The Lost Treasure

     The voice whispered towards the ground. A sad and lonely voice, on the edge of crying.

     "I don't get it," The voice continued.

     Tammy the Blue Shoyru sighed. The ground was not going to reveal its secrets so quickly. His gaze crossed the littered holes that surrounded the tree. Large and small, deep and shallow. Each of the holes lay barren as if to mock him.

     “Where?” He whispered again, his voice cracking from the dawning horror within his mind. It might not be here. His precious treasure - it might not be here.

     A patter of rain hit his shoulders. The weather had turned and time had run out. Tammy looked up to the sky, as if to ask them why they too would betray him now. Not now - he told the clouds - please just wait a few minutes more.

     Heaving with all of his strength - he picked up the shovel once more. “Please-” Voice cracking as he once again pushed the shovel with all his might into the ground.

     “I know it’s here” The cracking voice betrays the tears that started down his face. “I am sure! I’m positive. She said it would be here.”

     Once again only dirt was removed. “It has to be here. It has to…”

     Tammy found the strength leaving his body. His knees crashed to the floor, as the rain started to pour around him.

     “It has to-”

     Around him the holes started to fill with water, he could only stare ahead of him. His eyes in the distant past. A Blue Meerca was running past him, holding a smile on her face. “I’m Holly. What’s your name?”

     The same Meerca was holding a Negg in her hands. “Look at what I found.”

     The sun on the beach.

     A box.

     “See Tammy-” The Meerca was holding something small in her hands. “This is our treasure and no one will take that away from us.”

     “Holly.” Tammy whispered. “I miss you so much.”

     Holly was always there in Tammy’s life. From the minute that she appeared as his new next door neighbour. She was always there. Smiling and laughing. “Life is to be enjoyed, Tammy.” Holly would say. “Chin up, there’s always the next one.”

     It felt like they had been together forever. He couldn’t even remember the time before she was there. The world that now seemed so dull and grey.

     “What are you doing out in this awful rain?” An Elderly Meerca asked, pushing his umbrella to shield the Shoyru from the rain. “You should go inside. You’ll catch a cold if you stay outside like this.”

     “I need to find it.” Tammy quietly cried. “I can’t leave until I find it!”

     “Find what?” The Meerca questioned.

     “Our treasure. Our special treasure.” Tammy raised his head, finding the strength within him to turn and look at the new person. “The treasure Holly and I shared. Before she went away.”

     “Ahh. A special treasure is it now?” A twinkle in the Meerca eyes shone. “We can’t do without that one now, can we? I’m Albert, and you are?”

     “Tammy.”

     “Now then Tammy. Remember where Holly said it would be.”

     “I-”

     Tammy closed his mouth. He looked forlornly at the holes around him. He was sure she said it was here.

     “Picture it in your mind. Tammy.” Albert suggested, standing closer to the kneeling form. “Holly, what was she doing?”

     “It was the day after the finals.“ Tammy recalled.

     “That was so much fun.” Holly twirled in the street. “Right, Tammy?” Holly asked.

     The final had been a twist of unexpected turns. Leera Heggle, the Lost Desert Captain and goalkeeper had made the save. The clock was counting - the final moments within the match. The Lost Desert audience rose to their feet, screaming and chanting for their team. They could do it. Hope surged they had to score to draw the match. Then they force a penalty shoot out.

     Sending the youyuball forward with a mighty roar, Lueva Trivon picked up the ball and with a blistering speed was heading towards the goal of the Kiko Lake Team. Holly shouted loudly, she could feel her heart beat rising.

     It could happen - a miracle.

     Trivon got close to the goal, and with as much strength as he could muster, he threw the youyuball towards it. Sailing with such speed, the audience held its breath.

     Erli Quinnock, a seasoned goalkeeper, had seen the half faint. Jumping to the right, catching the ball within his hands. The claxon sounded. Team Kiko Lake had won.

     “It sure was Holly.” Tammy smiled in remembrance. Holly was upset that her team had lost. She had cried about it, on the way home.

     “I have something to give you!” Holly held out a box. “Come on, open it up!”

     Tammy looked at the box. It was small and fit inside its hands. A pink ribbon tied with a bow. Tammy pulled on the bow, and opened the lid.

     “Your Team Lost Desert Keychain!” He shook his head. “I can’t take this!”

     “Well. I’m not having it back.” Holly turned her back to him. “So you have to take it then.”

     Tammy turned around, his back facing Holly’s back. She was stubborn when she wanted to be.

     A few minutes had passed when he heard the sound of digging. “What are you doing, Holly?”

     “Well if you aren’t going to take it. Then I’ll bury it here. So we both have it.” Holly looked up with a smile. “Under the roots of the halfway tree. Here; forever; our treasure shall be”

     “Under the roots of the halfway tree.” Tammy opened his eyes. “Thank you Albert.” Leaning forward, his hands grasping at the dirt. Scraping at the soil he soon found the box. The pink bow was discoloured.

     Hands carefully pulled off the lid, and inside, the same keychain that was buried on that day. With dirty hands, Tammy rose to his feet holding the keychain protectively to his chest. “I don’t know how to thank you.”

     “There is no need.” Albert shook his head. “But you are best getting out of this rain.”

     “I miss her so much.” Tammy stammered. “I don’t know-”

     “Life is a series of meetings and partings. Maybe one day, you’ll meet each other again.”

     “Thank you Albert.”

     “Now did I ever tell you about my grandchild?" Albert smirked. “My dear grand daughter is such a mischief maker-”

     Albert let the Shoyru rise before he started to walk down the street. “Grand daughter?" Tammy asked. The rain was still pouring around on the street as they both walked down the street. “Oh yes. A cheerful sort. Always scampering around and getting into tricks.”

     Albert stopped almost abruptly. “Tammy. I know that your friend moving away is going to hurt. But time does heal those wounds.”

     “Everyone says that -”

     “Only you can let go of the happy moments that you shared.”

     “Albelt-” Tammy sniffled, holding hold to the charm that was close to his chest.

     “Thank you. Thank you very much. I wouldn’t have been able to find my precious treasure if you hadn’t come along.”

     Tammy gave the Elderly Meerca a bow. Before he left into the heavy rain, there was always a part of her with him now. He felt a tear run down his cheek, which was quickly washed away by the rain.

     The End.