MYSTERY OF THE MOUNTAINS

'THE STOLEN RING'

M.S Abhishek Paul (Publishing, name ALPHIUS WOLFRIC)

It was an ordinary day at Maple High. The usual sounds of children shouting, bells ringing, and the sounds of children climbing up and down the stairs are all familiar here.

But something unusual was supposed to happen. That is the only thing that adds spice to the story, even if it does not even make sense.

So, let's see the story of Samuel Rodrigues Ferguson and his friends, and let's see the unusualness of his story.

CHAPTER 1 MAPLE HIGH

"Oh no, no, no, no, this can't be happening!" exclaimed Jacquelin.

"Whaffs wong?" inquired Willard, his mouth full of bread.

"Will, how many times have I asked you not to talk while your mouth is full?" advised Jacquelin.

"Seven or eight times maybe?" joked Will.

"Hey guys, what's up ?" exclaimed Samuel, joining the conversation.

"We have so many classes, and on Friday, we have two chemistry classes and two biology classes," replied Jacquelin.

"I was expecting something like that to happen," foretold Will.

"It can't be that bad ?" doubted Sam.

"See it for yourself," replied Jack.

"And that's the bell for Math," gasped Jack, beckoning Will and Sam to the stairs.

Once they reached the Math classroom and all the students arrived (which took a lot of time), the class started.

"Good morning, children," greeted Ms. Heather Willkins. "GOOD MORNING, CHILDREN," said Ms. Heather Willkins loudly, since no one noticed that she had arrived.

"Gooooodddd morrrrrnniiiingggg, Mssssssss. HEEEAAAATHHHHERRRR WWWillllLKKKKKKIIIIINNNNNS!" sang the children.

"Yes, yes, class, so can anyone tell me what we were doing in the previous semester?" questioned Ms. Heather Willkins in an impatient tone.

" Since no one is volunteering, Samuel Ferguson can explain to me what we were doing last semester?" questioned Ms. Heather Willkins. Without any clue, Sam rose to tell what he knew not. "Ummm, yes, last semester we were doing...…," the loud sound of the announcer broke off his voice.

"DEAR CHILDREN, SORRY FOR THE INTERRUPTION. THE CHILDREN FROM THE 8TH AND THE 9TH FORMERS ARE REQUESTED TO ASSEMBLE IN THE SCHOOL COMMON HAll IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU,"

'Phhhhewww saved by the announcement,' thought Sam.

"So I guess you'll have to leave now," mumbled Ms. Heather. "Alright, you are permitted to leave; THANK YOU, CLASS! ,"

No one replied as they hurried to the Hall.

When they reached the common hall, Principal Andrew Fernando greeted the students, "GOOD MORNING CHILDREN, IN THE MONTH OF MAY WHICH IS JUST IN 5 DAYS THE STUDENTS OF MAPLE HIGH Will BE GOING TO THE FINNEGAN ISLANDS FOR 2 MONTHS LONG TRIP TO VISIT MOUNT.FINSTER. THE STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED WILL TAKE MEDICAL AND PHYSICAL TESTS BEFORE LEAVING. THE INTERESTED STUDENTS CAN GIVE THEIR NAMES TO Ms. LUCY. GOOD DAY,"

A long line of children was standing at Ms. Lucy's office, giving their names. Once they gave their names, Ms. Lucy took them for their medical tests, and once they had completed it before they even knew it.

Then they attended their physical tests, which were more challenging than they knew. They found the results pinned on the notice board, and Sam, Jack, and Will had passed. But Sam had a problem; the students had to get their parent's or their guardian's signature.

But since Sam was an orphan (orphans stayed at Maple high ), he didn't know what to do. He knew that he would not go on the trip if he did not get his parent's or guardian's signature.

He tried finding any of his distant relatives, but there weren't any whom he knew. He tried checking the school's student registration book to find out about any of his relatives or his parent's friends.

He saw something that made him delighted (nope, definitely not chocolate cake 😉 , but I'd fancy some, yummy ).

"Will! Jack! YOU WILL NOT JUST BELIEVE WHAT I FOUND OUT!" called Sam as he ran through the hallway, dashing people out of his way.

Sam was happy like he never was before. "What's wrong, Sam? When I saw you in Ms. Lucy's office, you looked kinda sad," stated Will.

"I have a long distant uncle who lives in Winston field!" told an excited Sam.

"Umm, why are you telling this to me?" inquired a clueless Will.

Sam had just remembered that he had never told anyone that he was an orphan. "Umm well, you see....," stammered Sam.

"Come on, can you tell us what's wrong?" insisted Jack.

" I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know that I am an orphan," confessed Sam.

A group of students started staring at them like an interesting T.V show. "Really! Why didn't you tell us?" exclaimed Jack. "Yeah, how come you didn't tell us this? Will asked; now the onlookers looked at them weirdly; Sam beckoned them to the common room to escape the onlookers.

" I didn't tell you guys because I thought you'd not be friends with me, 'cause no one was friendly with me when I first arrived," replied Sam, telling the truth at last.

"So you're telling me that you have no clue who your parents are?" queried Will, shocked.

"That is correct," answered Sam.

" Amazing," conveyed Will.

"Umm, that's sad," settled Will, after getting an angry look from Jack.

" So how do you reckon we met your uncle… Ummm, what was his name again?" questioned Jack.

"Jim, and I think I know how," began Sam smiling.

Sam had just realized that everyone in the common room had overheard the conversation and talked in small groups throughout the school. Even when they reached their Biology class, there were many whispers all around the classroom.

" GOOD MORNING CLASS," wished Mr. Reinfeild. " Please copy down the text written on the blackboard. There Will be no need to talk,'' ordered Mr. Reinfeild.

The Circulatory System

The circulatory system consists of the heart, lungs, arteries, veins.

The veins carry the oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

" Samuel, are you sure sentence number 2 is correct?" quoted Mr. Reinfeild kindly.

Sam was thinking about meeting uncle Jim so much, and he had written a vein instead of an artery. " Umm, sorry, sir," said Sam. " It's ok, my dear child, but you seem distracted lately. What is it, my child?" interrogated Mr. Reinfeild.

" It's nothing, sir, headache," lied Sam.

Mr. Reinfeild closed Sam's books and beckoned him out of the classroom, mouthing 'take rest.' Sam went to the common room, confused and thought-full. Madison constantly asked him about his parents; frustrated Sam warned her by leading her to Ms. Lucy's office. Afraid, Madison swore to him that she would get Sam detention. By the time Sam had reached the common room, Will and Jack were already there.

"How'd you guys reach the common room and leave the classroom?" asked Sam, surprised.

" Haven't you realized the class ended 20 minutes ago?" asked Jack, shocked. " I must have lost track of time, I reckon," replied Sam simply.

"Why were you outside Ms. Lucy's office?" asked Will. "I was.. wait, how'd you know I was there?" asked Sam, shocked. "Madison was talking with a group of girls outside the physics lab complaining about you taking her to Ms. Lucy's Office," replied Will.

" That explains it all ….. guy's I found a way to meet uncle Jim, I heard Tony telling Peter about a secret way outside school. It is near Mr. Rienfeild's office, under the portrait of Emmanuel the IV," told Sam.

"We are to leave at night...…," Sam's voice was broken by Jack's and Will's

" What night??? How can we come? My parents would kill me,"

" Alright, how about this weekend in the school's backyard?" Asked Sam. " Now that is a good idea," appreciated Will.

That night Sam had a weird dream. Mr. Rienfeild was talking with a man and a woman. The woman had kind eyes, and the man with a handsome face called him. He was running towards them, and with every step, he took closer to them, they seemed to be moving away, and suddenly, everything changed. A woman with cold eyes appeared; the man and woman were inside what seemed like an ice prison. Then he saw Will drowning in a river calling out for him. He tried saving him, but he was moving away, and suddenly he drowned.

Sam woke up with a start. He wasn't able to understand what the dream meant. He wore his nightdress, took a lamp, went outside the common room, and went straight to the portrait of Emmanuel the IV.

He tried to go there without waking anyone, and he just wanted to meet uncle Jim and know what had happened to his parents. Once he reached the portrait, he tried pushing the wall underneath the picture.

Suddenly the wall started to spin, and it revealed a small passageway through which an adult can move comfortably. Making sure that no one saw him, Sam went inside the passage. As he was going through, he heard footsteps in the tunnel. Sam tried going back with fear, but he turned face to face with Mr. Reinfeild.

" What are you doing here?" asked both of them together.

" I was…. well, anyway, what are you doing here, Samuel?" asked Mr. Reinfeild " Uhh me, well I was Ummm searching for my..... cat," replied Sam.

" Really, and what would your cat be doing here ?" asked Reinfeild. " Umm, well, Alright, I came here to visit my uncle who lives in Winston field to get his signature on my mountain trip form," blabbered Sam, taking it out.

Reinfeild snatched the form from him and signed it.

" There you go. Now I don't want you to be roaming out on your own. Thank goodness," muttered Reinfeild. But Sam had seen something on his form; the signature showed Jim Andrew Reinfeild.

" Hang on, Sir, your signature has my uncle's name... wait, does that mean you're my uncle?"

" What does he mean ' I will tell you when the time comes?' " yelled Sam.

Some of the students near them turned around to see what they were discussing. "Sam, can we discuss it after the class," told Jack, wearily checking why Will's potion exploded.

" Come on guys, you wouldn't know how it feels to be a kid who does not know anything about his family in anyways," sneered Sam, and he knew that he shouldn't have said that; it offended Jack so much that she didn't talk with Sam for the rest of the class.

At the end of the class, Sam went over to Jack and said, " Jack, look, I'm sorry I shouldn't have spoken like that,"

" Sam, we are trying to help you, so Will you give me your word that you Will never shout off your head at us," advised Jack.

" I give you my word," promised Sam, firmly keeping a mental note not to yell at anyone ever again.

" So one more day to go," muttered Veruca to Violet.

" So last day at Maple High," began Sam " Yeah, but I am not sure what to expect at Finnegan Islands," conveyed Will.

" Well, I know what to expect. I read the Finnegan Island tour book; there are many Mountains, but there is one mountain behind Mt. Finnister II. No one has ever explored that mountain, so it is a Mystery mountain," ended Jack.

" From today onwards, the Mountains, sun, and water for two months," told an excited Sam " Mountain climbing for two months," exclaimed Jack " The best part is no classes for two months," joked Will.

Everyone was happy and excited about the trip. Sam was wearing shorts and a shirt which showed sunglasses. Will was wearing a yellow-colored T-shirt and pants which resembled mini-mountains, and he was holding a camera and Binoculars. Jack was wearing Leather pants and a Denim shirt.

" Oh no, I forgot to bring my Sunglasses," cried Will. " I thought you might say something like that, so I took an extra pair of your sunglasses," Piped in Jack " Thanks, Jack, you're a lifesaver; I don't know what I'd do without you," thanked Will.

"Alright, students, 8th Formers get on to bus number 7, 9th formers get on to bus number 10, and 10th formers get on to bus number 2. Thank you," commanded Miss Lucy.

There was a lot of noise and chattering. Once Sam and his friends got onto the bus, Sam sat down at the 8th seat, where 3 of them could sit comfortably.

" Hey, guys, who is sitting there?" asked Sam, he was pointing at a boy wearing glasses, and he was brown and was skinny. He had black eyes and was wearing a blue-colored shirt and shorts, which had the number 99, and he had a tattoo on his hand, but Sam wasn't able to figure out what it was.

" Must be a new boy," guessed Jack. The boy had heard their conversation, and he went and sat at a seat next to them and said, " I'm not new, I am in your class, but you don't seem to know me do you," questioned that boy.

"Umm, sorry," apologized Sam " You don't have to be sorry, anyways I'm Paul, and you must be Samuel, Willard, and Jacquelin," introduced Paul " How do you know our names?" doubted Sam.

" You're fa...…," Paul's voice was broken off by Reinfeild. "That is enough, Paul, go back to your seat," commanded Reinfeild sternly.

" You can't keep anything from him. He Will know the truth soon," Paul said. "That is enough. You are sitting with me," said Reinfield, taking Paul away. " What do you think that Paul wanted to tell us?" asked Will

" Well, my uncle does not want us to know what he wanted to tell," doubted Sam. They had arrived at a harbor where many ferries were tied up, and the environment was so pleasant and sunny.

" Alright, students, all the 8th Formers form a line and get on the boat named 'Queen of the Seas,'" commanded Miss Lucy. Though the boat was named the 'Queen of the Seas,' it looked like it had survived a massive storm. It was old, and something was odd on the boat. ' That symbol, I have seen it somewhere but where ?' thought Sam.

" Uhh, Samuel can you get onto the boat, " asked Simon; Sam was standing at the boat entrance and was blocking everyone's way. " Sorry," apologized Sam, and he got onto the boat. " Alright innit all the students," piped a hoarse voice; it was the captain of the boat.

" Blimey, is it him no way, Prince Arthur," gasped the Captain looking at Sam. He looked around to see if the captain was talking to someone else. "Umm, sir are you talking to me?" interrogated Sam

"I never knew that I would meet you...…," his voice was broken by (Yup, you guessed it ) Reinfeild and Sam weren't pleased to know that it was him. "Sam, go and join your friends,"

sneered Reinfield. "Ugh, seriously, Uncle, first you don't tell me anything, and you stop people from telling things to me; first. you stop Paul.... " that rang a bell; the tattoo he saw on Paul's Hand was on the boat, "Gimme a minute,"

Sam was looking for Paul.

"Guys, did you see Paul,'' Sam to Will and Jack. "Sam, don't you know, Reinfeild sent Paul along with the 9th Formers," replied Will.

'Great, that is all I need now,' thought Sam.

"Well, that solves it all," mumbled Sam.

"Why, what's wrong, Sam?" asked Will and Jack together.

"I saw a tattoo on Paul's Hand. It is the same one that is on the boat," told Sam.

Jack ran towards the end of the boat, returned to them, and opened a book with meanings of certain symbols. "Got it, the Hectorian Symbol of peace is believed to be the emblem on the Ring of Prince Arthur. Certain sources state that the symbol is proof of the long-lost kingdom of Hectoria. The locals believe it to be located behind Mt. Finniston," read Jack.

"So that must be the mountain which was never explored, the captain of the Boat called me Prince Arthur...… so Paul, me, Reinfeild and the captain have something to do with the mountain. Now we know what to do, we've got to find Hectoria," planned Sam.