From Chapter 16:
For the next two weeks, Wiley swam with Elden every day. Every morning Wiley awoke with the excitement of butterflies in his stomach, wondering if Elden would return, and if he would be able to swim with the dolphin once again. Every day was better than the previous day. Elden introduced Wiley to his world beneath the water, and Wiley saw amazing things.On the second day, Elden pointed out a large group of jellyfish. Like gossamer, pulsating moons, they moved through the water by closing and opening their bowl-shaped bodies. Sunlight poured beneath the waves and lit the jellies from behind, painting them purple, blue and green. That same day, Wiley saw crabs, lobsters and blood red starfish crawling across the ocean floor.
During the second week, Wiley saw a shark surrounded on every side by a wall of small, glittering, silver fish. Wiley looked at Elden, as his heart pounded in his chest. Elden responded, "Don't worry. He's not interested in us."
That same day, a white whale with a large smile approached Elden. They appeared to engage in wordless conversation, although Wiley couldn't understand what they were saying.
Along the sandy bottom, Wiley found creatures that looked like brilliant, perfectly formed flowers in red and pink and yellow.
On the fifteenth day of peaceful swimming and diving, Elden informed Wiley that he would like to take him deeper. "I have something to show you. I think you're ready."
They swam through the water, going farther and farther out to sea. Then Elden said to Wiley, "Hold tightly onto my back. We're going deeper." As they descended, the light became less visible, although it never completely disappeared.
When they reached the bottom, Wiley noticed shadows spilled across the ocean floor. Creatures with claws and tentacles stirred throughout the sandy shadows.
Then, off at a distance, Wiley saw a large, dark rectangular object. Before Wiley could formulate a question, Elden said, "We're going over there. Come on."
Wiley held tighter to Elden's back fin, as Elden swam swiftly through the ocean. When they reached the object, Wiley saw that it was a huge, rectangular box made out of light brown rock. The lid was made out of the same type of rock. On every surface, pictures had been carved of the sun, the moon and stars. From the lid, hung a closed, heavy lock made out of some type of polished black rock.
Wiley climbed off Elden's back to inspect the chest. He jiggled and pulled at the lock, but it wouldn't open.
Elden said simply, "You need the key."
Copyright (c) 2008 Marilyn Peake