Free 47 - Legend of the Lost Legend by R.L. Stine - (ebook by Undead) Page A

turned it, then gave a sharp tug.
    Slowly, slowly, he pulled open the lid.
    And all three of us leaned close and gazed into the chest.

 
 
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    We leaned so close over the chest, our heads touched.
    “I—I don’t believe it!” I gasped.
    “What is it?” Marissa shrieked.
    Dad’s mouth dropped open. He narrowed his eyes and gazed into the chest. He
didn’t say a word.
    “It-it’s an egg !” I finally stammered.
    The three of us were staring down at a large yellow egg with brown speckles.
    “But—where is the Lost Legend?” Marissa demanded. “This can’t be it!”
    Dad sighed and shook his head. “This isn’t the right silver chest,” he said
softly.
    He reached inside and carefully lifted the egg. Then he felt around on the
bottom of the chest with his free hand. “Nothing else in here. Just an egg.” He
examined the egg, rolling it slowly between his hands. Then he carefully lowered
it back into the chest. “Just an egg,” he repeated sadly.
    I let out a hoarse cry. “But Marissa and I passed the test!” I wailed. “Luka
said he would give us what we came here for!”
    “Who is Luka?” Dad asked. He carefully closed the clasp on the chest. Then,
with a groan, he climbed to his feet. “Where can we find him?”
    Before I could answer, I heard a rustling sound across the clearing. I turned
to see Silverdog come trotting out of the weeds.
    “Silverdog!” I cried. I rushed forward and petted the dog’s big head and the
fur around his neck. “Take us back to Luka!” I ordered him. “Luka! Take us to
Luka!”
    Silverdog wagged his tail. Did that mean he understood?
    “Luka!” I repeated. “Take us to Luka!”
    Still wagging his bushy tail, the big dog headed past us to the trees. Dad
picked up the silver chest. And the three of us followed the dog back through
the forest.
     
    Marissa and I hadn’t traveled far from the little cabin. A few minutes later,
it came into view. Luka hurried out, his face twisted in surprise.
    “I didn’t expect to see you back here,” he said, shaking out his long, dark
hair. “Did you get lost?”
    “No. Not exactly,” Marissa replied.
    “This is our dad,” I told Luka. “We finally found him.”
    Dad and Luka shook hands.
    “Well, why did you come back here?” Luka demanded. He lowered his gaze to the
silver chest in Dad’s hands. “I gave you what you came here for.”
    “Not exactly,” Dad replied. “It’s an egg.”
    “Yes, I know,” Luka said, scratching his jaw.
    “But we didn’t come here for an egg!” I protested.
    Luka narrowed his eyes at us. “You didn’t come to the forest in search of the
Eternal Egg of Truth?”
    “No way,” I replied. “Dad brought us here to find the Legend of the Lost
Legend.”
    “Oops!” Luka blushed. “I made a little goof.” He looked very upset.
    “That’s okay,” Dad said softly. “Everyone makes mistakes.”
    Luka shook his head. “I’m so sorry. I usually get it right. I really thought
you were searching for the Eternal Egg of Truth.”
    Still shaking his head, he took the silver chest from Dad’s hands. He carried
it into the cabin. A few seconds later, he returned. “A thousand apologies,” he
said.
    “But can you help us find the Lost Legend?” I demanded. “Do you have it?”
    “Do I have it?” The question seemed to surprise Luka. “No. I don’t have it. I
think it will be very hard to get it.”
    “Why?” Dad asked eagerly. “Do you know where it is?”
    Luka nodded. “Yes. I can direct you to the people who have the Lost Legend.
But I do not think they will part with it. They have been wandering the forest
with it for five hundred years. I do not think they will want to give it to you—for any price.”
    “I—I just want to talk with them!” Dad cried excitedly. “I just want to see it with my own eyes!”
    “Go in this direction,” Luka instructed us, pointing. “Cross two streams, and
you will probably find them on a wide, stone clearing.