The Mask part 4: The Plan

     The rest of the day wore on, and the calls kept the leader busy. Every time, I just knew that it was the mask, that we were all doomed. But every time, the artifact was thrown back at the person who had found it. Finally, the sun neared the treetops and the man called everyone back. Before heading back to camp, he promised that if they didn't work twice as hard tomorrow, he would personally shoot them all. There was a wave of grumbles from the men, but they were silenced as the man reached for his gun. "You were saying?" he asked as he slid his hand into his pocket. After that, they all turned and headed back to camp. Brent, Ryan, and I crouched lower in the brush as they passed by us. Through the shrubs, I could see their shoes kicking up the dusty dirt. Last of all, there was a pair of black boots. They paused momentarily, and then went on.
      "Too close. Too close for comfort," said Ryan after they had passed.
     e followed them at a distance, and then circled to the other side of their camp. After settling in, we started planning what we needed to do.
     "So, all we need to do is sneak in and take the bag from that man. Then we just put the mask on and beat the heck out of everybody. Right?" I theorized.
     "NO!" said Brent in a whisper loud enough to make us uneasy of being caught. "We cannot put the mask on. Legend also has it that the mask has power over the man who wears it. It will not allow them to take it off until they have conquered the entire world. If one of us put it on, they will become more evil than the man who is searching for it now. Anyway, we aren't even sure if the man has the mask. Maybe he just stole some gold for his family."
     "We can't take that chance," I insisted. "If it is just gold, then we can leave it. But if it's the mask, then we will have it and can destroy it. If we don't check, we may not know until it is too late!"
     "I see your point!" Brent conceded. "So tonight, you sneak in and see what the man has in the bag."
     "Why me?"
     "Why, because you know what the man looked like. Neither of us do. And secondly, Ryan and I are going to try and make it a little harder for them to follow us."
     "Booby traps?" asked Ryan, a huge smile spreading across his face.
     "Yes, booby traps. Well, it's getting darker. Ryan and I will go get ready. When everyone is asleep, sneak in and get that bag. We will meet you at the edge of the clearing on this side of the camp." As they left, I felt the night close in around me.


Here ends part 4 of The Mask. Will our hero be able to sneak into the camp? Or will he be caught, finding only certain death? Tune in tomorrow to find out. Same Mask time, Same Mask channel.