Archives at Zinester: Starfish: Crazy Snake, Pamela Jenkins & Loren Moore. Starfish:. Writing

Pamela writes:

It was a pretty, spring day. Loren was sitting at his computer with little fox laying next to his feet. He was writing a story to send to his friends when his concentration was interrupted by the telephone ringing. "Hello," Loren said.

"Hey, Loren, are you ready for an adventure?" asked his friend Pamela. "i've got two words for you: crazy snake."

"Crazy who?" asked Loren, not quite sure what he was about to get into.

"Crazy snake. He was a full blood Indian who lived back in the early 1900's and led the rebellion of the creek Indians up in this country. He was quite a leader. There's a rumor that before he died, he buried his wealth near his old homestead close to here. A lot of people have looked for it, but nobody's found a trace. I've been talking to some of the local settlers around here and I think I may have an idea where to start looking."

Loren didn't have to be asked twice. Hunting for buried treasure sounded like a fun way to spend a day. Out in the sunshine with a nice breeze blowing through, listening to the birds singing and investigating an old homestead rich in history...

What could go wrong with that?

Loren writes:

???Sounds good to me, give me thirty minutes to finish what I??™m doing and I??™ll come running. You say he buried his wealth, so I guess I better bring a shovel. No, make that two shovels. If there is going to be some digging your going to have to do your share, after all this is your idea.???

???by the way, what kind of wealth could an Indian have back in 1900? I don??™t recall anything about gold being discovered in Oklahoma. Never mind, you can answer all my questions when we get together.???

Loren hung up the phone and turned back to his computer. Now where was i, he thought. Crazy snake, that sound like a crazy name for a man, Indian or not. I wonder if we??™re likely to stumble across any of his siblings, so to speak. I think I??™ll take my .22 pistol, just in case. Oh, the heck with this story, I can??™t concentrate now. I??™ll finish it when I get back.

Pamela writes:

In no time at all, Loren was knocking on Pamela's front door. She was ready with a backpack and a canteen of water. "we're going to a pretty wild part of the country called tiger mountain. The land is rough and there are lots of blackjack and post oak trees. Rocks, too. This is where crazy snake grew up and he probably ran all over these hills as a boy."

As they drove down the dirt road, Pamela gave directions. Loren finally pulled over to the side of the road and parked in the shade of a hickory tree.

"just over that hill is the old homestead. It burnt down about 1909, but the old fireplace and chimney are still standing. Loren, now is the time to use your imagination. Try to see this area as a young boy would. I have a feeling that crazy snake would have checked out every inch of these woods when he was playing with his friends. He would remember a secret hiding place years later when he was grown and needed to hide something special."

Loren and Pamela picked up their shovels, backpack and canteen and started walking through the tall grass and brush. They followed an old trail up the side of the hill, easing around boulders and brushing away gnats. In a few minutes they stepped into an overgrown clearing. The place was quiet. Too quiet. And then...

"Did you hear that?" whispered Pamela, eyes wide with surprise.

Loren writes:

???it sounds like someone digging in the dirt. Do you think someone else has the same idea as you about where this treasure is???? Loren took Pam by the hand and led her through the brush toward the sounds.

As they got nearer they could see the old rock chimney sticking up above the brush. About that time the sounds of shoveling stopped. Loren and Pam stood still for several minutes listening for any more sounds, but heard nothing.

They crept up to the chimney, but there was no one there. They could see where someone had been digging, but they had left.

???Now who do you suppose that was and why did they sneak off like that???? Loren asked Pam. Loren sat down on a big rock, unwrapped a piece of chewing gum and plopped it in his mouth. He held out the package of gum to Pam, but she shook her head no.

Pam yelled, ???Loren, look out!???

Pamela writes:

Loren turned around in time to see a large, bearded man step out from behind the old chimney. He was holding a shovel in his hands and ready to swing it like a baseball bat at Loren??™s head. Loren stood up and raised his own shovel and blocked him. Then before the bearded man could recover, Loren punched him in the stomach with the shovel handle, then crowned him on the head. The man dropped like a sack of potatoes.

Loren wiped the sweat from his brow and asked, "Now, what do you suppose that was about?"

Pamela didn't have an answer for his question. She just turned to her backpack and pulled out a length of rope. "I guess we'd better tie this fellow up until we can get some answers," she said. "no sense letting him lay there until he wakes up and decides to go for round 2."

They soon had the man tied hand and foot, and propped up against the shaded side of the chimney. His head lolled to the side and he snored heavily.

"Let??™s have a look around this place," said Pamela, "and see if we can get an idea about what he was doing here."

Loren writes:

Loren bent down and took the man??™s billfold out of his pocket, to look for some identification. He found a drivers license with the name of rainwater on it. He showed it to Pam and asked her if she had ever heard of him.

Pam answered ???well the name is vaguely familiar, but I can??™t place it right now. Do you suppose he was looking for the same thing we are????

???Well he was here at the old chimney and he was digging. What else can we think, Pam. But why would he attack us like that????

Just then the old man groaned and opened his eyes.

Pam said, ???Let??™s ask him.???

Pamela writes:

"Well sir, what do you have to say for yourself?" Pamela asked the man sitting on the ground.

With a moan, he looked up at her and Loren and answered, "you people are in a heap of trouble, I guess you know that."

Loren said, "Well, from where I??™m standing, it looks like we're the ones holding all the cards. So why don't you just tell us what you're doing here around ol' crazy snake's cabin. Are you lookin' for treasure, too?"

"Treasure?" the man asked. "ain't no treasure around here. I??™m with the drug task force and I??™m working a case. I??™m out here tearing out booby-traps so no one gets hurt. Now, do you mind explaining what you two are doing out here at this old cabin?"

"Uh oh," Pamela and Loren both muttered at the same time.

"uh, now I remember where I??™ve seen him before," said Pamela. "this is detective rainwater. Didn't recognize him with the beard. I guess we'd better untie him." She bent down to look in the man's eyes and said, "we're real sorry about what happened. Is there anything we can do to help you out?"

Loren writes:

Yes you can start by untying me, you blooming idiots. Then you can tell me what you??™re doing out here on tiger mountain. Who are you any way?

Pam untied Mr. Rainwater and Loren handed him back his billfold. Loren looked at Pam like he expected her to explain why they were out there. After all this was her idea.

Loren sat back down on that big rock and took a red bandana out of his back pocket and wiped the sweat off his forehead. Pam explained who they were and what they were doing.

???why would any one put booby-traps out here,??? Loren asked ???and why did you attack me with that shovel like that????

Pamela writes:

Rainwater explained, "we arrested five people yesterday just beyond that ridge. There's a large plot of marijuana plants about half a mile from here. Those folks were using this old abandoned homestead as a meeting place for selling the stuff. I was about to finish disarming the last booby trap when you two stumbled upon me. I thought you were more of the same gang and I was going to have to tackle both of you by myself."

After talking a few more minutes, everyone calmed down and Pamela pulled some ham sandwiches out of her backpack. "Here, Loren, I made a peanut butter sandwich for you," she said. Everyone sat around in the shade of the big tree beside the chimney and ate their sandwiches.

Rainwater had some interesting things to add to the story about crazy snake's cache. "There??™s talk of some old caves down by the river west of here. You might try looking there. Just watch out for the rattlesnakes. Even the little pygmy rattlers are dangerous." as he stood up and brushed away the crumbs, he added, "oh yeah, and watch out for the wild hogs, too. And the lions. This is rough country. Are you sure you folks aren't crazy yourselves?"

Loren writes:

???Well Pam, what do you think? Do you want to go to the caves???? ???i don??™t know Loren, what do you think???? ???Pam I think your going whether I go or not. So let??™s get started.???

When they got to the river they parked the pickup and started walking along the bank. ???wait a minute Pam. I want to go back to the pickup and get my .22 pistol. I??™m going to carry it with us this time.??? Loren slipped his holster on his belt and put his pistol in it. Then he caught up with Pam and they started on down the river bank.

After they had walked a couple hundred yards, they saw a cave in the side of the river bank. Pam ran ahead and started climbing the bank toward the cave. The bank was slippery with mud and Pam slipped down on her butt and slid all the way back down to Loren??™s feet.

Loren reached down and picked her up and set her on her feet. He didn??™t say a word but he had this big grin on his face. ???Ok buster, let??™s see you climb that bank??? Pam shouted as she tried to wipe the mud off her jeans.

Loren said, ???You??™re the one that wanted to look in the caves, not me. But if you insist hand me that shovel.??? Loren dug steps into the bank leading up to the cave.

When they got to the mouth of the cave Pam reached into her backpack and took out a flashlight. The cave was only about eight feet deep and didn??™t look like much of a cave so they didn??™t go in. They climbed back down to the path along the edge of the river and continued on.

Pamela writes;

They had walked about a mile along the winding river when loren pointed to some tracks on the ground. "Looks like bobcat tracks. Let's follow them. Bobcats like to den, so maybe this will lead somewhere."

With Loren in the lead and Pamela walking behind, since she didn't know anything about following tracks, they started off through the thick brush that grew along the river's banks. Within a few minutes the trail led to a mass of tangled vines growing up the side of a steep bank. Parting the leaves, Loren said, "well, look here. I think we've found another cave."

Pamela got out her flashlight again and shined the light into the opening. "it seems to go back quite a ways. Should we go in there?"

Loren said, "You first."

Crouching down, they made their way through the shallow opening into a larger room beyond. The floor of the cave was damp and water dripped from the top.

"Seems like a nice hiding place. I??™ll bet this has been here for hundreds of years. Look! There are markings on the walls..."

Loren writes:

???Where? Shine your light back on them, pam. What are they? Let me get closer, so I can see them better. Oh!???

???What??™s wrong Loren????

???I just bumped my head on the ceiling. It gets lower over here at the side. I don??™t know what these marks are. Do you? Let??™s look further back in the cave and see if there are any more marks.???

They continued on back until the cave took a curve to the right. When they rounded the curve they saw that the cave split and one branch went straight on and the other went off to the right.

???Well Pam, which tunnel do you want to follow????

???Let??™s follow this one??? she said as she shined her flashlight down the tunnel to the right. She stepped in to the tunnel and started walking, but her foot slipped in the mud and she dropped the flashlight. When it hit the ground it went out.

???Boy it sure is dark in here??? Loren said as he dropped down to his knees and felt around for the flashlight. ???ah, here it is. But it won??™t turn on. The bulb must have broken when it hit the ground. Now what are we going to do Pam.???

Pamela writes;

Pamela said, "You know, Loren, I??™m not too crazy about this idea of treasure hunting now. I don't want any bats in my hair."

"Bats?" asked Loren and he worked with the flashlight. "Who said anything about bats?"

"all these caves around here have bats in them. I don't think they're the blood-sucking kind, but bats are bats when they're tangled in your hair."

"Which way is the way out of here?" asked Loren. "I??™m all turned around now."

"I think it's this way," Pamela said as she moved along the cave wall, feeling her way. "

Ugh! This wall is slimy and damp. Ooph!" Loren heard a thud as Pamela fell over something on the floor of the cave. There was just enough light from the cave entrance for Loren to make out the shape of a metal box.

While Pamela got to her feet and brushed off yet more mud from her clothes, Loren grabbed a handle on the box and started tugging it toward daylight. "Let??™s get a closer look at this," he said.

Loren writes:

???I??™m glad I got a burr hair cut. My hair is to short for a bat to get in it??? Loren said as he carried the box out of the cave.

???Loren, set the box down here and open it. I want to see what kind of treasure we??™ve found.???

???Pam, this can??™t be crazy snake??™s treasure. This box is not old enough. Besides it has a lock on it, I can??™t open it.???

???Oh, men! Sometimes you are so helpless. Get out of the way, Loren.???

Pam took a hair pin out of her hair and bent over the lock. In no time she had the lock open. ???There, now open the box and let??™s see what??™s in it.???

Loren took the lock out of the hasp and opened the lid. ???man! Will you look at that???? The box was full of plastic bags of marijuana.

???We found a treasure, alright, Pam. But it??™s not the treasure we were looking for. What are we going to do with this stuff????

Just then they heard voices down by the river and who ever it was, they were coming this way.

Pamela writes;

Pamela stood up on her tiptoes and peered through the brush. Then she yelled, "hey, over here!" and started waving her arms.

Loren ducked and whispered, "What in Sam Hill are you doing?"

Pamela just whistled and shouted more. The people were coming closer. Loren could hear them moving through the underbrush, snapping limbs and making noise. They seemed to be moving faster.

Then Loren saw rainwater's face and knew he wasn't about to be shot over stealing someone's marijuana stash. "Thanks for just about giving me a heart attack," he mumbled.

Rainwater and the other deputies were thrilled to be able to find where the culprits had been storing their drugs. Inside the cave they found several more boxes along with some guns and survival supplies.

Pamela and Loren never did find crazy snake's treasure, but they did get a nice reward for helping with the drug bust. "that was awful nice of them to give us a reward," said Pamela. "After all, we really just blundered into the whole thing. Hey, Loren, what are you planning on doing with your part of the money?"

Loren writes:

???Pam, I??™m going home and write myself a note to never go treasure hunting with you again. Then I??™m going to paste that note on my refrigerator door so I will see it each time I open my refrigerator. Next I??™ll buy me a giant bottle of aspirin, take four of them and go to bed.??™

???Pam, don??™t call me, I??™ll call you. Bye.???

*****

Pamela Jenkins and Loren Moore