Read Online The Crystal's Curse by Vicky de Leo - Free Book Online Page B

She looked like death. She applied a little concealer, some mascara, and lip-gloss just to make herself feel better. Not great, she thought, but better. Finally, it was time.
    Sam drove to the clearing, punched in his father’s home number, and handed the phone to Maria.
    Joshua picked up on the second ring. “Hello.”
    “Oh, Josh, it’s so good to hear your voice. We were so worried,” Maria cried with relief. She held the phone so that both she and Sam could hear.
    “You just disappeared. How did you get to Boston?” Sam asked. Maria was silently crying and unable to speak. She continued to listen.
    “Honestly, I don’t know, Dad. One minute I was in Guatemala with you guys, and the next I was laying flat on my back in a park about a block and half from Grandpa’s house in Boston. I think I blacked out, but when I looked at my watch, only a couple of minutes had passed. What happened on your end?”
    “There was a loud noise. The metal around the recess glowed. There was a bright flash of light and then you disappeared,” answered Sam. “What did you tell your grandfather?”
    “Just that I had come to see him. I told him the airlines lost my luggage. I mentioned I wanted to live with him and attend college. I didn’t think he would believe what really happened. I was afraid he would take me to a shrink. At first, I think he believed that I ran away, but he seems happy to have me here. He’s talking about getting me transferred to Harvard,” Joshua said. They could hear the hope in his voice.
    “Joshua, what did you do when you were standing in the recess? We have been all over it and we haven’t been able to make it do anything,” Sam probed.
    “I examined the holes just like you and Mom did.”
    “It looked like you reached into your pocket for something,” Sam insisted
    Joshua hesitated before he answered. Deciding he had no choice, that he would have to tell his father about the crystal, he tried to make it sound unimportant. “Oh, that. I found what looked like a piece of crystal outside by my tent a few days before. What I felt in the holes seemed similar to the ridges down the side of crystal. I inserted it and that’s the last thing I remember. What do I do now, Dad? What are you going to tell Grandpa?”
    “Since we don’t know what really happened, I guess it’s best to just let him go on thinking we sent you there. There is no sense in your coming back now, besides you don’t have your passport. Your mother and I will talk things over and let you know what we decide when we call back to speak to your grandfather.”
    “I love you Joshua. I am so glad you’re safe,” Maria managed through her tears.
    “I love you too, Mom. I’m sorry you were worried.”
    “As long as you’re all right, son, that’s all that matters. We’ll figure this out. We’ll call you back in a couple of hours when your grandfather’s home.” Sam ended the call.
    They drove back in silence, thinking about what they had learned.
    Finally, Maria said, “I’m having trouble believing that Joshua transported to Boston in a matter of minutes by sticking a rock in a niche created hundreds of years ago. Boston didn’t even exist when the Mayan’s carved out that room.”
    Sam shrugged. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. What other explanation is there? Dad confirmed that he arrived there the same day he disappeared.”
    “If the niche really is a transporter, it lends credibility to some of the Quiche legends and the idea that someone other than the Mayans created it.”
    “The rock Joshua found must be the power source. I’m wondering if there’s some mineral in the ground here that works to power the transporter.”
    “I don’t know. I keep thinking if the niche is a transporter, then the glyphs must be settings of some kind. If that’s true, why did it take Joshua to Boston of all places? The whole thing seems impossible.”
    Sam stopped the Jeep and looked at her. “Let’s concentrate on