Twelve-year-old Tim was having his first sleep out of the year with his four best friends. After they finished eating hot dogs and smores, they walked into Tim’s tent to see who could tell the scariest story. Tim went first.
He put the flashlight under his chin and said a quiet voice, “This is a story of the Tellico Treasure. Long ago, a man named Mel stole fifty-thousand dollars from the Tellico Bank. It was an easy heist. The guard was having his usual ‘snooze’ in the afternoon, and the sheriff was eating lunch at the diner on the other side of town. With Mel waving a gun in everyone’s face in a small bank, it was a quick snatch and run.
“Mel took off in his car and after a short time, the car sputtered to a stopped. He got out of the car and kicked the tire in frustration. He opened the hood, but Mel was no mechanic. He had no idea how to fix a car. All he knew about was adding gas to the tank. Without thinking, he grabbed the bag of money and a flashlight and ran into the forest hoping to find an abandoned cabin.
“The sun was setting, and it was getting dark. Between swatting the biting bugs and sticker bushes he was a bloody mess.”
Tim paused to rub his arms and placed his legs in the sleeping bag. The other boys did the same.
He put the flashlight on his face, narrowed his eyes, and leaned in closer to his friend. They, in turn, leaned closer to the storyteller.
Continuing the story, Tim said, “Mel ran deeper into the forest. The trees became thicker; the day became darker. He continually fell over roots, scraping his hands and knees. The bugs smelled the blood, and they followed Mel like a pack of savage wolves wanting a taste of it.”
A few boys shivered and wrapped the sleeping bag around their shoulders.
“The forest was thick with trees and Mel could no longer run. The flashlight became dimmer and the darkness darker. Mel walked into a tree, and when he shined the flashlight on the tree, it looked like a screaming human face. He moved his flashlight to other trees and they all seemed to have human features. He shook his head and shuddered. Mel heard a noise behind him and started walking until he found a hollowed tree. He slid into the tree and waited. His flashlight died, and he tried shaking it. It would not turn on.”
Tim turned his flashlight off and whispered, “Mel no longer heard the noise following him and was about to leave the tree when he realized he couldn’t move his feet. The bark was slowly attaching itself to Mel. He started screaming someone help me.”
When Tim raised his voice to shout those words, the boys around him jumped as if they could hear poor Mel trying to call for help.
“Poor Mel kept screaming for help until the tree claimed his whole body and covered it with bark.”
Tim turned the flashlight on. “If you find the right tree, you can find the Tellico Treasure.”
Twelve-year-old Tim was having his first sleep out of the year with his four best friends. After they finished eating hot dogs and smores, they walked into Tim’s tent to see who could tell the scariest story. Tim went first.
He put the flashlight under his chin and said a quiet voice, “This is a story of the Tellico Treasure. Long ago, a man named Mel stole fifty-thousand dollars from the Tellico Bank. It was an easy heist. The guard was having his usual ‘snooze’ in the afternoon, and the sheriff was eating lunch at the diner on the other side of town. With Mel waving a gun in everyone’s face in a small bank, it was a quick snatch and run.
“Mel took off in his car and after a short time, the car sputtered to a stopped. He got out of the car and kicked the tire in frustration. He opened the hood, but Mel was no mechanic. He had no idea how to fix a car. All he knew about was adding gas to the tank. Without thinking, he grabbed the bag of money and a flashlight and ran into the forest hoping to find an abandoned cabin.
“The sun was setting, and it was getting dark. Between swatting the biting bugs and sticker bushes he was a bloody mess.”
Tim paused to rub his arms and placed his legs in the sleeping bag. The other boys did the same.
He put the flashlight on his face, narrowed his eyes, and leaned in closer to his friend. They, in turn, leaned closer to the storyteller.
Continuing the story, Tim said, “Mel ran deeper into the forest. The trees became thicker; the day became darker. He continually fell over roots, scraping his hands and knees. The bugs smelled the blood, and they followed Mel like a pack of savage wolves wanting a taste of it.”
A few boys shivered and wrapped the sleeping bag around their shoulders.
“The forest was thick with trees and Mel could no longer run. The flashlight became dimmer and the darkness darker. Mel walked into a tree, and when he shined the flashlight on the tree, it looked like a screaming human face. He moved his flashlight to other trees and they all seemed to have human features. He shook his head and shuddered. Mel heard a noise behind him and started walking until he found a hollowed tree. He slid into the tree and waited. His flashlight died, and he tried shaking it. It would not turn on.”
Tim turned his flashlight off and whispered, “Mel no longer heard the noise following him and was about to leave the tree when he realized he couldn’t move his feet. The bark was slowly attaching itself to Mel. He started screaming someone help me.”
When Tim raised his voice to shout those words, the boys around him jumped as
if they could hear poor Mel trying to call for help.
“Poor Mel kept screaming for help until the tree claimed his whole body and
covered it with bark.”
Tim turned the flashlight on. “If you find the right tree, you can find the
Tellico Treasure.”
