "Where will you go?" Lucy asked. "I don't know, I have no money. I snuck in here !" "I know !" Lucy said. "You can help me. I've got money. My parents are rich and I stole credit cards and passwords !" "Great" replied Jack. "Where do you want to go?" "Well we should go somewhere amazing". "Egypt ! !" "Perfect" "We can get jobs and discover tombs full of gold".

Growing up, Lucy and Jack traveled together and helped in as many ways as possible. They went through adventures. Jack could be annoying but they made it to Egypt and studied to become archeologists. Jack's hair got darker. Lucy had a child at the age of 19 bur she still discovered al lot of things. She named her child Pete. When Pete was three something happened.

Pete was walking (or stumbling) when her foot got caught in a rock. She started crying when jack came to the rescue. Slowly and carefully he lifted the rock, but under the rock there wasn't any sand, but instead there was a hole in the roof of a tomb. "Lucy, Lucy, look, a tomb ! !" Jack yelled. Lucy came running. She gasped as she looked at the tomb. The tomb was made out of limestone with beautiful gold engraving and solid stone coffins. "You beauty !" Lucy whispered. "Jack get the crew, I'll get someone who's Egyptian !" Lucy ran off leaving Pete with Jack.

She ran through the streets and got hold of a lady with long dark hair with an accent like Lucy's. The crew was already digging and breaking the limestone until it was ready to be discovered.

The next day Lucy and Jack woke up bright and early, got their equipment and set off down the tomb. They went further and further until the guide stopped. "Oh no !" she said, this is the end of the tomb. Lucy was so tired she leant onto the limestone. With a crack the walls suddenly opened ! Behind the giant cave was "GOLD, GOLD, and MORE GOLD"

It was everywhere. On the walls, in chests. There was gold earrings, statues, necklaces, coins and head dresses. "Jackpot !" Lucy and Jack screamed. But before they could say anymore the ground was shaking and everyone was caved in ! The worst part was they could hear a child. They moved towards the cries and found Pete. "Oh no !' Lucy cried. But that wasn't the worst part.

Mummies from every direction were surrounding them. Screams form every direction filled the cave. "Oh no !" said the guide. "This is the cursed cave". All I know is this tomb is cursed and my friend left me this !" She was holding out a pendant in the shape of a leaf. "Ruth?' asked Lucy. "Yes. Why?" "I'm Lucy". Ruth gasped and hugged Lucy.

Before they could chat Ruth said, "This curse is about the gold. The mummies protect it, so to get out we have to swear that we'll keep the tomb a secret". Lucy understood and before she knew it magic had landed her on the soft sand. Lucy couldn't remember a thing. She spotted Ruth and walked over to her.

Together they walked through the streets telling of their adventures.

Everyone lived happily ever after.

THE END

© Copyright LISWA.