The Ghost's Treasure

By, Shreya Challa - Class 4

Chapter 1 - The Legend

Veena Rowning, stared at the dock. She had never wanted to go on the pirate ship cruise. She didn't remember the name of the ship. At the local mall, there had been a lucky draw. Whoever would win would go on a cruise. Mom had won the lucky draw, and she bought Veena along. At first, Veena had thought it was a luxury cruise, but when she saw the ship, she didn't think so. Only 9 people could go on the cruise and she was one of them.

Veena turned and looked at Mom. “Why didn't you tell me it was a pirate ship cruise?” she asked, and looked ungratefully at the old, ugly pirate ship. “I didn't know either!” Mom replied and ruffled Veena's curly black hair. Thinking it was a fancy ship, Veena had worn a garnet and amethyst necklace with a yellow half-sleeve shirt and her pretty black miniskirt.

Dusk came quickly, and all 9 people who had been chosen in the lucky draw sat in a circle in the Sleeping Quarter, where they would sleep. They started chatting away happily right away. Veena didn't feel like talking in such a dusty, dirty room. She was waiting for the captain, ‘Captain Skullbone’, who had promised to come down for a story he would tell.

Soon he finally came and he uncomfortably sat in the circle. “Arrr, we shall be living like pirates on this one-week journey: he growled. “Eww! Does that mean we won't be able to change clothes?” Veena squeaked, “Yes, little bug, yes” Captain Skullbone answered. Veena scowled angrily. Everybody laughed. “Can you begin your story?” a man piped up.

“Oh, yes,” Captain Skullbone grinned. He snapped his fingers and a pirate came with an old-fashioned guitar. The pirate started to play a spooky and haunted tune, and Captain Skullbone began. “There once was an old pirate, named Captain Barebone. He found a poor man's treasure—money and jewels. He hid them, he hid them, oh yes, and he did. He made an old dear riddle map to find it again. But he met his doom and walked the plank, and nobody found the riddles ever again. Yes, that's the legend of Captain Barebone:” he sang...

Veena shivered. How scary the legend was Captain Skullbone showed his toothless grin. “Oh, there is a curse, too. Whoever solves the first riddle must solve the other riddle-or else” he grinned. “So long, suckers!” he cried and walked out of the room.

Chapter 2 - The Riddles

Veena had an uncomfortable sleep. She rolled around all night. “Mom” she cried. “I think there are rats under my mattress.” Mom rolled around to face Veena sleepily. “Check under the mattress,” she replied. Veena lifted the mattress and she found a bottle with a paper on it:

Veena trembled and slowly took the cork out of the bottle. She pulled the paper out of the bottle. Then she carefully unrolled the paper. Suddenly, her heart skipped a beat. The paper was the riddle map:

She jumped happily: She filled with joy. Mom heard her feet and woke up. “What's the fuss?” she demanded. Then she saw the riddle map in her daughter's hand. Her eyes grew wide and she ran over to Veena. “It was under my mattress:” Veena beamed.

Trembling, Mom read the first riddle. “Spin though wheel to dawn to dusk. Glittery wheel is what you shall see.” Mom looked confused. “what?” she asked. Veena started thinking. “The Captain’s wheel: We have to watch it once in the night and once in the morning:” she said. Mom looked at the piece of paper with the riddle. “Maybe we'll find another riddle,” she thoughtfully smiled, and smoothed her long purple skirt. Both of them watched the captain's wheel two times.

Veena then said, “I saw a piece of paper glittering on the wheel:” Then Mom and Veena ran up to the wheel. A piece of paper was gleaming in the moonlight brightly. The captain was not there. He was eating dinner in the Eating Quarters. Veena made a dash towards the dock wheel and grabbed the slit of paper.

After dinner, Mom and Veena read the piece of paper. “A dark corner of life may seem bright with treasure,” Veena read. A big smile spread on her face. “A dark corner of life: Where do we get to live if the ship sinks?” she asked. “Lifeboat:” Mom and Veena cried at the same time.

Chapter 3-Treasure Lost-and Found

Mom and Veena ran to the Lifeboat Room. Then Veena saw dirt on one corner and started digging in the dirt. Then she saw something glowing. “Mom, help me pull this thing out:” she said. Veena and Mom grew excited and with all their force, they pulled out the TREASURES:

Veena and Mom started laughing happily. “We found the treasur:” they cried. The whole ship woke with all that fuss.

(Supposed to be a picture here) Captain Skullbone ran down shouting “Stop it, ye blubbers:” But when he saw the treasure he stared and stopped in his tracks. “Arrr....treasure, me hardies: Open it: Open it:” he growled. As soon as Veena opened the chest, mist covered the room.

As the mist cleared, an old pirate stood with a rusted hook for his hand like Captain Skullbone. Everybody started screaming with fear. Mom made a dash for the stairs. The merry music that the pirate crew had been playing stopped with a deadly tone.

Chapter 4-The Ghost-and The End

The ghost pirate blinked. “Me not here to hurt anybody...yes...arr...” the pirate said. “Who are you? Why were you stuffed in the treasure chest?” Veena demanded. “Me the owner of the treasure,” the pirate replied. “Captain Barebone?” Veena cried. “Yes, I'll give you half the treasure,” Captain Barebone grinned.

6 months later...

Alexandra, Veena's new baby sister, stayed at her new mansion home. She had just been born 24 hours ago. ‘I know what she's thinking. How did we get such a huge house? I'll tell her that when she's older. It all began with a riddle map...'Veena thought. A hidden treasure donated to us....