The Treasure of Milky Lake

The Treasure of Milky Lake

By:

Ashad Mukadam

Published 2017 by Ashad Mukadam in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

All rights reserved

ALSO BY ASHAD MUKADAM

Kicking from Beyond the 40

Journey Through the Video Game World

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ashad Mukadam was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and he still makes this city his home with his parents, Nizar and Nasim, and his brother, Ayuz.  After finishing high school in June of 2001, he went on to the University of Calgary in September of that year, where he finished his Bachelor of Commerce degree in 2005 with a major in Management Information Systems.  He worked in the IT field for a while, but realized that he enjoyed writing.  His passion for writing led him to return to school in September of 2008, where he attended the University of Calgary.  He finished his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications Studies, With Distinction, in April of 2010, and graduated in June of that year.  After he finished, he took some time to volunteer with CJSW and The Gauntlet to help him prepare for the world of journalism, while he also helped out as a blogger for the Ismaili Soccer League to help him improve his blogging and writing skills.  From September 2012 to May 2013, he worked in different positions, being a marketer for a fitness company from September to November 2012, and a freelance journalist for various publications around Southern Alberta from October 2012 to May 2013.  Also, from April 2013 to July 2014, he tried his hand at a database development and consulting business, but decided to end that because he just wasn’t interested in returning to the IT field, especially the programming aspects of it.  Now, he is focused full-time on his writing, specifically on writing books, and his photography business.

This is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner.  Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

The Treasure of Milky Lake

1st Electronic Edition (ePub)

© 2017 Ashad Mukadam

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.  For permission requests, please write to the author via the email addresses provided at the website below, with the subject line Attention: Permission Requests.

Ashad Mukadam

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

http://ashadmukadam.wordpress.com

ISBN: 978-0-9938038-2-6

Editing by Ayuz Mukadam and Ashad Mukadam

To my parents, Nizar and Nasim, and my brother, Ayuz

CHAPTER ONE

It was June 23, 2015 at Retti Elementary School in Reindeer Falls, and the final bell of the school year had just gone off.  Billy Barber, Sarlene Thorus, and Carl Woodson, all friends since kindergarten, quickly jumped out of their seats, excited to start summer vacation.  This past school year was the first time that all three had not been in the same class together.  While Billy and Sarlene were in the same class, Carl had been in a different one for their Grade 5 year.  All three had lived in Reindeer Falls since they were born.  The city was located in a hilly area along a major highway, situated three hours south of the provincial capital of Terellise.  And all of those that called this city home felt blessed to call it home.  It was a friendly, quiet, and community-centred town.

When Billy, Sarlene, and Carl got out into the school yard, they stood around talking, as Billy had to wait for his younger brother Kyle, who was three years younger than him, while Carl had to wait for his sister Karlee, who was a year younger than him.  Sarlene had two older brothers, Luke, who was 12 and had just finished Grade 7, and Petros, who was 15 and had just finished Junior High.  All three eagerly spoke about their upcoming vacation to Milky Lake in two weeks, and how, by coincidence, they would all be there together at the same time.  It was also going to be the first time ever that they were all going to be on vacation together.  I can’t believe how lucky we are this year! Billy exclaimed.

I know!  How cool is that?! Sarlene replied.  "This year’s vacation is going to be awesome!"

What should we do first? Carl asked.  Go-karting?  Go to the amusement park?  Head to the batting cages?  Travel around the woods?

Maybe we should wait until we get there, Billy said.

Billy was known by his friends to be very logical and pragmatic.  He then added, That way, in case our parents can’t take us to some of those places, or they don’t let us go into the woods, we don’t get disappointed.

That’s a good idea! Sarlene said, rolling her eyes.  "After all, my mom would never approve of me going to the batting cages!  As it is, she’s worried about me not acting ‘girly’ enough for her!  And some of those rides in the amusement park?  She’d have a fit!  Heck, she’s worried about what I’m going become like just because I’m not into boys right now!"

Still?! Billy asked her.  I thought that she had finally left you alone and would let you have fun for once!

Yeah, you would think, Sarlene said.  "She still thinks all girls should act and dress ‘like girls.’  I thought that after meeting some of our teachers that she would have seen that not everyone fits into her perfect mold!  She’s always after me about how short my hair is because she doesn’t think it looks girly enough.  She doesn’t accept the fact that I like keeping my hair short because it’s so easy to maintain!"

Remember how annoyed she was that one time at your hockey game when she saw you hitting the other boys.  And how mad she got when they were body checking you in return? Carl asked.

Oh, don’t get me started! Sarlene responded, now visibly frustrated.  "I remember how she then looked at Petros and said to him, ‘This is all your fault, Petros!  You’re the reason why Sarlene’s not acting like a proper girl!’"

All Billy and Carl could do was laugh.  "Yeah, that was classic!" Carl said.

Anyway, can we just go back to talking about what we’re going to do at Milky Lake, please? Sarlene said, annoyed that somehow the discussion had shifted to how her mother was constantly criticizing her.  I think that we have talked enough about my mom!

Okay, okay, Billy said, laughing at her reaction.  So, if we are allowed go into the woods, where should we go?  And how far should we go?

Not too far, Carl said.  We don’t want to get lost in the woods.  But, we could go to that clearing just off of the main trail.

Carl’s friends all knew him to be a very cautions boy.  And, they would all agree that he would not do anything to put anyone in danger.  That sounds like a great idea! Sarlene said.  "But, I still wonder, did we luck out this year or what?  If you think about it, we’ve never all been at Milky Lake at the same time!  Or even on vacation together!  Do you think that our parents coordinated this whole trip?"

I doubt it, Billy said.  If they had, they certainly would have told Kyle and I about it.

Yeah, I don’t think it was intentional either, Carl said.  Just a good coincidence.

Well, I guess you’re right, Sarlene said.  My parents certainly didn’t bring it up.

Don’t you usually go to either a hockey camp or a volleyball camp in July? Billy asked.

Yeah, usually, Sarlene said.  But this year, both camps were booked solid by January, before we even had a chance to inquire.

Really?!  Aren’t there usually still a few spots available at this time? Billy asked, surprised that the camps were fully booked so early.

Usually, there are, Sarlene replied.

So, what happened this year that they were full so early? Carl asked.

They told us that there was higher demand this year, Sarlene replied.  Why, I don’t know.  But, I can’t lie —  it will be nice to have the whole summer off this year.  It’ll be relaxing, that’s for sure.  Usually, I only get about a month off after the camps are finished.

I’m surprised your mom didn’t use this as an opportunity to enter you in a pageant or sign you up for a girls camp, or something like that, Billy said as he started to laugh.  "Those are definitely ‘girly’ things that your mom would like you to do!"

"Believe it or not, my mom actually hates those things more than me being in sports," Sarlene said.

What?!  Are you serious?! Billy and Carl said in unison, shocked at this revelation.

Yeah, Sarlene said.  With the girls camps, she’s really concerned about what kind of bad influences the other girls who attend might be on me.  And with the pageants, she just doesn’t want to have to deal with the other mothers.  She’s seen how they can behave.

Wow, Carl said, still in shock.  "I knew she was protective you and your brothers, but I didn’t know she could go that far!"

"Okay, Carl, then how is it you’re going to be on vacation so early? Sarlene said, finally having enough of talking about her mom.  I know Karlee doesn’t go to any camps because she’s not interested.  But, aren’t you usually in a camp or something right after school finishes?"

Yeah, I am, Carl replied.  But this year, none of the camps available were of any interest to me.

Well, at least you get the whole summer to relax, Billy said.

I know.  I’m going to enjoy it, Carl said.  Like Sarlene, I also tend to only have about a month off after camps are over.  So, this summer will be nice.

Say, what about your brothers? Billy then asked Sarlene, realizing that Luke and Petros weren’t going to be in camps either.  Don’t they usually go to some sort of camp?

They do, Sarlene replied.  "But, this year they didn’t want to do anything like that.  I specifically remember Petros saying, ‘I want a full summer off for a change.  I’ve been to enough camps that I deserve to relax for the entire summer this year.’"

Just then, Kyle and Karlee came running towards the other three.  It sure took you long enough, Kyle, Billy said.  What happened?

The teacher was mean! Kyle replied.  "She made us sit in our chairs even though