Chapter 15 - The Competition

Gulf Haven Public Library - 4pm



The No Dogs Allowed sign on the door, that Alana had never noticed before, means she had to leave Ripper outside, with her leash attached to the metal bars where people leave their bikes. Luckily for Ripper, there is a very friendly basset-hound tied to the same pole, to keep her company.

The trio burst in eager to get their hands on some map, and almost bump into Yvonne, who is carrying a pile of books. One falls from the top of her pile.

"Whoa whoa whoa! easy tigers!" she says. Then she realizes it's Al and Johnny, with another kid she doesn't know. "Oh it's you. But... your shift's tomorrow, right?"

If it weren't for the nice older dog keeping her company, Al would never leave Ripper outside by herself. But after petting the other dog and reassuring herself that he is friendly, Al feels good about letting Ripper play with him a bit.

"We need a map of Gulf Haven!", Al says to Yvonne in place of an answer. "The biggest one you have. With all the bridges. Especially the green ones!"

Logan stands there as Al talks to the librarian. Isn't the water supposed to be green, not the bridge? Logan asks as he watches the librarian leave.

Are you looking at the right maps,Alana? Johnny asks as he looked over her shoulder. I think that Gulf Haven isn't even in Alabama... It wasn't like he could do much better... The only time he'd ever really looked at a map was in school and he hadn't paid a while I lot of attention then. Despite that, he leaned over the confusing jumble of tiny print and squiggly lines to see if he could find anything that might help them.
We could ask Ms. Yvonne and see if she knows anything that might help us look for a bridge over green waters.

Logan looks over the maps as they crowd around the table. He does his best to make a thorough check on each map.

Johnny struggles with a very large map, folding it and unfolding it to check one sector or the other... the map is quite worn, and suddenly you hear a mighty RIIIIIIIIIIP! sound. The map has ripped neatly along one of the folds.

Yvonne just happens to walk by their table as this happens.

"Careful Johnny!" she says sharply, stepping closer to the table to assess the damage. "Some of these are quite old, you know? You need to handle them with care..." she looks annoyed.

She takes in the many maps scattered all over the table. "What is this mess?... What is it you guys are looking for, anyway?"



.

"We're looking for a green bridge. Or a bridge over green water. Or a green bridge over green water," Al says. "It's for a riddle."

Johnny hisses as the delicate old paper tears loudly instead of folding like he wanted it to. Aii. I'm sorry. I didn't think it would do that... He delicately laid the map back down before he did any more damage to it. Tape will fix it, right? he wished aloud.

Any map that shows the bridges, rivers, canals and such would be great. Logan says as the librarian asks if they needed help.

Glancing over at his friends, Logan states the obvious. This is harder than it looks.

Al already jumped up from her chair and is halfway to running to the door as she shouts: "Thanks!"

Al quickly scribbles the position of the bridge on her pocket map.

Logan grins as he follows Al out of the library. Told you it was a good idea to see Eddard. He sent us here and is researching the strange gut for us.

Picking up his borrowed skateboard, Logan is soon following the map as they head for the bridge.

the Hunters ride fast to where the bridge should be, thrilled by the promise of a new clue. Ripper enjoys the wind on her face and barks enthusiastically, making a few bystanders jolt.

They reach the grassy area wedged in between stores and the back of houses.

There is a small stream, whose waters are not very green, for something called Emerald Creek. They follow it and there, behind a group of trees, they come in sight of an old wooden covered bridge.


Is this where one can be 'walking on green waters'?

Al immediately walks through the water underneath the bridge, trying to see if something is atatched to the bottom of it.