previously on Adventures on Awe Island.
Marie, JJ and Christian finally found the buried treasure, and it contained a linen bag holding an old photo of some teenagers, a metal dragon figurine and another riddle asking for help.
Frustrated, JJ and Christian decided to quit, leaving Marie on her own to figure out what to do next.
Later, to her surprise, as she put away the items, Marie discovered that the strange symbol that had been on Sophos' handkerchief and ring was also stitched into the linen bag that the treasure was in.
In that moment, Marie realized that the mystery was deeper than they'd ever imagined possible.
Welcome to Adventures on Awe Island.
Chapter 3.
X Marks the Spot.
Part 1.
Marie woke up with a start.
Had she only dreamed of finding the treasure?
Or had it been a reality?
She wasn't quite sure.
Half-dazed, Marie went to her desk drawer and peeked in.
The glass jar was still there.
Her heart surged.
She hadn't imagined it.
She and her friends had found the treasure.
She took the glass jar and untwisted the rusty lid, sliding out the linen pouch.
She opened the bag and let the contents tumble to her desk.
Carefully, she picked up the small folded paper and reread the riddle inside.
Forward and back, we tried our best to use our skills and pass the test.
Friends to the end, without a doubt, we're out of time.
Can you help us out?
Find the symbol.
That's the key.
The secret club.
The chosen three.
It was written in blue pen ink, neatly printed, very small.
Who wrote it?
Marie wondered.
And what test did they try to pass?
And who was the we the riddle referred to?
Was it the teenagers in the photo?
As Marie thought of them, she picked up the photo and unrolled it.
She wished it had more detail, but it was small and faded and old.
25 years old, if it really was taken in 2000.
She'd just turned it over to glance at the year written on the back when she heard her dad call out to her.
Marie, breakfast in five.
Coming, Marie called back.
Quickly, she set down the items and began to dress, throwing on her favorite jeans and a green t-shirt that had the words winging it in bold font.
It was one of her favorite sayings.
To Marie, winging it meant you didn't need to have all the answers or be fully prepared.
You just had to be willing to try and open to learning along the way.
That's how she felt as a newbie detective on her first case study.
And she couldn't wait to go to the library, to return to the strange restricted section where the oldest and rarest books were kept.
Marie pictured the room, that clandestine space behind the locked door, deep beneath the library, with walls that looked like they had been carved straight from stone.
And on the last shelf sat the book where she'd found the map.
The book titled The Secret Spot.
Just thinking about it gave Marie a thrill.
But first, she had school.
Before Marie left her bedroom, she refolded the riddle and picked up the rolled photo, slipping them both back into the linen bag.
Then she reached for the tiny metal dragon and examined it briefly.
It definitely looked old, but not worn.
The green patina made it look dull, but the engraved details remained sharp and clear.
Strangely, the metal almost felt warm to the touch. as if it were somehow alive.
Who are you?
Marie whispered to the tiny figurine, almost believing it would respond to her.
It remained motionless and silent.
She sighed and tucked it into the linen pouch, before stowing everything back in the glass jar and returning it to her desk drawer.
Once at school, Marie quickly discovered Christian and JJ's feelings of frustrations from the day before had not dissipated.
At lunch, they sat together in their usual spot.
I just don't see how we're going to figure something out from 25 years ago, Christian said, especially when we don't know what the problem is or who is asking for help.
Marie fidgeted with the zipper on her lunch bag, trying not to let her doubt show.
I think the answer is in the book the map fell out of, she said hopefully.
We have to try.
We can't just quit when we've gotten this far.
We can quit.
And we should, JJ retorted.
If those kids were out of time back then, like the riddle said, then it's definitely too late now.
Marie didn't have an answer.
What Christian and JJ said was exactly what she feared too, but hearing them admit it out loud felt like a punch to the gut.
They were just giving up so easily?
After everything?
She thought they were a team to the end.
Marie stared at them for a moment, then picked up her lunch bag with a huff.
Fine, she said flatly.
I'll figure it out myself.
She stood up from the table and left without looking back.
The rest of the afternoon, as she sat through her classes, Marie fought off tears.
She hated fighting with her friends. but she was so mad at them for being quitters.
It hurt, a lot, because it felt like they were giving up not only on the mystery, but also on her.
After school, her dad picked her up.
They had errands to run, including going to the library.
Marie had assumed the library would be their first stop, but her dad had other plans.
"'Sweetie, I need to make a pit stop at the post office first and get this box mailed to the university before it closes,' he said."
Marie was in such a bad mood that the news only added to her frustration.
Okay, she replied dejectedly.
Truth be told, going to the post office first was probably smart, as both Marie and her dad tended to get lost in the library for hours once they started browsing the books.
After her dad had mailed his package, the duo headed straight for the library.
Marie was still mad mad at her friends for giving up and maybe a little mad at herself for caring so much.
But the closer they got to the library, the more her anger began to fade.
She was investigating on her own now.
So what?
She was the detective on the case.
And the secret spot might hold the next clue.
By the time they were walking through the library doors...
Marie's feelings from earlier had turned to excitement and anticipation.
Sal was at the help desk.
Hiya, Sal, Mr. Duguay greeted.
We'd like to go to the out-of-print-and-rare-books room, please.
The restricted section, Marie added, perhaps a little too hastily.
That's what most people called the room, because it was hidden behind a heavy door labeled restricted.
Certainly, Sal replied, taking the key from the drawer.
The librarian led the way through the ground floor to the back of the library where the doorway was.
This place is popular today, Sal remarked as they reached the door, twisting the key in the lock.
They added...
You two are the second patrons to ask to come here.
Marie's eyes widened.
Previously, Sal had told them that almost no one ever visited this area, so it was definitely a surprise that they were the second people that day to request access.
Really?
Who was it?
Marie asked incredulously.
That's their business, Sal said, pulling the heavy door open with a creak.
Sal clicked on the ancient fluorescent lighting.
You know the drill.
Please turn the lights off when you are done and close the door firmly.
It will relock automatically.
With that, Sal turned and headed back to the help desk.
This area of the library was rarely used, so the fact that someone else had been here today gnawed at Marie.
Who had it been?
Was it just a coincidence?
Setting those questions aside for now, Marie stepped onto the landing.
A wave of chill air prickled her skin, and the musty scent of old books tickled her nose.
She and her dad descended the stairs.
This time, Marie was prepared for the eerie atmosphere of this room.
The hand-carved rock walls, the thin yellow light And the constant buzz from the aging fluorescent bulbs overhead made the whole place seem otherworldly.
When they had been down here last, Marie hadn't seen any of the monsters rumored to lurk down here.
But she still wasn't sure.
There were no ghosts.
Her eyes darted around the room, scanning for any signs of movement.
There were none, I'll only be a minute.
I know what I want.
Marie told her dad as she headed down to the last row where the kids' section was.
She was determined to find the book that she'd found the map tucked into.
She could picture it in her mind perfectly.
It had a plain tan dust cover and a bold X on the front with the title The Secret Spot printed in black lettering.
The kids' section was quite small, and Marie's eyes went immediately to the place where she'd first found the book.
She gasped.
The book was gone.
There was an empty gap on the shelf where it should have been.
Marie blinked in disbelief.
Her eyes had to be deceiving her.
She began scanning the other books in the section, and all of them appeared to be in exactly the same place as she'd left them before.
Right next to the open slot was the book titled Why or Why Not, and other age-old questions, just as she'd remembered it.
But the secret spot was gone.
No, Marie exclaimed, louder than she meant to.
Her dad called out, what's wrong?
And she could hear his footsteps approaching.
The book I wanted is gone, Marie said, anguish rising in her voice.
Solving this mystery already felt impossible.
But now, without that book, there was no hope.
Marie had no idea where else to search for clues.
I need to talk to Sal, Marie muttered as her dad rounded the corner to join her.
He nodded.
Marie was grateful he didn't ask her any questions.
The pair walked up the stairs, switched off the light, pulled the heavy door to the restricted section, closed and headed for the help desk.
It was unattended.
Sal must be helping another patron, Marie thought.
They waited for a bit, and it wasn't long before Sal returned.
Did you find what you wanted?
Sal asked Marie with a smile.
No, Marie said.
There was a book called The Secret Spot.
It's gone.
Sal's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
That's the book the other patron checked out.
It was Marie's turn to be shocked.
It seemed too uncanny that someone else had showed up on the same day as she had to get the same book she needed.
Don't worry, they have to return it in three days, and then you can borrow it, Sal added.
But I need it now, Marie insisted, choked with panic.
I'm sorry, Sal said gently.
I don't have it for you now.
Marie felt the tears well up in her eyes again.
She didn't want anyone to see her cry, so she turned and beelined for the door.
Her dad hurried after her.
Once outside, Marie stopped in her tracks, unable to hold back her tears.
It'll be okay, sweetheart.
We'll come back and get the book, her dad said, placing his hand on her shoulder reassuringly.
You don't understand, Marie snapped, turning to face him.
Her dad sighed and held out his arms, offering a hug.
Instinctively, she stepped forward, allowing herself to be wrapped in his arms.
Marie let the tears flow freely into her dad's sleeve.
Every emotion she had been feeling today gushed forth.
She was furious someone had beaten her to the book.
She was afraid she would never solve the mystery.
And most of all, she was hurt, feeling abandoned by her two best friends.
Mr. Duguay didn't say anything.
He just held his daughter until the tears slowed.
When she finally pulled back, Marie felt a little calmer.
True, everything hadn't gone according to plan, but that was what winging it was all about.
This case was far from closed.
As she and her dad finished the remainder of their errands, Marie got lost in her own thoughts.
Who took that book out?
And why?
Did they know about the map?
And the buried treasure that she, JJ, and Christian had found?
And Sophos?
Who was he, really?
Why was he suddenly appearing and disappearing in different odd jobs?
Did he know more than he was letting on?
Amazingly, once she let her feelings out and cleared her mind, the next step came to Marie as plainly as writing on a whiteboard.
She needed to talk to Sophos again.
While she waited for the book to be returned, he was her best lead.
She had to ask him about that strange logo that kept popping up.
It was on his handkerchief and his ring and the linen bag that held the items in the glass jar.
That logo was her clearest indication yet that Sophos was connected to the mystery.
What did it represent?
Marie's determination returned with a vengeance.
She decided to go to the library tomorrow after school to talk to Sophos.
It was risky.
She had no idea for sure if he would be there.
But so far, he had a way of turning up when she needed him most.
She hoped the same would be true this time.
Right now, she needed his help more than ever.
Marie's plan to get help from Sophos may be in jeopardy as she gets some shocking news.
Just when she hits another dead end, another clue reveals itself.
Will it be enough to resolve the disagreement between her, JJ, and Christian?
Find out when the adventure continues in our next episode of Adventures on Awe Island.
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