Just a short-unfinished story

Buried 

          T r e a s u r e 

E L E N A   D E N V E R

Hi everyone, this is just a short story that I probably won't finish. But just for fun i'm posting it on here. It's supposed to be adventure and comedy, but I never got to the main part of the story.

Chapter One

Cambri set down her bag and plopped down on the old sofa. “What a day!” She exclaimed exhaustingly. She rubbed her forehead wearily, just counting down the seconds before Nicholas should run in the door, home from school.

“1, 2, 3—”

“School break!” Nicholas pounced on the sofa and repeatedly jumped up and down still yelling.

“Nicholas, would you quiet down for a minute? I had a hard time from work.” Cambri frowned at the thought.

“You got fired, right?” Came Nicholas’ cheerful-over-anything voice.

“How on earth, did you find out?”

“At school. Samantha Gingers found out and she’s done nothin’ but yak about it all day.” Nicholas held in a laugh. “The whole school knows!”

Cambri laid her head back on the arm rest, her hands hiding her face. “Great. Out of everyone in the community, Samantha found out first!” Cambri blew her blonde hair from blocking her eyes. I should have never got bangs. She complained. Cambri sat up and went to the kitchen. She looked in each cabinet for food. “Nicky, you hungry?” She hollered from across the room.

“Yeah, a bit. But we don’t have anything…do we…”

Cambri turned to face him. “Who told you that?”

Nicholas hesitated. “Samantha.”

Cambri shrugged her shoulders. “Can’t say I’m surprised. But Nicky—”

Nicholas paused from going down the hall. “Yeah?”

“Don’t believe what that Samantha says. She only thinks we’re poor, just because she’s engaged to a wealthy man. But that doesn’t mean anything, understand?”

Nicholas nodded. “Yeah, sure.” 

Cambri sighed. Without Mom and Dad, life had been so hard. Cambri and her brother had moved into a small house, barely being able to pay the rent. Cambri had to use up her college money, because of the situation. Mom and Dad had both died in a car accident when Nicholas was five. Three years had gone by, where Cambri was the only provider. Besides some great-great uncle they hardly knew. But they hadn’t heard from him for years. 

Cambri pushed the bad memories out of her head. She had to move on. 

She looked at the coupon for Raman’s Pizza Pies. 

“Only ten dollars.” She whispered. It was tempting, but as a substitute for a parent, Cambri couldn’t only think about what they wanted to eat, but what they could afford. And right now, saving was the only thing they could do.

“Hey, Nicholas, do you want spaghetti, or…” Cambri searched the cabinet. “Spaghetti.” She finished.

Cambri poured the small box of angel hair in the pot and turned the stove up. While she waited for the water to boil, Cambri took a seat at the table. “What am I gonna do for a job?” She wondered aloud.

She looked at the newspaper before her. 

Celebrating the Grand Opening of

TIDLEY’S RESTAURNT 

Waitresses needed

Cambri held the paper in her hands. “A job as a waitress in a fancy restaurant doesn’t sound too bad.”

Chapter Two

Cambri fell asleep at the counter, the paper still in her hands. Suddenly, she woke to a light bubbling sound. “Oh, no, the water!” Cambri rushed up and before you could say “disaster” there was boiling hot water all over the floor and all over Cambri.

“Ahh!!” She stomped her feet and quickly ran her red hands over cold water. 

“Well, there goes dinner.”

The morning sun peeked over the houses and lighted up the neighborhood. This was the day that Cambri wanted to try to apply for the job at Tidley’s Restaurant. 

She left a note on the counter saying,

Dear Nicky,

I’m sorry that I won’t have time to pack you lunch today. Here’s some money for the cafeteria.

—Cammy 

It was quite some time later, that Nicholas found the note. He squinted to see the words. “Cafeteria? She knows I’m on school break.”

Cambri looked at the clock. “No, No, No, I’m running late!” She hopped in the car and twisted the keys in place. Nothing. She took them out and tried again. Still nothing. “Out of all the days to be late! What am I gonna do?” Cambri looked around. She spotted Nicholas’ bike.

“That’ll have to do.”

Nicholas looked around the house. “She’s never left me home before. But I’m eight now, so I guess I’m practically a grown-up.”

Beep! Beep! Cars zoomed past on the highway, honking and missing Cambri on Nicholas’ bike by an inch. “This was a bad ideaaaaa!”

Zoom!

Dorthy Jones looked out her kitchen window and spotted Cambri. “What on earth is she doing?” She quickly got her binoculars to get a closer look. “Howard, look at this. Some lady—wait a minute, that’s Cambri Carthway!” 

Nicholas looked out the window. “The car’s still here. I wonder why. Hmm…this needs a detective’s work.”

Finally, Cambri arrived, out of breath. She noticed all the people nearby staring at her. But right now, Cambri really just didn’t care.

Cambri parked the bike and went inside. She went to a man behind a desk. “Excuse me, but where can I apply for the job?”

“The job?” The man looked at her, like she was dumb.

“Yeah. The job. You’s have posters all over town, saying that waitresses are needed.”

The man looked at papers by his desk and kept wounding his tongue around his mouth. It was annoying.

“I’m sorry, Miss, but there seems to be a mistake. We don’t need any waitresses.”

“But the posters—” 

“That was yesterday. Now it is today. Bye bye.”

“But sir—”

“I’m so very sorry, but we have no use of you. I’m afraid you are going to have to dispose of yourself. Quickly.”

Cambri wanted to scream. I came all this way on my little brother’s bike, just to be turned down?

Cambri suddenly heard yelling. 

“Out! Out! Out! Fired! You are fired!” 

A waitress ran out crying. 

The man behind the desk rolled his eyes. “You got the job.”

Cambri was given a uniform and told directly what to do. The restaurant was beautiful. It had marble floors and glass statues of the owner. The one in charge seemed to be very wealthy.

This was the moment where Cambri was to meet the owner.

Cambri was so nervous. Never before, had she a job that was this fancy.

Suddenly, the doors burst open and out came a short, stubby. French man. He hollered in French to the servants and then inspected Cambri. 

“Bonjour Mademoiselle, my name is Tidley De La Fontaine. I own this place, as you see. Everything here is to be perfecto, in place, and then voila! It will be a masterpiece.”

His accent was so strong, Cambri almost laughed. Tidley? What kind of a name is that? Samantha had a kitten named Tidley, but…

“Girl! Are you even listening?”

“Uh, yes, yes, of course. Of course. Sir.”

Tidley looked up at her and wore a disgusted expression. “If anything goes wrong—” He snapped his fingers. “You will be fired.”

“Understood. Tidley.”

“It’s Monsieur Fontaine, to you.”  

“Oh, right. Of course.” Cambri smiled sheepishly.

She rode back on the bike contently. “Well, that wasn’t so bad for a change.” She looked away only for a minute and then—

“Get outta the way!!”

Honk!!!

“Ahh!” Cambri steered the bike right and pulled over in a small patch of grass.

“Lady, are you crazy?” A man pulled over in a shiny red car next to her. He seemed to be young. “You almost got yourself killed!”

Cambri panted, trying to catch her breath. When she looked up, the man gasped.

“I know you. You were that wacko driving a kid’s bike in the middle of the highway.”

Cambri nodded. “Yup, that’s me.”

The man reached out his hand. “The name’s Ryan. Ryan Moorefield.”

Cambri shook his hand. “My name’s Cambri. Cambri Carthway.”

“I, uh, I’d give you a ride home, but my seats are packed with stuff.”

“Oh, that’s okay. Well, I’d better get home soon, Nicky—” Cambri’s eyes widened like saucers. “I got to go!”

She jumped back on the bike and zoomed away before Ryan could even say goodbye.

“Strange girl.” He muttered.

Chapter Three

Cambri raced home but when she got close to her destination, she was too late. I had a feeling this would happen. 

A cop car was at her house with Nicholas and Dorthy Jones. 

Cambri parked the bike and went inside.

“And I just had to come over and see what was the matter! And just to think—Nicky, poor, little Nicky, was left here all by himself. Being a responsible citizen and a true friend of their mother’s, I knew it was my duty to run over and make sure everything was alright.” 

Dorthy chattered on, but when Cambri opened the door, the chattering stopped.

“Miss…uh…Carthway, is it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“We’ve already done an inspection, which went well, and your brother here has told me you’ve never done this before. But I still need to give you a warning fee. If this ever happens again, we might have to take the child with us.” The officers tipped their hat and went outside, with Dorthy following.

Cambri sat on the couch. She looked at the fee. “Great. Just great. Dorthy Jones is the most—”

“Cambri.” Came Nicholas’ quiet voice. “Don’t be mad. It’ll all work out.”

Cambri pulled him close. She reached for the nearest blanket and snuggled together. There, they fell asleep and didn’t wake until the morning.

Beep, beep, beep! Beep, beep, beep! Beep, beep, beep!

Cambri woke up. She heard her alarm go off from inside her bedroom.

She forced herself to wake up and quickly turned it off before it woke Nicolaus. 

She looked at her phone. 

9:00

She jumped up. “Today’s the first day of work! Can’t be late!”

Cambri finished eating and dressed herself. Then, she woke Nicolaus and made sure he brushed his teeth. 

“Today’s a big day, Nicky.” She said as she combed her hair.

“Why?” Asked Nicolaus.

“I’m going to work at a restaurant. But I’m gonna need you to be on your extra good behavior.”

“Why?”

“You’re gonna spend some time at Judy Philips’ house. Just ‘till I get home.”

“Oh, Cambri! Judy’s house? She’ll have me dressing dolls and styling her hair!”

“It’s only for today. Don’t complain, ok? I need to make a good first impression on all the people there today.” 

Chapter Four

Cambri dropped off Nicholas at her friend, Mindy’s house, and she quickly drove to the restaurant. Mindy had helped her with her car battery. She said, “Next time you car breaks down, just use mine. Don’t make yourself look like a weirdo in the middle of town.”

Cambri arrived. She walked inside and smelled the sweet, sweet, smell of bacon, eggs, toast, sausages…her mind trailed off and Tidley was waving his gloved hands in her face.

“Hello? Anyone up there?” He knocked on her forehead. 

Cambri snapped back to real life. “Yes, sir?”

“We have an order here, waiting to be delivered.”

“Right away, sir.” 

People began crowding in. The place was very crowded. You could smell the delicious smells of food being made, while also listen to the relaxing music of the violinists, pianos, people who played the saxophones, and the musicians with the clarinets. It was all so fancy, Cambri didn’t feel in place.

She gave the family their food, and as she was walking back to the kitchen, Tidley grabbed her arm and took her down the hall.

“Listen to me! You don’t hold platters like that-a, but like this-a!” He showed her the correct way, holding the platter with one hand. “And walk delicately and graceful, like a—a peacock, yes, yes, yes. Just like this.” 

Cambri nodded. “Will do sir.”

The day passed slowly, and as more people left, even more people arrived. Ryan was one of them.

He sat at a table with his parents.

Cambri didn’t notice.

Cambri had a really big order and she was carefully balancing it on her hand, when suddenly—

Someone’s foot was in the way.

Someone spilled a glass of water.

Cambri slipped, and plop!

The platter flew in the air about to land on the owner. 

Cambri jumped. “Noooo!”

Smash! She landed on the table, Ryan’s table, and the platter of desert landed on Tidley’s face.

Cambri looked up. Her face, arms and legs were covered in cream cheese and cherry pudding. Not to mention her big toe was in the mustard.

The music stopped.

Tidley wiped the food off his face. He pointed to Cambri and screamed, “Fired! Fired! You are fired!”

He screamed a bunch of things in French and then stalked down the hall. Cambri looked to the side. 

Ryan was still holding his fork suspending in the air. “Hi.” He said.

Cambri’s head plopped back down on the plate of pudding. She was so tired, she really just didn’t care.Chapter Four

Cambri drove home and showered. Later, she picked up Nicky. She told her best friend Mindy, everything that had happened.

She cried and sniffled, and kept blowing her nose.

“I don’t know what to do! I’ll never get a job.” She said, and then blew her nose again.

“It’s okay, it’ll all work out. Someday.” Mindy tried to comfort her, but she had to admit, it was kind of funny.

Cambri sat on the couch. Nicholas brushed his teeth.

Cambri pouted. “I can’t believe this. I looked like a…like a wacko, that’s what. First the bike, then the restaurant!”

She went to bed early and thought about what had happened that night.

It was morning. Cambri had dressed and was ready to collect the mail. But instead of the usual taxes and junk, it was one small letter. But there was no return address.  

Cambri brought it inside and sat down at the table. There was no name for the mysterious sender, either.

“Who could this be from?” She wondered aloud.

She tore off the envelope and read.

Dear niece and nephew,

I’m sorry that I have not been here for the hard times that you have been going through. I am very old and am dying and I leave you a great inheritance. I leave some of this to my dear friend and his relatives. I hope you will make the journey. Come to Europe to claim you share. I am sure your life will be very different if you do.

Cambri dropped the letter, her eyes in shock. Finally, she reread the part, great inheritance.

Suddenly, she blinked back to real life and her eyes widened in happiness. She stood up and called Nicholaus. “Nicky! Nicky, come quick! We’re rich!”

Chapter Five

Nicholaus ran down the hall, fast as lightning. “What do you mean?”

“Nicky, look! Look what it says!” Cambri showed him the words. 

Nicholas grinned. “Are we going, Cambri?”
“Are we going? Course we are! First thing tomorrow!”

The car was packed and Nicholaus had just finished breakfast. Now, the two of them were off.

“So…where are we going?”

“Europe.”

“Europe? Isn’t that…I don’t know, but like a thousand miles away?” Nicholaus leaned back in his seat. “I’m bored.”

Cambri sighed and turned on the radio. “Just sit back and relax.”