My Journey in Writing, Ranting, and Woodworking

The clues were much more obscure than before.  Henry read the letter out loud so that everyone could hear.  The office felt a bit cramped with everyone hovering around the desk.  Mike stood to Henry’s right, with Carol peering around him at the box, transfixed.  Luna, Bobby and Celine tentatively looked on at the contents, while Henry read.

The world watches, sometimes wood, others ice, but always with great interest.  The clock ticks and all eyes are watching, will someone take the shot, will there be victory or heartache, will a dream die or, perhaps, will the game continue?  The tile is hidden in plain sight.  It is the trophy and if you find it, one lucky fan will get to go home tonight.  If not, well, then, that is on you.  I’ve included a map to help you win the day…if you are clever enough.

Henry pulled from the box a road map.

Luna, with a look of puzzle solving on her face, said, “He is a sick bastard.”  Then she blushed, “sorry…”

Celine leaned over the desk, “He is a bastard, I agree.”

Bobby, with his normal fidgeting and exuberance, “What’s on the map?  I am good with maps, I know this city like the back of my hand.  There is a whole secret web of underground tunnels, I bet I can help with this clue.  Let’s see it, Henry.  I can call my friends, too.  How much time do we have left?  We need to hurry, like he said, the clock is ticking.”

Henry frowned, “I don’t know if we are going to make it in time.  How long does it take to get to Texas?”

Mike, still aggravated over losing the girl, “What?!”

Henry opened up the map and laid it across the desk.  It was a standard road map that one would buy from any filling station.  That is, if one were in the Long Horn State.

Bobby bent over the desk and wiped his hands across the paper, “There must be something written on it, maybe it is in invisible ink?  I’ll go get my black light.”  He ran out of the office and down the hall.

Luna, “Is there anything written on the other side?”

Henry held it up and all could see it was just a plain old map.  ”It doesn’t look like it.”