”It's so muggy out! Feels worse than the Amazon.”
”Yeah right, you never been to the Amazon.”
Nevertheless, it was very humid.
As soon as the kids set foot outside, they regretted it; water almost began condensing on their fur and whiskers. It was like wading through a sauna, the clouds up high bright and white like the rising steam of a gigantic hot-springs.
All of Lonely Oak would be in attendance.
The custodians had been given little notice, so even while classes spilled out of the doorways, they were still hammering poles into the ground and stringing up the rope to section off a large circle, starting from the sidewalk to the courtyard.
The classes took spots around the circle, forced to stand and constantly fighting with the teachers to slip beneath the guarding ropes. Even with seven custodians, the circle was not complete until several minutes later, and by then most of the school was already gathered round.
Many were constantly pushing buttons; grabbing onto the yellow ropes and getting shooed away by their teachers, as often as possible.
The lower-graders were losing patience, whining and griping about how hot it was and how they had to stand for so long. But, as soon as word spread that this was the site of the Treasure, the complaints were mostly quelled and the attempts to get into the circle increased.
Ms. Hupp's class stood on the outside as well, however they were by a section of the circle that was not roped off. Having demonstrated their discipline in the classroom, no student of Ms. Hupp's class made any attempt to cross the open threshold, nor did they make any complaint about the atmosphere, the humidity, or the wait.
At long last, Mr. Pretty, Mrs. Gauss the vice-principal, and Mrs. Oulryk, made their way into the circle from the courtyard. All of the teachers began hushing their students; except for Ms. Hupp, whose class was behaving. When quiet was more or less achieved, Mr. Pretty cleared his throat.
"Students, staff and faculty; today is a very momentous occasion. As you no doubt already know, in the beginning of May—the last month of our closing school year—there have been hints and teases and rumors of a treasure, here at our humble school.
”I have heard many stories of what that treasure might be, from all different grades, and I am excited to announce that today the answers will be revealed."
The murmurs that rose were quickly subdued as Mr. Pretty allowed a pause in his words.
"But before that, Mrs. Oulryk would like to speak with you all; Mrs. Oulryk?"
The old polar-bear dipped her nose in a bow and stepped forward. She smiled broadly, gazing at all the students gathered around her, their faces with wonder, joy and excitement; fingers up their noses, in their ears, and in their mouths.
"Hello children," she spoke. For the first time since anyone could remember, her voice was rather loud, all on its own.
A collective "hello," was her response.
"I do hope I don't spend too much time," she said, pushing her glasses securely on the bridge of her nose, "but I just wanted to say 'thank you' for being such a wonderful school over the many years."
Some of the students exchanged glances at the cryptic words, especially the younger kids.
"I'm terribly sorry," she chuckled, "I suppose I'll get right to the point. Once this year ends, you will have a wonderful summer. Some of you will move on to Redcliff, or Eagle's Nest, or Pinnacle Heights Middle School, but many of you will return here... And, when you do, you will find that I will not be returning with you."
Faces paled. Jaws came unhinged. Eyes blinked rapidly. Gasps, murmurs, exhalations, whimpers, and tears began to show from both students and faculty.
"I have had such a wonderful time at this school, but I'm afraid I have decided to retire."
"No..." a voice spoke high against the murmur.
"Mrs. Oulryk, don't leave!"
"Please don't go, we love you!"
Mrs. Oulryk took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes, "oh dearies, I'm so sorry. I love you all too, but it is time for me to go. I promise I will come by from time to time." The old bear replaced her glasses, and looked at the faces of her children again; now many were saddened and pained. She smiled, "Would you all like to hear a story?" She asked.
Every chin nodded, even from the principal.
She cleared her throat. "Over the years I have had many a curious little kitten ask me why the school is called Lonely Oak. Have any of you noticed that there is not a single oak tree near the school?"
Heads shook and some spoke no, or that they did not know.
"A long, long time ago—in fact, before the school was even open—there was an oak tree. It was a mighty big oak tree," she stood upright and spread her arms out and wide. "It had many branches and lots of shade. Everyone would come and sit by its trunk, because it looked so lonely, all by itself without any other oak trees to talk to. A new school opened nearby this oak tree, thirty long years ago. During breaks, lunches, and recesses, kids of all grades played in the field in which this oak tree lived. But, that very year there was a terrible winter where everything froze... and, sadly, the oak tree passed away."
More murmurs and hushed voices; kids asking how trees could die or be lonely. Teachers hushed and eventually students obliged.
"It was rooted in this very spot on the playground, right where I am standing now," Mrs. Oulryk continued. "Some of you may have noticed the picture hanging in the House of Open Minds. That was taken the first year the school opened, and I am sitting under that very tree. Shortly after that picture was taken, a treasure was buried nearby..."
Mrs. Oulryk paused as she took several paces from the back-center of the circle. "Right about here," she pointed to the ground below her. "In fact, I helped to bury the treasure. Now—and I'm so sorry for taking so long—I would like some of you to help me dig it up."
Right away, there was a roar as students jumped up and down, raising their hands, all excited to be picked to dig up the treasure.
Some tried to cross the barrier, and teachers had to hold them back physically. It took several minutes but finally the kids managed to calm down, and Mrs. Oulryk, who was patiently waiting, turned to the class at the opened section.
"Ms. Hupp, please select a few boys and girls."
The custodians appeared again, carrying small shovels. Ms. Hupp selected the students and the shovels were handed to them.
Lyza, Rini, Panda, Emeral, and Ket, each took one and held the handles close to their chests.
All proceeded forth, except for one.
Mr. Pretty, Mrs. Gauss, and Mrs. Oulryk stepped out of the circle as the kids made their way in. But, as she passed the only shovel-bearer that remained where he stood, the counselor leaned over, and rested her hand upon his shoulder.
"What is the matter dear?" Mrs. Oulryk asked the tiger cub. "Aren't you excited to take part in this kind of history?"
"Of course..." He replied, gazing out into the circle.
"Then, you should go,” she encouraged, with soft enthusiasm, “join your friends, and help them to dig,”
"But... Everyone will be watching me. With everything that's happened..."
"My dear Arkethius," she whispered, "people are already watching you.”
Ket glanced around. Indeed, many kids of every grade were watching him. No doubt every student had heard about the fight.
”They are anticipating you to go dig."
"I don't really like this kind of attention," he reminded her, handing her his shovel.
"Wouldn't you want to help your friends, though?"
"They look like they're doing okay," he said, while Emeral grunted and her shovel flicked a small clump of dirt out—there was barely any progress. "...If they ask me," Ket rephrased.
"Well, all right," Mrs. Oulryk said. "However, I feel I must point out: I do not recall you asking your friends to help you when Mr. Pretty intended to suspend you."
Ket's ears slicked back with thought for a moment, and he glanced around. Some eyes still stared at him, some eyes did not—but the group digging had stopped. They had barely gotten their shovels into the ground, only managing to scrape away at the clumps of top-grass and maiming the earth.
Ket looked to his right, where Mrs. Oulryk stood, his shovel propped in her hand. As soon as he curled his fingers around the neck, she let go the handle and smiled at him.
The kids around the circle murmured as he dragged the shovel across the grass, the metal scratching the ground with hisses and chuffs. Ket spotted Goren's gaze following him in the crowd, and paused.
Their eyes held for a second.
Goren was the rightful bully-to-be, inherited leader of the rough-pack. But when Ket flicked his chin, the wolf pup broke through the ropes and followed the tiger in earnest.
When they finally approached the dig-site, the girls and Panda smiled. Especially Rini, glad to see her boyfriend joining their little party. She offered Goren her shovel, and without further ado the tiger and the wolf poised their shoves above the ground, as if ready to spear the final blow to a skulking serpent.
The others backed a few steps away.
The earth coughed as their shovels broke through the mix of dry and damp dirt. They grunted while the roots of the grass crackled and snapped like tiny bones in rhythm to their wrenching motions. It was the work of fifteen seconds, and at last they lifted up a Hulk-fisted size of the ground.
The students clapped, some whistling, and the boys took a short break, for such an effort tasked their strength, especially in this weather.
As they stood, Ms. Hupp, Mrs. Oulryk, and Mr. Pretty came with a bottle of water for each digger. They drank eagerly, Panda managed to almost toss down the whole bottle in one run. Five of them capped the bottles, but Ket kept his uncapped, and it was nearly full. He stepped up to the little hole they had made, and poured the water onto the dirt.
Goren chuckled. “Okay, then," he commented.
"You ready to get this thing up?" Ket asked, propping his shovel at the edge of the hole.
"Now that we know it's real."
The boys shouted again as they stomped, this time with great vigor. The dirt was not as malleable as Ket had hoped he'd made it—in fact he probably wasted that water.
Soon they were working in succession; as one dug in the other dropped a burden, and the roles reversed. The hole grew in diameter, from one foot to two feet to three. By now, Emeral and Lyza joined in, pecking away almost as quickly as the boys, without regard for the bit of dirt that got on, and in, their shoes.
Panda's shovel started again when they began to dig deeper instead of outward.
Rini, along with Bitty and Betty who brought some spades and dustpans, began moving the dirt which the diggers piled up away from the area so that it was easier to manage, and did not fall back in.
Several murmuring minutes passed.
More water was brought out, and the students around were chattering excitedly as a few people in suits arrived. They talked with Mr. Pretty and Mrs. Oulryk, and then went to the diggers.
"Kids," Mrs. Oulryk addressed, "these people are from the news station. They will be filming and walking about, maybe even talk to you and some others."
The kids looked at each other, and then at last Ket spoke for all of them. "This is going to be on the news?"
"You're Ket right?" Said the female chipmunk, who looked a little strange in the dark gray suit, considering the mugginess. She extended her hand, "My name is Dorothy. I've heard a lot about you all. Do you think maybe these gentlemen with me could use their cameras to record you digging—you don't need to do anything special, just be yourselves—and then afterwards maybe answer a few questions about what it's like to be at Lonely Oak?"
Again, the kids had a silent conversation with their eyes. At last, Ket looked at Dorothy and took hold of her hand, "Sure," he replied.
"Great!" Dorothy squeaked, shaking the boy's hand, "Okay; Jim, Ralph start rolling! Five-four-three..." The woman took a breath and began very officially: "Good morning! Today we're at Lonely Oak Elementary, where hundreds of students are gathered to watch, as some of their peers get down'n'dirty to dig up—Treasure!"
As the chipmunk anchorwoman chattered away in front of the camera, Ket and Goren started digging again and the others followed suit. A few more minutes passed, until at last Goren stomped his shovel into the soft earth—and a solid tunk shocked through the air. He and Ket shared a glance, and the boys swapped their shovels for the girls' spades.
On hands and knees the two boys scraped and scratched the treasure chest, throwing dirt left and right.
"And it looks like we've struck gold! It should only be a few minutes now while our little treasure hunters unearth the chest. What will be inside? Let's ask some of the onlookers—excuse me, what's your name?"
"Cheri Berry,"
"Well, Cheri, that's very thematic name. What do you think is the Treasure of Lonely Oak?"
"I think it's a door into a secret world!"
"Aw c'mon, you're still on that?" Scoffed the raccoon next to her.
"Oh?" Dorothy moved the mic over, "What's your name?"
"I'm Zach, but y'can call me Ziggy-Zee."
"Okay, Ziggy-Zee," Dorothy smiled. "What do you think the Treasure is—not a door I suppose?"
"No way, that's just a myth. It's gotta be pirate gold!"
"Ugh, what?" The vixen huffed back, the mic moving toward her. "Why would pirates come this far onto land to bury their treasure? There's like, no ocean for a hundred-million miles!"
"Can you answer that, Ziggy-Zee?" Dorothy asked.
"Well... Uh..." The raccoon bit his lip, "Y'see, the pirates wanted to really hide the treasure. Yeah, see, cuz everyone knows the usual places pirates bury their booty. So they picked this spot to make sure it was safest."
"That's an interesting theory, we'll see if it holds out! It looks like the chest is almost ready to come up. The ones who are coming to help are: Mr. Pretty, the school's principal; Ms. Hupp, one of the fifth-grade teachers; and Mrs. Oulryk—I hope I'm saying that right—the head counselor who has been at the school since it was established, over thirty years ago.
"The box is almost out—oh wow, it's bigger than I thought it would be! Looks heavy, too, Mr. Pretty sure better have good dry-cleaning. Okay, they've got it out, now who's going to open it? The two tiger cubs are stepping up—you can feel the anticipation in the air! (Let's get a bit closer...) Mrs. Oulryk has handed them a key. They've undone the latches..."
"Everyone," Mrs. Oulryk stated, "On the count of three:"
One...
Two...
Three!
