Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Mary. sigh that's all I own…
Note: This is a revised version of Riley and Mary, I just hope that this version is an improvement of the last one. I'm sorry to all those who did like the last one, but I think you guys will like this one too! At least, I hope so, haha. We'll see.
And, remember to R and R!
Reviews are like cherry-flavored popsicles to me…I have one, and I just want more.
Yes, I suffer from Review greed.
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It was July 4, 1984, and it may have been about eight in the evening. Patrick Gates was driving both his six-year old daughter, Mary, and his twelve-year old son, Benjamin, on one of their scarce visits to their grandfather. And scarce is the key word in that sentence, considering July 4th was one of the only visits made yearly.
But, unbeknownst to Patrick Gates, his two children found something on their last visit; a book in the attic. It looked very old…and, of course, that made them want to investigate its contents. But, Ben and Mary never got the chance to open it because their father walked in on them. Luckily, he never saw their little discovery, but he forbade them to go up to the attic this time.
"It has some private stuff of your grandfather's," he explained to them while driving to the house, "and I'm sure he doesn't want the two of you up there looking through all of it."
The two youths looked at each other, both wondering if it was worth it to break the rules.
They parked in front of the old, two-story house, and the kids scurried out of the car to go see their grandfather, forgetting all about their father's warning.
"Grandpa!" they both yelled running up to him. He laughed as they toppled him over in a bear hug.
"Now there are a couple of faces I haven't seen in a while," he said brightly as he got up. The brightness of his voice dimmed a little, however, when he saw his son.
"Hello Patrick." He extended out his hand. The younger man took it stiffly.
"Hello Dad."
Ben and Mary looked at each other, worried. They knew that their dad and grandpa never got along, but they never knew why. Mary says "It's because Grandpa doesn't make cookies anymore!" but Ben knew that wasn't the reason. However, he was just as clueless as his six-year old sister. But, there was no time to think about that now. They had to figure out how to get up to the attic. After that thought, their father turned to them.
"Your grandfather and I need to talk alone for a little bit," he began with a stern look in his eyes. "Why don't you kids go and play upstairs for the time being."
They couldn't believe he just said that. Now they could get to the attic without them knowing!
Ben and Mary didn't need to be told twice, so they ran upstairs with manic smiles on their faces.
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Lightning lit up the dark attic as the two kids searched for the book. It seemed that the messy room was even messier than the last time they were up there. Actually, Ben kind of felt like he was looking for his watch in his room…which can be compared to a disaster area at times…
The young boy caught sight of a familiar shelf, and scampered over to the old wooden structure. He frowned, though, when papers and small boxes were covering the entire thing.
"Have you found it yet," Mary whined, getting impatient.
"Hold on," the pre-teen said, agitated. He loved his sister, he really did, but she could just be so darn impatient at times!
He coughed a little when all of the dust flew off of the papers, but held his breath when the familiar, leather-bound cover stared back at him.
"Nooow have you found it?"
"Yes!" Ben picked up the old book from the box. He started down the chair quickly, where Mary was bouncing off the balls of her feet.
They both looked at it with awe. They would actually get to open it this time! They turned around to find a clean place to sit, but there was a tall figure blocking their way.
"Grandpa!" They both yelled at the same time, startled.
The elderly man looked down and saw the item in their arms, and looked back up with a strange look in his eyes.
"You're not supposed to be up here, looking at that."
That's it, Ben thought. We're done for. He and Mary just wanted to know about it, that's all.
"We just wanted to know," Ben said, fearing what their dad would do when he specifically said do not go into the attic.
Mary didn't know if she could take the silence. She'd rather have her grandfather yell at her and Ben than stand there without saying anything.
The young girl decided she couldn't take it anymore and blurted out, "Can't we know? Please Grandpa!"
That was when their grandfather finally answered them with an unexpected attitude.
He sat down, and looked at them with a mischievous smile. "Oh…well, both of you are old enough, I suppose." Ben and Mary looked at each other with unbelieving looks on their faces. Their grandfather made a motion for them to sit down, and they quickly changed their disbelieving looks into excitement. They plopped down to floor waiting for what would be the story that would change their lives, forever.
"You should know the story," he began. "It was 1832, on a night much like this…"
He went into a story of an unimaginable treasure -too great for even a king to have- the Knight's Templar, Free Masons, and the Founding Fathers. This part was a little confusing for the youngest Gates, but the eldest was happy to explain.
The legend was almost too much for the kids to handle, but by the end, they knew that this story would become central to their lives from now on; especially with their grandfather's ending to the tale, and their only clue.
"The secret lies with Charlotte," their grandfather said with finality, taking a proud breath.
The two youngsters just sat there with their mouths open.
Wow, they both thought at the same time. And the sound of the rain and thunder was the only disturbance heard throughout the old house for a few moments, until Ben broke it.
"What's Charlotte?" Ben asked with awe still laced in his words.
"Is it a lady?" the young girl asked with Ben's same tone.
"Of course it's not a lady," Ben interrupted, rolling his eyes.
"You don't know that!"
The man chuckled at the two bickering children, and then answered their questions. "It might be a person Mary, but…not even Mr. Carroll knew what Charlotte meant."
The young girl definitely felt like she was the smartest person in the universe at that moment.
"Now look here," the eldest Gates continued while reaching into his wallet, and pulling out a dollar. "The Freemasons among our Founding Fathers left us clues. Like these."
He brought the dollar bill before their wide eyes. "The unfinished pyramid. The all-seeing eye," he explained as he pointed to every object mentioned on the back. "Symbols of the Knights Templar, guardians of the treasure. They're speaking to us through these."
"You mean laughing at us," someone spoke up from the attic door. The children quickly turned around and saw their father, who looked like he had been in better moods.
Uh oh…we're in trouble, Mary thought with wide eyes.
He then motioned towards the dollar that his father was holding with disdain. "You know what that dollar represents? The entire Gates' family fortune. Six generations of fools…chasing after fools gold."
Ben could feel his hopes crashing down the minute his dad said those words.
It has to be real, he thought. He looked towards his sister and she looked like she was thinking the same thing. She then looked at him with determination in her eyes.
"It's real," she whispered. "And we'll find it."
And, for one of the first times ever, Ben agreed with his little sister.
"Come on Ben, Mary." Patrick Gates needed to get away from his father, before he said something he would regret. "Time to go. You two can…say your goodbyes." He went back downstairs to gather up everyone's things without even looking back.
The sad elder was about to leave as well, but Ben stopped him. "Grandpa?"
He stopped and turned around toward his two grandchildren whom he would probably see even less than he did now since he told them about the treasure. "Hm?"
The boy couldn't help himself, so he asked quickly, "Are we knights?"
"Of the treasure?" Mary added. She couldn't really help herself either.
The elderly man chuckled at their interest and excitement. So, disregarding his son's defiance, he said with that old spark in his eye, "Do you want to be?"
Both of them nodded enthusiastically.
"All right. Um…kneel." He then searched around for a cloak or something to wrap around them. He found an old pea coat on a chair. "It should be big enough for both of you," he muttered while placing it around their shoulders.
I'm gonna be knight! Mary thought with excitement. The only girl ever to be knighted, I bet!
Their grandfather cleared his throat, and they both looked up at him with determination in their eyes.
"Benjamin Franklin Gates, and Mary Washington Gates," he began, smiling at his grandchildren, "both of you take upon yourselves the duty of the Templar, the Freemasons, and the family Gates. Do you both so swear?"
"I so swear," they both stated loud and clear.
The treasure is real, Ben thought, forgetting everything their dad had said earlier. He then looked at his little sister. Yes, we will find it.
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I hope you guys liked it!
R & R
