Escape
Patrick still couldn’t believe he’d heard Beth’s voice.
“Help!” he shouted again.
“Where are you?” Beth called out. Her voice was closer.
“Down here!” Patrick yelled. He tried to climb the tallest pile of treasure. But the pile gave way, and he fell.
Beth’s face appeared in the opening above him. “What are you doing down there?”
Then she saw the treasure around him. “Wow! What is this place?” she asked.
“It’s the temple treasury,” he replied. “Can you please find a rope?”
Beth disappeared again.
Patrick heard barking.
Snowy peeked over the edge of the hole. She was panting.
“Hey, Snowy,” Patrick said.
Beth came back. She dropped one end of a rope to Patrick. “I’ve tied the other end of the rope to a column,” she called down.
Patrick climbed the rope.
Beth gave him a hand at the top and pulled him out.
Snowy pranced around them, barking.
“I’m sure glad to see you,” Patrick said.
Beth smiled and suddenly hugged him. “We didn’t know where you were,” she said.
Patrick looked around. “Where is Junius?” he asked.
Beth gave Patrick a questioning look. “Is that the boy the dog chased up the tree?” she asked.
“What tree?” Patrick asked.
“Over there,” Beth said.
Patrick and Beth hurried to the tree. Snowy followed them.
Junius was gone. Patrick wasn’t surprised, but he felt sad. If Junius didn’t get on a boat, he would die.
“Who was he?” Beth asked.
“I’ll tell you on the way to the docks,” Patrick said. “We have to get out of here before the lava reaches us!”
The air was thick. Beth pulled her bandana over her face. She gave Patrick one to wear, too. It kept slipping down as he told her all about Valen, Junius, and the church.
Then Beth told him about the lightning and the car-like Imagination Station.
Snowy ran ahead of them and barked. The cousins rounded a street corner. The sea came clearly into view. Dozens of boats were moving away from shore. Their white sails dotted the water.
Then she saw the docks and gasped.
Hundreds of people were on the wood platforms. They had bundles on their backs. Some carried baskets. They were pushing and shoving and shouting.
“We have to get into that mess?” she asked.
“Besides the Imagination Station, there’s no other way off the island,” Patrick said.
“Which boat do we want?” she asked.
“I’m not sure,” Patrick said. “Let’s get closer.”
The cousins reached the edge of the crowd. The sea air was fresher, so they took off their bandanas. They pushed through the crowd. Patrick grabbed Beth’s hand and held on.
Snowy barked and growled. People made a pathway for the dog.
“I see Valen’s staff!” Patrick said. He picked up his speed. He shouted, “Valen!”
The crowds jostled them. Beth’s feet were stepped on. No one said sorry.
Patrick and Beth reached Valen. He was leaning on his staff. Beth thought he looked old, tired, and confused. He didn’t seem like the fiery preacher Patrick had described.
“There you are,” Valen said. He motioned with his head toward the crowds. “They are without a shepherd. What can we do?”
Beth looked at the panicked crowd. She couldn’t think of an answer.
“Where is the slave boy?” Valen asked.
“He ran off with his stolen treasure,” Patrick said with a frown.
“Who is this?” Valen asked with a nod toward Beth.
“This is my cousin, Beth,” Patrick said.
Beth smiled and said, “Pleased to meet you.”
Valen gave her a weary smile. “Do you know the good news, Beth?” he asked.
“Jesus is risen,” Beth said.
“He is risen indeed,” Valen said in return. He seemed to cheer up.
The volcano rumbled behind them.
“We have to leave,” Patrick said.
Valen lifted his staff and led them down the dock. “The boat is the very last one on the right,” he said.
Patrick recognized the people lining the side of the boat. Most of them were from the church. Cosmus and a lovely woman were with them. Patrick guessed the woman was Grata.
Valen raised his staff at them.
“Valen!” Nonus called out. He turned to a man with a tanned face and white beard. “Captain, you must lower the plank!”
Two sailors lowered the plank. The captain ordered two more men to keep the crowds from boarding.
Valen slowly walked up the ramp.
Patrick was about to tell Beth to get on when Snowy growled. Then there was a shout. Patrick turned.
Junius ran up the edge of the dock carrying his bag of treasure. “Wait for me!” he shouted.
Snowy snarled. She looked as if she were going to bite Junius.
Patrick pointed to the boat. “Get on!” he said to the dog.
Snowy obeyed.
The captain let the dog pass. “A dog is good luck,” he said. “Plus it will catch the rats. But we’re out of room. The old man is the last passenger.”
The last? Patrick thought. Beth and Patrick looked at each other.
“Please!” Junius shouted.
Cosmus said, “He’s a slave, captain. Forget about him.”
Junius lifted the bag. “I have treasure! Let me on!”
The captain looked interested.
“What about this boy and girl?” Valen asked. He was pointing to Patrick and Beth. “We can’t leave them.”
“Go without us,” Patrick said. “We’ll find another way.”
He looked at Beth. She looked worried. He prayed at least one of the Imagination Stations would come back for them.
Valen turned on the ramp and walked back to the dock. “I’m not going,” he said. “I will stay here to help the lost.”
Junius passed Valen on the ramp. He nearly knocked the old man over. The slave leaped onto the boat. Snowy growled.
The people on the boat cried out. “We can’t leave Valen!”
Valen waved his hand at them. “I am in God’s hands! Go!”
The captain ordered the ramp to be lifted. A few moments later, the boat was pushed away from the dock.
The church members shouted to Valen, “We’ll pray for you!” and “Godspeed!”
“Remember God’s mercy!” Valen shouted.
Patrick and Beth waved.
Junius looked smug. He held up his bag of treasure proudly.
The boat suddenly lurched. Junius stumbled and lost his grip on the bag. It fell into the water with a loud splash.
“Stop!” Junius yelled. He reached over the side of the boat.
Cosmus grabbed him and pulled him back.
The bag sunk quickly.
“My treasure!” Junius cried.
“You have your life!” Valen shouted at him. “Now treasure your soul!”
Beth nudged Patrick. “Look!” she said.