The sky was as clear as a Saint’s conscience, and the blistering sun shone down without mercy as three rock climbers started the challenging vertical ascent before them.
There were large boulders dotted in the rock face, but the majority of the rocks were small, which weren’t the best for climbing as some of them wouldn’t be able to bear too much weight. A wrong choice would mean game over, so the climbers tested each small rock with a slight pull before fully committing to it.
The three climbers were Dr. Roman Kerr - a biologist who estimated he was only a couple of years off from finding a cure for the deadliest disease known to man… Cancer.
Dr Andrew Highman - a chemist who had recently discovered a formula that would provide abundant clean energy for cars and homes.
And last but not least, Dr Frances Thorn - a physicist who had recently discovered the elusive unifying theory between gravity and quantum and who was waiting to publish her findings after her adventure holiday with her two friends.
With bright futures before them and the entire human race, they were making the most of their summer break by being here at one of Egypt’s highest mountains… Mount St Maria’s.
They were only twenty feet from the ground when Dr Roman Kerr grabbed onto one of the big boulders to pull himself up.
He thought it would be safe and didn’t test it while anchored to his previous position.
However, the giant boulder started to crumble and created a rock fall that, once gravity was applied, was heavy, deadly, and hard to stop. The three climbers were hit, set free from their ropes and thrown to the sandy, rocky floor below.
When the dust cloud finally settled, three frayed ropes dangled above a twenty-foot drop and a giant pile of broken stones.
***
The emergency services were on the scene after another group of tourists reported the incident.
There was hope that the three scientists were still alive, especially if they were trapped in an air pocket - also, twenty feet may have been a big drop, but people had survived far more than that.
The local police force set up a safety cordon. Search and rescue teams were the only ones allowed past. The group's chief was getting his shovel when he suddenly noticed the golden cup on top of the rock fall. It looked old and, more importantly, priceless.
He started to discuss it with his team. They, too, were interested in the find and scanned the area where the boulder had been displaced with hand-shielded gazes - for the sun was still strong in the sky.
Forgetting the mound of rubble, the rescuers stepped back to have a better look at the hole from where the boulder had been displaced.
-I think I see more artefacts, said one rescuer.
-I think you’re right, said another.
-Get a ladder up there, shouted the chief.
The ladder was extended, and a rescuer went up.
- Oh, my word! There’s treasure everywhere! he shouted down.
He took out his camera phone and took some snaps.
When he came down, he showed his colleagues and the chief.
-This is definitely a great historical find, said the chief. -I’d be surprised if we don’t find the Ark of the Covenant up there. Some historians believe it to be hidden somewhere around here!
-Actually, said the rescuer with the phone, wiping sweat mixed with dirt from his brow, -there was a golden casket in there! It just didn’t show up properly on the photos.
The rescue chief shouted, -Holy shit. We’ve found biblical treasure. Priceless forgotten treasure. Let’s get up there immediately and retrieve it! We’ll be famous. We’ll be rich beyond our wildest dreams! The world and the Abrahamic religions will thank us!
The rescue team were so excited about the lost treasure, they didn’t hear the soft moans coming from the forgotten rock pile beside them.
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Forgotten Treasure
by LJ Jacobs
BIO:
LJ Jacobs was born in Chester, England, and raised in North Wales. He lives in a small Welsh hamlet and enjoys the quiet life with his lovely family.
He enjoys playing and listening to music as well as writing. His heroes are the bluesman Robert Johnson (the creator of Rock ‘N’ Roll!) and the author Ernest Hemingway.
He’s contributed to numerous anthologies and online journals with publishers such as Mind’s Eye Publications, Wicked Shadow Press, Redrosethorns, New Edition, Theaker’s Quarterly and Culture Cult. He also recently contributed to D.A. Cairns’ I Used To Be An Animal Lover… anthology.
He hopes to collect his work for his own anthology one day.
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