Aim to Engage 2023

6 X Marks the Spot

"Careful, don't wiggle those plexiglass plates," I warned Warren. His brother Parker pulled his hand away from worktop counter where my double great grandfather's rotting treasure map was drying. I put it between the sturdy clear plastic plates to protect what was left of it. I had to piece it together like a jigsaw, when I found it in with other papers in a file my father designated as important. It was the last one in the drawer under his computer desk.

"Are you guys up for this?" I asked.

"I'll keep your sorry ass from running aground," Warren growled.

"Hell, he left her a treasure map and a beauty of a sailboat." Parker kicked his brother before he continued. "We're going to help you follow the dots and arrows on here. It's got to match islands out on Chesapeake Bay. There's always one or two no one ever bothers to anchor at anymore."

"I found a deed in there too. I wonder why Dad never told us about it. Checked it out with Land Registries, and they say it legit belongs to me now. I just have to bring a copy of his will in to get the deed put in my name."

"Do you think this is the real thing?" Warren asked. A heavy sarcastic drawl added weight to his question.

I ran my finger under the words in faded brown ink on the sepia scraps of paper. Fountain of Youth. "Who knows. We'll head out on Saturday."

>>>>>>>>>>>>

We finished loading our supplies onto my thirty foot catamaran, Maybe, and hauled in the anchor. Warren started the fifty horsepower motor to manoeuvre us away from the dock before Parker hoisted the mainsail and I unfurled the jib,

"We've got a great breeze. Perfect for newbie sailors." Warren said. "Show me the map again?"

I put the framed yellowish brown guide down in front of him, and he checked it against the glass computer screen glowing beside the rudder.

"Exactly what I thought. See, it's behind Crook Island and Bray Isle. We sail between them and there's an unnamed smaller one back there. What does the Land Titles Office have it down as?"

"Just a set of GPS coordinates and a survey map. They say I can name if I want to."

"Neat Cara. Not many people have that privilege anymore." Parker commented.

The brothers were both taller than me. Warren was a month younger than me and Parker was two years younger. We've been friends since we were kids, and now that I'm back in Dad's house, I was their neighbor again.

"It's going to take a few hours to get out there. Great gear you have in here. Nice to know the depth under us. I was worried about running aground." Warren said.

The sails snapped full. My heart skipped a beat as the boat heeled over, and one of the hulls lifted till it was almost out of the water. Sailing was still a thrill, not at all like the speed boat I was used too.

"Okay lower the sail, Parker. We're here. We'll use the motor to get closer to the shore. You furl the jib Cara. Great job tacking. You're getting the hang of this."

Warren's words reminded me of my last sail with Dad.

We worked our way into a tree-lined cove, and to my surprise, discovered a weathered grey dock in the center. Tying up to one of the poles, I hopped onto the center of the floating boards. This was in better shape than I thought.

Parker took the stern line and tied it to the other balustrade.

"Come, on!" I had the map out, and I knew we were in the right place. Following the path up from the beach toward the trees, I started to jog. The guys would catch up with me.

I slid to a stop when the A-frame chalet style cabin appeared as I skirted the last dune. I had no idea there was a house out here. The dots on the map went around it and into a meadow.

I heard the water gurgling as I climbed a small grass covered hill and stopped to take a deep breath. The X was right there on the other side.

Parker took a couple steps past me and turned around. "Are you ready to find out what it is?"

"Are we ready to find the fountain of youth? I mean, there are people out there who would kill for it."

"If it's for real, sure." Warren caught up with us and agreed with me.

The guys stood on either side of me and put their arms around my shoulders. I threaded my arms around their waists, and we continued to walk up the hill.

When I peeked over the tall wispy grass seed heads, I started to laugh. Great-great-grandfather Carl Richard Creedman had us all in a dither.

The spring trickled out of the side of a sandstone crag, all along both edges, statues of naked children frolicked in the water.

When Warren caught his breath as our giggle fit calmed down, he said exactly what I was thinking.

"Well, it is a fountain of youth, so to speak."

I nodded. "I'm going to live out here, at least on the weekends. I don't see why Dad never bothered to show it to me. He must have known."

"Me too?" Parker asked. "I know Warren would disappear to this place every chance he gets."

"Sure, and I figured out what I'm going to name this place."

"Well?" Warren prompted.

"Creedman Island, and the little bay with the dock? Joker Cove."