Mick McArt - The Treasure Map of Wordishure

This is a work of fiction. Except in references to the Lord Jesus Christ, the events and characters described herein are imaginary and not intended to refer to specific places or living persons. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book.

The Treasure Map of Wordishure

All Rights Reserved

Copyright 2012 Mick Art Productions

V1.0

This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphics, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Mick Art Productions, LLC

www.mickartproductions.com

ISBN: 9781619794665

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:21

The old wooden chest sat in the middle of the dimly lit room. With each step towards it, a swirl of dust would kick up around the mysterious explorer's feet. Although he tiptoed as quietly as he could, the floorboards still creaked with every single step. He knelt down and ran his finger through the dust that had built up on the old chest.

"Ahhhchhooo!" he sneezed.

"Is that you playing up in the attic, Micah," asked his mother.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, twitching his nose as he unhooked the latch to the chest.

"I know you like going through grandfather's old things, but make sure you don't get your new shoes all dusty. Those are for Sunday," she told him.

Micah looked down at his new shoes. They were made of the soft brown leather that he liked. His laces were neatly tied. His father had just taught him how to tie them for himself a few weeks ago. He couldn't wait to show all the people at church his fancy new shoes. He wiggled his toes inside them, and hummed to himself as he slowly lifted the lid on the dusty old chest, which was filled with his grandfather's old belongings.

There were all sorts of treasures and memories from his grandfather's past. Some old drawings, funny clothes, old shoes, and even the moldy socks grandfather had worn a hole in! Digging farther into the chest, he felt something that he had never felt before a book! It was thick and well worn, yet somehow familiar. It was very old and held together with a piece of twine so the pages wouldn't fall out.

Micah decided that this new find deserved his undivided attention. "I know," he said to himself, "there's a tree down by the river. I can read this book while I relax in the shade...ahhhchooo!" he sneezed again.

"Are you getting a cold, dear?" his mother called up to him again.

"No, ma'am," he responded. "It's just a bit of dust."

Carrying the old book he found, Micah walked down the stairs from the attic and into the kitchen. "Can I go out and play?" he asked while rubbing his nose.

"Maybe some fresh air will clear the dust out," his mother said smiling at him and lovingly tousling his dark brown hair. "Remember, Micah, going out can be fun, but the journey home is where we find true happiness."

Micah smiled, hugged his mother, and ran outside, jumping over the two steps leading down from the porch. He hurried toward Oldwood Creek, which was only a short run from the house. Micah knew the way well, for he had spent his whole life exploring the area and making friends with other local children. It was a little hot today, so he expected to see a friend or two down by the creek, fishing or resting under the big shade tree. He had heard others at church talking about building tree forts, so he hoped to build one here as well.

Slowing down to catch his breath, he started walking through some pickaberry bushes. This was his secret shortcut to the creek. Pickaberries were delicious when they were in season, but that was not for a while. He called them puckerberries when he ate them too soon, because they did not get sweet until autumn harvest. Approaching the edge of the bushes, he could see the shade tree down by the creek. He also spotted his best friend, Jonah, standing under the tree, scratching his head and looking a bit confused.

"Hello, Jonah." said Micah smiling and waving to his friend.

"Oh. Hello, Micah," replied Jonah cheerfully. "What are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," replied Micah.

"It was a little hot today, so I came to soak my feet in the river, and then nap under the shade tree," stated Jonah. Just then, Jonah noticed Micah's new shoes.

"Those are nice shoes," observed Jonah. "I wish I could find mine."

Micah looked down at Jonah's bare feet. "What happened to your shoes?" he asked. "You don't even have socks on!"

Jonah shrugged his shoulders and pointed up the creek. "I took them off by the edge of the stream and waded down here to take my nap. When I woke up, my shoes and socks were gone. Now I'm standing here all barefoot and fragrant!"

"I can help you look for them," said Micah while setting the old book down by the tree.

"What is that?" asked Jonah, walking over to look at the book.

"It's an old book that belonged to my grandfather," replied Micah. "Be careful, it's very old and precious."

Jonah picked up the book and started to undo the twine. As he fumbled with the knot, a piece of paper fell out from between the pages. It floated lazily to the ground. The paper was tattered, browning, and torn along one side. "It's a treasure map!" exclaimed Jonah as he knelt down to retrieve the paper. Both of the boy's eyes enlarged with excitement as Jonah carefully held it up by one corner.

"See," Jonah pointed to a marking on the map. "There are some Xs on a hill!"

Jonah immediately stood up and started to run down to the creek. "I'll bet this creek will lead us right to it!" he exclaimed.

Then Micah ran down and stood next to him on the bank. "Maybe we should think about this," he stated. "We've never been down the river that far..."

Before Micah could finish his sentence, Jonah ran off, following the flow of the creek. "Wait up!" Micah shouted to his friend.

As he ran to catch up with Jonah, Micah noticed a hidden trail in some of the tall bushes that grew along the creek.

"Look what I found!" he hollered to his friend. Jonah stopped, took a moment to catch his breath, and came to see what Micah had discovered.

"It's a hidden trail!" exclaimed Jonah.

As the boys started down the thickly overgrown trail, Micah noticed little multi-colored threads here and there along the way. "I wonder what these could be?" he asked Jonah as they came to an opening in the thicket. Jonah's eyes widened as he pointed to the object that just came into their view at the end of the trail.

"Wow!" said Jonah, stepping forward slowly. In the clearing before them, was the biggest pile of socks that either of them had ever seen. It was over twenty feet tall and consisted of all kinds of socks made from various materials and in all sorts of colors. After a few more steps forward, Micah and Jonah looked at each other, pinched their noses, and mumbled, "PU!"

"I think these socks are all used," said Micah, poking the pile with a stick he had found.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" questioned a voice from inside the mound, where Micah had poked the stick.

Just as Micah and Jonah stepped back, a small, white furry creature climbed out of the large mound of socks. After brushing itself off, the creature walked up to them. It was long, slender, had big dark eyes, and it also wore a clothespin on its nose!

"You're a sock weasel!" proclaimed Jonah.

"The name is Argyle," the weasel said in a nasally voice. "Can't a creature take a nap in his own home without being prodded by a stick?"