Part III

Neil didn't believe in my abilities, Eveline's and mine pride was hurt, so she decided to take him to the next treasure hunt. I was just surprised that he neglected that it should be the most famous treasure island in the world. Its fame came not only from the value of everything gathered there but also the count of deaths it had. It liked to take the lives of those who tried to hide something there as well as those who tried to find it. I was still suspicious that there was something more behind that suggestion.

I have noticed that at least my resentment to Neil is shared with the captain. Surprisingly the bodyguard was not part of the crew, because someone said: “You don't need him anymore, now you have me to protect you.” There was also something more that worried me, because I had the impression that some of the men on the deck knew Neil. What happened to you, Eveline? Why don't you see the obvious?

Through the long history of my existence I have never visited that legendary island. First of all it was really far away, so the journey itself wasn't easy, and the stories kept people away, even those who possessed me. Eveline had enough already and was working hard to have this life without relying on treasure hunting, so she wasn’t interested in it. However Neil happened to know a lot about that topic, including the time of the year where getting there was relatively safe and he was right.

I have noticed a slight change in Eveline’s behaviour, it was not getting suspicious or not trusting that bastard suddenly, but she was a bit worried and uncomfortable. She loved to watch the sea during our journeys, because she knew she was perfectly safe. This time I felt how tense she was, like she thought anytime the attack could come from the behind. She was checking what was going on from time to time, as she never did before.

There was a hope rising in me, that maybe this hunt would open her eyes and we would be happy together again. Just us, me and Eveline. I wish that this dream would come true. I knew she would be hurt and in pain for a while, because heartbreak was a tough experience, but I should be enough for her to get through it. My mood lightened up right away, even when only Neil decided to accompany her ashore. I was sure he would make a mistake which would make Eveline repelled. I was really counting on it.

She was reluctant to show me right away, even though Neil was persuading her to do it, in my opinion too aggressively. There and there and there! There were a lot of treasures around so it was hard to actually navigate between them, as I didn't know if we were looking for a specific one or the closest would be fine. The bastard had another idea, he insisted we go to the middle of the island, because according to what he heard, the biggest treasures were always hidden. Ekhem, lies. Most of them were close to the shoreline. There was rarely time to move the chest somewhere far or look for a great cache and what’s more night wasn't the best ally. Also maps treasures were mostly fake, so I won't be modest, I was the best in terms of looking for the treasure.

Eveline had to show me to actually find the treasure.

“Looks inconspicuously,” Neil commented.

Hey, don't look at me like you have rights to me! Eveline is the one who found me. I felt her hands squeezed tighter on me, but she smiled at him after all, in my opinion that wasn't an honest gesture.

They followed my instructions for a while and after many hunts Eveline could notice the slightest change in my eyes, so she didn't have a problem going in the right direction. Someone inexperienced would find the treasure at the end, but it could take much more time, going in circles, especially in a place where the density of valuables was high. I felt like we were looking for something big, but its location felt a bit weird, because at the same time it reminded me of things which were buried in the ground, and not. Eveline couldn’t figure it out, so Neil became a bit mean, again doubting my ability and attacking her pride. I was so angry that I wished I could somehow hit him or at least bring some misery to him. I thought that even my dear Eveline started to observe that over a moment he changed into another person. There was something in his eyes I didn’t like, one second the danger for both me and her, then they were normal for a moment, and again something dark showed up.

“What it’s this?” Neil asked, surprised.

Eveline was focused on watching me and I was focused on watching the bastard, so we were shocked by seeing some kind of building sculpted in the mountainside. I haven’t seen anything like that before, and I saw all kinds of architecture here and there. Whatever the treasure was, it must have been inside that structure. There were semicolumns and weird signs between them. I assumed that was some message in a language we didn’t know. To the entrance led the stone stairs and I knew that Eveline didn't want to go there, like a really bad feeling overwhelmed her heart and didn’t let her move an inch.

“Where should we go?”

“I think the treasure is inside.” She answered reluctantly, so Neil put his arm around her and pushed her to the stairs.

“Is there a problem?” Neil wasn’t worried at all. “Is that little friend of yours not working inside?”

I beg your pardon! I will be working anywhere perfectly fine and Eveline knows it too! From the look she gave him I knew she was sure of it, so she decided to prove it, and asked Neil to organise a light, otherwise she was not going inside and risking a fall or anything.

“Like you wish,” he smiled, but there was something weird in it.

Even though he somehow made a torch even though it was giving more light than I expected. Inside of that building was scary, the corridors were narrow, shadows were frightening and the floor was eaten away by time, so Eveline had trouble walking there. Neil as a man should offer her his hand, she took it, but more as she needed it not like wanted it. My non-existent heart was filled with joy, everything pointed that thing I hoped for could happen. I didn’t know exactly what happened between those two or what put Eveline in that state, but at least she stopped behaving brainlessly. I was so happy and couldn’t wait for the result. With my vivid imagination I saw already how she would kick him out of our house without a single coin. I wanted to see his face then and laughed at him, that he lost the most amazing woman in the whole world to someone who he was thinking of as a mere item. Ha, ha, ha!

Now turn right. We are really close! I just hoped that Eveline remembered the way outside, because surprisingly that building had a complicated structure inside, so we have made a lot of turns already. Soon both Eveline and Neil stopped breathing, overwhelmed by a treasure hidden in one of the rooms, for sure not a vault, because I didn’t see anything reminding me of precautions. All kinds of valuables, money, jewellery, items made of gold and other expensive materials filled the room, not so small almost to the ceiling. Even I had to admit that was impressive.

“I have never seen any treasure like this,” Eveline was smiling at me, thankful for leading her to that point.

“Too bad, it will be the last thing you will see.” Neil's voice scared us.

There was no kindness he used to put in the way he was speaking. Eveline turned around trying to ask what it meant, but she got hit hard in the head, and fell to the ground. Fortunately, still conscious, but she let go of me, so again there was nothing I could do except for begging her to survive this. Neil has a weapon with which he tried to kill Eveline. She was desperately reaching for anything that could help her break free, but with every second it was harder with pushing away the knife at the same time.

“I wish I could spare your life, but I don’t think you would like to cooperate with us and give us your precious figurine deliberately.” Neil was smiling, he didn’t feel sorry at all. “But playing your lover was a nice experience, so I need to give you my thanks for that.”

Come on, Eveline, just a little more! She laid her hand on some kind of metal cup and hit Neil in the head. Maybe it wasn't the strongest one, but enough for her to break free. The bastard's face was covered in blood, so I guessed he was hit more in his forehead. When he got himself together I saw a wound there. You didn't leave me! She just catched me quickly and was running, but the floor and the fear were her enemies. She tripped almost every few steps and got lost, while Neil’s voice was hunting us. It was coming every time from a different direction and distance. When Eveline thought she got a chance, that hope was crushed right away. Keep going, just a little bit more! I wished I could be anyhow a real support for her, help her, but all I could do was to root for her mentally. Everything depends on her luck and will to live. When we first met, she was holding to it so desperately, so I really thought that she would escape. I felt blood on me flowing down her arms from the wounds she got while running away through the labyrinth.

There is it, the light! Eveline we are close, we can do it! We couldn’t in the end. She thought that we got to the entrance we used earlier, but after getting lost, what gave us hope was a false entrance. We almost fell down into the thick jungle, Eveline turned around. She knew there was no way she could escape. Neil already blocked the way we came from.

“I would be surprised if you would just give, so thank you for sharing with me those last, thrilling moments of your life.” Neil was smiling, and I couldn’t look at him.

I was so mad that I hadn't noticed anything suspicious earlier, but even if I did I wouldn't be able to warn Eveline, who was hugging me tightly.

“What is your purpose?” She was calmed, already reconciled with her fate. Oh, my poor Eveline…

“I was just curious how you got to that point in your life and when I know your secret I just want you to give me that figurine of yours. For me it’s no difference to get it now or take it out of your death hands.” He shrugged his shoulders and started to get closer to us, sure that Eveline wouldn’t do anything surprising.

She just looked at me and smiled gratefully for our time together. Then she threw me away into the jungle, so Neil wouldn’t lay his hands on me. Thank you Eveline, I would rather avoid that too. When I was falling down I heard her last scream and I saw her body being dropped to the ground. The sadness overwhelmed me for a moment, I really hoped that we would spend many more years together. I was happy with her and I loved her as much as an item could. You called me your treasure Eveline, too bad you decided to replace me, so it was your fault… At least the time I fell on something soft, again all I could do was just wait, until someone else found me. I have already missed human warmth. Will my cry be heard soon? I am lonely, feeling so lonely here on my own.