Previously on Adventures on Awe Island, Marie JJ and Christian continued to disagree about whether the latest riddle was solvable.
Marie secretly feared that JJ and Christian were right.
There were too many unknowns.
However, she was not ready to quit and she decided she would go back to the library to talk to Sophos and borrow the original book that the map fell out of, hoping for additional clues.
Welcome to Adventures on Awe Island.
Chapter 3, X Marks the Spot, Part 2.
Marie woke up the next day still feeling determined.
Her plan was to go back to the library, speak to Sophos and ask him about the symbol she'd seen on the bag that held the buried treasure.
And as soon as the secret spot was returned, she would borrow it and look through it for additional clues about what to do next.
Marie also hoped she would make up with Christian and JJ at school.
Their fight over whether to give up on the mystery still stung, but deep down she knew she needed their help.
At lunchtime however, she was disappointed to find that neither JJ nor Christian met her at their usual spot.
Marie frowned at the sight of the empty table.
She supposed they were still mad at her for storming off yesterday.
Making up with her two best friends would have to wait.
Marie ate quickly, feeling awkward sitting at the lunch table by herself, before deciding to go to the school library for the remainder of the period.
Once there, she didn't feel much like doing homework, though.
In her mind, the latest riddle played on repeat.
Forward and back, we tried our best to use our skills and pass the test.
Friends to the end, without a doubt, we are out of time.
Can you help us out?
Find the symbol.
That's the key.
The secret club.
The chosen three.
Who wrote the riddle?
And what was the test they were trying to pass?
And if they were out of time 25 years ago, how could she help today?
It felt so impossible.
Marie again toyed with the idea of giving up.
Maybe JJ and Christian were right.
There was just no way to solve this mystery.
There were too many unknowns and too many dead ends.
But in her heart, Marie didn't want to quit.
Her curiosity was overwhelming.
Who were the teenagers in the picture?
Had they buried the treasure?
If so, they must have known it would not be found until sometime in the future.
So there had to be a way for someone in the future to help, right?
And why would they go to so much trouble doing all of that if it wasn't important?
In that moment Marie wanted to continue, and she tried to hold on to that feeling before her emotions flip-flopped again.
I can do hard things, she thought to herself.
It was her mantra that helped her feel reassured when she otherwise felt like giving up.
As the last bell rang, Marie gathered her things and messaged her dad to tell him where she was going.
Then she began the short walk from the school to the library.
Once she arrived, she went straight to the help desk, feeling certain Sophos would be there.
But he was not.
Darius was there.
Hi, Darius.
Marie greeted the librarian before noting you usually work on the weekend.
Hi, Marie.
Darius greeted her with a smile.
I'm filling in.
Last minute our new volunteer quit.
Marie's heart sank.
She instantly knew who he was talking about.
"'You mean Sophos?' she asked, a lump forming in her throat as she spoke.
This was terrible.
Sophos quit?
How would she find him again to ask him about the strange symbol?'
I think that's his name.
Older fellow.
I never had a chance to work with him, Darius stated before asking, what can I help you with today?
Marie sighed.
I was wondering if a book from the rare and out of print book section was returned yet.
It's called the secret spot, she said.
I don't think I've seen that come back yet, but let me look it up just in case Darius replied.
Turning to consult the computer terminal.
Somehow, Marie knew the answer would be no, and she was right.
Nope, not back yet, Darius said.
I can have the system message you when it is back, if you like, he noted.
Yes, please, Marie said gratefully.
That would make things easier.
She wouldn't have to keep stopping at the library to check, especially since there was no longer a chance of seeing Sophos here.
Marie stepped aside so the next patron could have their turn.
For a moment, she just stood there, the full realization hitting her like an icy snowball.
Sophos quit.
She would never see him at the library again.
Her eyes filled with tears as she hurried towards the exit.
She quickly wiped them away with the back of her sleeve.
She walked home covering the distance quickly.
Her dad was at the computer working on his latest research paper.
Hi, sweetheart, he greeted her when she plunked herself down on the couch nearby.
When he turned and saw her red eyes, his face softened.
What's wrong?
The book's still not back, he guessed, coming to join her on the couch.
Marie shook her head.
It must be a pretty special one, he said gently.
Marie didn't feel like explaining everything, so she shared the part of the problem that was easiest to explain.
It's not just the book.
JJ Christian and I aren't talking.
We disagree on something.
Her dad opened his arms, and without hesitation, she leaned into him.
After the hug, he looked her in the eye.
"'Do you think their reasons have merit?' he asked.
Marie hesitated, not because she didn't know the answer, but because she did."
Their reasons made sense, and they confirmed her fears too.
She nodded slowly.
So talk to them, or more importantly, listen to them, her dad said.
Listen to their reasons and show you understand their perspective.
Marie nodded again.
She realized now that she'd left the lunch table yesterday without giving her friends much of a chance to talk it through.
She hadn't truly listened to them.
She gave her dad another hug and said, Thanks, Dad.
I will.
Marie headed to her bedroom to get started on her homework.
Before she began, she took out the glass jar from her desk drawer and pulled out the now familiar linen bag.
She traced the carefully stitched symbol with her finger before opening the bag and dumping the contents onto her desk.
This time, her eyes went straight to the tiny metal dragon.
The second she saw it, a memory clicked into place.
There had been a small dragon stuffy in the lost and found at the library.
She'd seen it when she went looking for her favorite hoodie.
It looked so much like the one from the treasure.
It was as if someone had taken this figurine and turned it into a plush children's toy.
Marie slipped the metal dragon into her jeans pocket, grabbed her backpack and went to her dad who was still working at the computer.
Dad, I forgot something at the library.
Can I go back and get it now?
She asked.
Your mom gets home in an hour.
If you can be back by then, you can go now, he replied.
Thanks, Marie said.
She kicked on her shoes and headed out the door immediately, backpack in hand.
It was very helpful that she lived such a short distance from the library and she made it there in record time.
She marched straight up to the help desk.
Darius was still there.
"'Hi, Darius,' she said as she approached.
The librarian looked up from his work and smiled at her.
"'Back so soon?' he asked.
"'Yes.
I... I lost something, and I think it might be here.'
It's a small dragon stuffy, Marie stated, trying to sound confident.
She hated lying.
The dragon stuffy was not hers.
But all the same, she felt certain she needed it to solve the mystery.
Perhaps it had even been left here for her to find.
Let's see, Darius said, pulling out the lost and found bin from under the desk.
Sure enough, the dragon stuffy was still there.
That's it, Marie exclaimed a little too loudly for the quiet library.
She took the little metal dragon from her pocket and held it next to the stuffed one.
The resemblance was impossible to deny.
The tiny statue did indeed look like a more detailed miniature of the plush version.
See, Marie said to Darius, they go together.
She stated with false confidence, hoping that Darius would believe the stuffy was indeed hers.
Great, I'm glad it was still here, Darius replied.
Marie was too.
She tucked the stuffy into her backpack, slipped the metal dragon back into her pocket and headed for the exit.
She had to get home.
Once safely home and upstairs in her bedroom, Marie placed both dragons on her desk to examine them further.
The stuffy was small enough to fit into the palm of her hand, made from soft, moss green fabric that felt warm to the touch.
Perfectly detailed stitches ran across its surface, matching the delicate etchings on the metal dragon.
Despite the precision, the stitching held a handcrafted quality nonetheless.
The dragon's wings were visible, but tucked neatly away.
It sat upright on Marie's desk, bright glass eyes looking piercingly right at her.
It felt like the dragon wanted to tell her something.
But what?
Marie turned the dragon over, looking at its underside.
And there it was, clear as day, embroidered in the same shade of moss green as the fabric.
The logo.
The logo.
The logo that Sophos had on his handkerchief and his ring.
The logo that had been sewn onto the linen bag that held the buried treasure items.
That logo was on this dragon, too.
And it looked like the same careful hand that had stitched it into the linen bag had stitched it onto this dragon too.
Marie's heart skipped a beat.
Then began thudding in her chest loudly.
She suddenly felt hot.
How was this possible?
That linen bag had been buried 25 years ago.
This dragon stuffy couldn't have been in the lost and found for that long.
Could it?
She picked up the tiny metal dragon figurine and turned it over and gasped.
It was tiny and easy to miss, but sure enough, etched in the bottom of the figurine was the same symbol.
Marie paced around her bedroom.
She had to think, but her mind was racing so fast she couldn't concentrate.
Finally, she stopped in her tracks.
She needed help.
She couldn't do this alone.
She didn't want to do this alone.
Marie picked up her cell phone.
It was time to make things right with JJ and Christian.
Quickly, she texted their group chat.
I'm sorry for not listening.
Can we talk?
I found something.
Marie gripped her phone tightly, staring at the screen, hoping for a reply.
She didn't have to wait long.
JJ was first to respond.
I'm sorry, too.
Let's talk.
I have something, too.
A moment later, Christian replied with a single word.
Yes.
Marie was about to respond when she heard her dad's voice from downstairs.
Marie, mom's home and dinner's ready.
Coming, she called back before messaging her friends that she had to go eat.
As she sat at the dinner table with her parents, they all shared their day with each other.
You seem to be in better spirits, Mr. Duguay noted, glancing at Marie.
I took your advice, Marie replied.
I texted JJ and Christian.
I told them I wanted to listen.
So we've made up, she said.
Her dad smiled, clearly relieved and proud.
Marie ate as quickly as possible and darted back into her bedroom, eager to talk to her friends further.
What did you find?
She messaged on the group chat, hoping JJ would choose her reply carefully so as not to raise suspicion if any parents were monitoring their conversation.
The reply was just four words.
I have the book, was JJ's answer.
What?
Marie thought incredulously.
JJ had the secret spot?
She had been the one who had borrowed it from the library before Marie had gotten there?
Marie felt a twinge of frustration, but remembered her dad's advice to listen first.
She knew the book wasn't hers.
Anyone could borrow it.
Another message from JJ popped up on the screen.
There's another riddle.
Marie began to pace her room again.
Another riddle?
They hadn't solved the last one yet.
There was so much she longed to ask, but texting wasn't the fastest or most secure way to do it.
Marie wanted to keep chatting and find out the new riddle now, but she knew her parents could check her texts and she did not want to have to explain what they were up to.
Best instead to wait to speak in person.
Wow, talk more tomorrow, she messaged back.
Yes, came the reply.
Marie felt like she was going to pop like a balloon.
She was so curious about the new riddle.
And she couldn't wait to share the news about the dragons with her best friends.
Losing Sophos had left her feeling like she was investigating all alone.
But not anymore.
The next clue was out there.
And with JJ and Christian back on the case, Marie was ready to find it.
Marie's head is spinning.
Sophos is gone.
JJ has the book.
And it has another riddle to solve, when they haven't even figured out the previous one.
And now she has another clue in the dinosaur stuffy.
She needs JJ and Christian's input to figure out what to do next.
Will they help?
Find out when the adventure continues in our next episode of Adventures on Awe Island.
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