The Treasure of Death Valley Read online

  THE TREASURE OF DEATH VALLEY

  Written by

  Kate William

  Created by

  FRANCINE PASCAL

  Copyright © 2015, Francine Pascal

  To Ada Szeto and Michael Rubin

  Elizabeth glanced up with alarm as a loud rumble broke the silence of the cave. Her eyes widened as she saw debris loosening from the walls. With a crack one of the support beams split and swung down, nearly hitting her in the back of the head. The mine shaft was collapsing!

  I have to get out of here now! Elizabeth screamed silently. She spun around frantically, trying to determine which path led to the mouth of the cave. She grabbed the bag of glittering treasure and ran, praying that she'd be able to find her way out before the earth caved in around her.

  She covered her head with her hands and stumbled on, feeling her eyes burn with a mix of sweat, dust, and tears. Blood pounded in her head as Elizabeth fought to quell her rising hysteria. . . . Was she about to die?

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 1

  "Wake up, Todd—I think we're almost there!" exclaimed sixteen-year-old Elizabeth Wakefield, Through the vans mud-splattered windshield she spotted some buildings up ahead.

  "Hrmphh," replied Todd Wilkins, Elizabeth's boyfriend. He pulled his head up from its resting place on Elizabeth's shoulder, pushing a lock of brown hair back from his face. He rubbed his eyes and looked out the window. They passed the buildings but didn't slow down. "Guess that's not the drop-off," Todd said sleepily.

  "Have you ever seen so much open space?" Elizabeth continued. "Isn't this amazing? This trip is going to be so cool."

  "Gee, Liz. Four days walking across sand, rock, and dirt, frying like bacon in the hot sun. You sure know how to have a good time!" Todd joked, awake now.

  "Oh, Todd. You know it's not going to be like that. In its own way, Death Valley is incredibly beautiful. And it's lined by mountains."

  "Do you think you two could keep it down up there? I'm trying to get some sleep," came the groggy voice of Jessica Wakefield, Elizabeth's twin sister.

  Jessica, Elizabeth, Todd, and three other students from Sweet Valley High—Jessica's boyfriend, Ken Matthews; Heather Mallone; and Bruce Patman—were all on their way to the drop-off point for a four-day camping trek in Death Valley.

  Elizabeth had been ecstatic when she'd found out that the Sweet Valley Survival School (SVSS) was conducting a required, schoolwide essay contest to pick six kids for a survival trek designed especially for high-school leaders. The assignment had been to explain how she could benefit from a course that tested her intellect, resourcefulness, and ability to work with others—right up her alley. The minute she started writing, Elizabeth had known she'd be chosen.

  "Don't sound so cheerful, Wakefield. Why do you think they call it 'Death Valley'?" Bruce Patman leaned forward, putting his hand on the back of Elizabeth's seat. "Because people die out here." He snickered and slouched back into his seat, pulling his baseball cap low on his forehead.

  Elizabeth and Todd looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Elizabeth knew they were thinking the same thing. Why would anyone choose Bruce Patman for this trip? He didn't know the meaning of the word "cooperation." Bruce's father was the richest man in Sweet Valley, and Bruce thought that gave him the right to be the most obnoxious guy in town.

  "I just wish everybody else was as excited as me," Elizabeth whispered to Todd. When Elizabeth had first heard about the trip, she had gone to the library and read up on survival adventures. She had been surprised to learn that many corporations sent their top executives on adventures similar to the one SVSS had planned. The philosophy seemed to be that if people could learn how to rely on each other when their lives really depended on it, they would work better together in the office. Conquering fear and taking risks were a big part of the experience, and Elizabeth couldn't wait to rise to the challenge.

  "I'm sure we'll all get into it once we're out there, Liz," Todd assured her. "I mean, how psyched could we be? We've been up since three this morning." It was a six-hour drive between the small southern-California coastal town of Sweet Valley and the spot where they'd begin their hike into Death Valley. "And after last weekend . . . "

  "You're right," said Elizabeth, opening the window to let in some fresh air. "I guess the weekend was pretty intense."

  In preparation for the trip, the group had spent their Saturday and Sunday on the campus of SVSS, learning to read maps and compasses, as well as practicing other basic camping, mountaineering, and survival skills. They'd also gotten long lectures on the importance of working as a team.

  "How're you guys doing back there?" Kay Jansen called from the driver's seat. She and Brad Mainzer, who sat next to her in the front passenger seat, were their instructors from SVSS.

  "We're fine, Kay," Elizabeth answered. "Just a little cranky." After a whole weekend with this group, I'm surprised they haven't quit their jobs, Elizabeth thought. Suddenly the van swerved to avoid a bumper lying in the road.

  "Do you think you could watch it up there?" Jessica asked huffily, blowing her blond bangs out of her eyes.

  "Sorry, kids," Kay called back.

  Shifting her weight to try to keep her leg from falling asleep again, Elizabeth leaned into Todd. "Have you noticed that Jess seems a tad more, ummmm, disagreeable than usual?" she whispered into his ear.

  "Nah, just her usual bratty self," Todd replied. He and Jessica didn't have a lot of love for each other, a fact that neither let Elizabeth forget.

  Todd wasn't the only one who noticed the differences between the twins. Although they looked identical—from their silky blond hair and eyes the color of the Pacific Ocean, to their slim, athletic figures—their ideas about how to have a good time varied dramatically.

  Elizabeth thrived on intellectual challenge—her passion was writing, and she aspired to become a novelist someday. She was already pursuing that goal by working on the school newspaper, The Oracle. Jessica lived for the moment. She cared more about fun today than consequences tomorrow.

  And while Elizabeth tended to finish all of her homework right after dinner, Jessica could often be found scribbling her assignments before the sound of the first bell at school. Jessica hated to waste precious free time on schoolwork when she could be shopping or chatting on the phone with her friends.

  Jessica did have one passion—one that Elizabeth didn't understand: cheerleading. Elizabeth thought her sister should use her athletic ability to be on a team, instead of just cheering on the sidelines. But even she had to admit that Jessica was one of the most energetic and spirited cheerleaders she'd ever seen.

  "Let's not talk about Jessica," said Todd huskily, taking Elizabeth's hand. "Let's talk about the fact that for four days there'll be no parents and no teachers. I can't wait for us to be all alone under the stars."

  "Mmmmm," murmured Elizabeth. "Sounds wonderful. The desert can be very romantic."

  "What are you two lovebirds whispering about?" Heather asked cattily.

  "Yeah, what's the big powwow? Planning to ditch us so you can be alone and converge with nature?" teased Bruce.

  "What if we are?" Todd said, putting a protective arm around Elizabeth.

  ''Wouldn't bother me," Bruce said. "Personally, I wish I could ditch all of you. It's bad enough that I had to spend all weekend with a bunch of high-school kids and m
iss going to Las Vegas with my dad."

  "Tell me about it," Heather said with a sigh, taking a compact out of her purse. "The only way I'd ever choose to go camping is if there was a fully stocked RV, with plenty of clean sheets and towels."

  "And I'm missing the biannual inventory sale at Lisette's!" Jessica lamented. Lisette's was Jessica's favorite store at the Valley Mall. "The only consolation is that we're going to miss four days of school"

  "I can't believe you guys are complaining," Elizabeth said. "This isn't just a camping trip. There are people who pay a lot of money to do what we're doing for free. I feel totally privileged to have been chosen for this trip."

  Elizabeth was frustrated to notice that even Todd was rolling his eyes at her. They just didn't seem to understand that this trip was going to be one of the most exciting experiences of their lives. Maybe I'm the only one of the bunch cut out for this course, she thought. I hope everyone else's lack of interest doesn't prove to be a problem.

  "If Elizabeth makes one more comment about how honored she feels to have been chosen for this trip, I swear I'm going to stuff a sock in her mouth," Jessica whispered to Ken.

  "Calm down, Jess," he said, stroking her forearm. "I admit Liz's perkiness may be a bit over-the-top, but she has a point. I do feel pretty lucky that my essay was picked, and after spending the weekend learning all that stuff about self-reliance, I'm starting to look forward to the adventure."

  "You were complaining just as much as I was on Friday night!" Jessica said, astounded that the coolest guy in the world—Ken was the captain of the Gladiators, the Sweet Valley High football team, after all—could be excited about such a nerdy activity.

  "That's because I was disappointed that we couldn't spend the weekend by ourselves, like we'd planned. I've missed you," he said, taking her hand and looking deeply into her eyes.

  "I've missed you, too," Jessica responded breathlessly, wishing that they were alone in the backseat of Ken's car. This hot van wasn't ideally suited for a proper kiss. Looking at her gorgeous blond boyfriend, Jessica felt overwhelmed with gratitude that their relationship had survived their recent troubles.

  Months back, before Jessica and Ken had become a couple, Elizabeth had had a brief fling with Ken while Todd had been living in Vermont. For a long time neither Ken nor Elizabeth had told anyone about their fling.

  But when Jessica had started seeing Ken, Elizabeth had got jealous and started to question her real feelings toward both Todd and Ken. After a lot of misunderstanding, the situation had finally been resolved. But the experience had made Jessica realize how fragile relationships could be, and the importance of honesty and communication.

  Jessica leaned her head on Ken's shoulder and closed her eyes, enjoying the firmness of his muscles. After a few moments her nose twitched with an itch. When it didn't go away, Jessica touched her nose, plucking a hair off her face.

  "Ouch!" squealed Heather, grabbing the back of her head. "Watch it back there."

  "Well, if you wouldn't flip your hair in our faces, we wouldn't have to pull it out of your head," Jessica said with a scowl. Heather tucked her wavy mane around the side of her neck with a dramatic flair.

  Jessica leaned into Ken's neck. "I'm sure I'd be a whole lot less miserable if Heather Mallone weren't on this trip. Not only do I have to spend four days in the wilderness with my least favorite person at Sweet Valley High, I'm actually supposed to get along with her!" she whispered loudly.

  "I'm sure it'll be fine," Ken responded, kissing her affectionately on the cheek.

  Jessica smiled and looked out the window. She tried to forget about Heather and focus instead on the dramatic cliffs that lined the highway Then she realized that her foot had fallen asleep again. She tried to cross her legs but managed only to kick the seat in front of her.

  "Do you mind?" Bruce snarled, turning around to glare at her.

  "Sorry," Jessica said. These darn boots are so annoyingly bulky, she thought, wriggling in her seat to try to get comfortable. For the trip they all had to wear the geeky SVSS T-shirts, khaki shorts, and regulation hiking boots. Jessica almost refused to wear the boots when she saw how fat they made her legs look, but Elizabeth had forced her out the door before she could change.

  Somehow Heather didn't look as dorky as the rest of them, Jessica realized with dismay. Sitting behind Heather, Jessica took stock of her classmate's cascade of wavy, golden tresses. Then she peeked under the seat and saw Heather's shoes. She was wearing her custom-made cheerleading shoes! Jessica sighed. She could look a lot hipper herself, if she didn't have a squeaky-clean sister who refused to realize that some rules were just too stupid to follow.

  "Heather, what happened to your hiking boots?" Jessica asked sweetly. Heather swiveled her head and gazed at Jessica through lidded eyes.

  "Oh, please, I wouldn't be caught dead in those ugly things," she said.

  "You mean you aren't wearing hiking boots, Heather?" Elizabeth said in a surprised voice.

  "No, I'm not, Liz," answered Heather. "Do you want to give me two demerits? I'm shaking in my shoes!" She laughed.

  "It's for your own good that they recommended wearing hiking boots," Elizabeth said solemnly. "We're going to be traveling some tough terrain, and your feet and ankles need sturdy protection."

  "These cheerleading shoes helped me survive all the way to nationals," Heather said, throwing Jessica a haughty look. "Why shouldn't they help me survive some stupid hike through the desert?"

  Jessica glowered darkly. She hated to be reminded of the way the sophisticated, sexy Heather Mallone had shimmied her way into the Sweet Valley High social scene and turned Jessica's world upside down. First, she'd infiltrated Jessica's cheerleading squad and ingratiated herself with all the other girls, practically forcing her way into being cocaptain. Then she'd turned all the other cheerleaders against Jessica, scheming and plotting to humiliate her until she'd finally quit the squad.

  When Jessica had formed her own squad to challenge Heather's in the statewide competition, the officials had forced them to combine the two squads into one, and Jessica had been right back where she'd started: fighting Heather for everyone's respect and loyalty. When they'd made it to nationals, what should have been Jessica's shining moment had been sullied by having to share it with Heather.

  "How can anyone expect me to get along with that conniving girl for four days straight?" she whispered to Ken.

  "Not only will you have to get along with her," Ken said, "the way this trip is set up, you're going to have to work with her and trust her."

  "Unbelievable! After all the rotten, dirty tricks she's pulled, how can they expect me to trust her?" she hissed, crossing her arms. Looking at Heather's profile, Jessica's fingers tingled with the urge to punch her cute little nose.

  "You can do anything you put your mind to, Jess—even cooperate," Ken said earnestly, caressing her cheek with the back of his hand.

  Jessica took his hand and held it tight. "Ken, I'm the first to say that cooperation is not high on my list of best qualities," she said with a wry grin.

  "Sure you're good at it, Jess. As long as everyone does everything your way, you're happy to cooperate," Ken teased.

  Jessica finally cracked a smile. Maybe it's because my way is always the right way, she assured herself.

  Elizabeth sat back in her seat and gazed out the window. The crystal-blue sky contrasted vividly against the red cliffs and hills, each color offsetting the other. A few hundred yards off the highway, a huge gray building marred the otherwise beautiful landscape.

  "What's that monstrosity over there on the right?" she asked.

  "The state penitentiary," Brad replied. Elizabeth shuddered—prisons gave her the creeps.

  Moments later the van turned off the highway at a gas station.

  "Everybody out!" Kay announced as the van rolled to a stop on the dirt-covered parking lot next to the station. "Let's all regroup over at those picnic tables," she said, hopping out.

  As they se
ttled into one of the lopsided picnic tables, Todd asked Elizabeth if she had seen the sign on the side of the road.

  "What sign?"

  "Right before the station there was a sign that said No Road Service for the Next Seventy-two Miles."

  "Wow. Sounds ominous," Ken said, who was just sitting down.

  "Doesn't it?" Todd concurred.

  Jessica plopped down next to Ken. "Thank God. I thought I was going to get sick bouncing around back there." She had a queasy look on her face.

  "Believe me—in a couple of days you'll all wish you were enjoying the comfort of bouncing around in a van," Kay interjected. She was pulling maps from her bag, laying them out on the table.

  "Not very likely," Jessica said, stretching her arms over her head.

  "You can stop trying to scare us now, Kay," Bruce said disdainfully. "Because I think you should know—it's not working."

  "Maybe you should realize that you don't know everything, Bruce," Elizabeth said. "Kay knows what she's talking about." She looked at their instructor admiringly. Elizabeth had really come to respect Kay during their weekend of precourse training. Not only was she knowledgeable and warm, she was physically the strongest woman Elizabeth had ever met. Elizabeth wanted to grow into exactly the kind of woman Kay was.

  "The time has come for you to prove your power," Kay said, looking straight at Elizabeth. Elizabeth returned her gaze proudly.

  "Oh, please," said Jessica.

  Elizabeth scowled at her sister's cavalier attitude. Does Jess have to be so cynical? She wondered. She was still burning from her twin's accusations the night before that she'd been playing the role of teacher's pet. Elizabeth wasn't trying to be Kay's favorite—how could she help it if she was the best student?

  "OK, Here's the deal," Kay started. "You have until Thursday night to reach the pickup point at Desert Oasis, which is nothing more than a diner, gas station, and convenience store.

  "We've packed four days' worth of food and some first-aid supplies for each of you to carry in your backpack. You can fill your canteens over at the spigot by the bathrooms—keep drinking, but make it last. You won't get to a water supply today, but you can factor it into your route sometime tomorrow.