torn at the edges. It looked more like a small wadded-up lunch sack than a treasure map. Mateo stood over my shoulder as I scanned the words and childlike drawings. In the upper-right corner was a compass rose pointing in the four directions. At the center of the map were five squiggle lines, a hand drawing of three trees to the east of the squiggles, mountains above the trees, and a big
X
next to a cluster of bushes. At the bottom of the map were these barely legible words scribbled in cursive:
There you must soar with fire, to see the treasure you desire.
I held the map up to the sun that was peeking out from behind silvery clouds.
“Does it make any sense to you?” Mateo asked. “I know it’s to the east of the river. But what do you think those words mean?”
“I’m not sure,” I said.
Mateo kicked at the dirt. “There must be something I’m missing.”
“Well the
X
is near a bunch of bushes, we know that, right?” I said.
Mateo huffed and leaned in closer. He smelled of soap and water.
“I want to help.” Maggie reached for the map but Mateo pulled it from me before she could touch it.
Maggie’s bottom lip quivered and I shot Mateo a look that said,
give it back, or else.
“No one ever said she couldn’t see it, just not touch it, right?” I asked.
Mateo reluctantly handed it over. Maggie smiled and stepped closer, gazing at the treasure map. “Hey, they can’t write very good.”
“Who can’t?” Mateo asked.
“Whoever drawed this. That’s a backwards
B
.” She pointed to the small cluster of bushes. “It’s supposed to be one line upand two loops to the right.” She sang the words. “That’s what my teacher teached me.”
Mateo swept Maggie into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “You’re a genius. That’s it. Now we just have to find a bunch of bushes shaped like a
B
.”
I scanned the thicket of trees and bushes. “You know how many bushes there are around here?” I said.
Frida licked her paws, seemingly bored with all our talk of treasure maps and letters.
“I’m hungry.” Maggie said as she took a pile of treats from her pocket. Frida stood on her hind legs and waited for Maggie’s commands to sit, roll over, and shake. With each successful trick she gulped down a peanut butter treat.
“Come on. Where’s your adventurous spirit?” Mateo raised his eyebrows at Maggie.
Maggie rubbed her stomach. “Mine’s eating my tummy.”
I handed her and Mateo each a
tortilla
from my bag. He held it up to the sky for inspection. “Who made this? It sure doesn’t look like one of Nana’s
tortillas
.”
“Well, then don’t eat it if you don’t like the way it looks.” I threw my head back and walked in front of him. “Can
you
make
tortillas
?”
He laughed and jogged to catch up to me. “Is everyone from California as funny as you?”
“Only about their treasure.”
Bowing, he said, “And the brave Izzy can make a joke.”
Suddenly, the wind swirled through the trees, whispering in my ear.
Come
.
“I have an idea. I’ll walk south along the river, and try to find a cluster of bushes shaped like a
B
, and you can walk north. We’ll cover more ground that way,” I said quickly.
Maggie grabbed my hand. “Will you be sad, Izzy, if I go with Mateo? I just think he can fight off ghosts better.”
“It’s fine.” I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful to be alone to follow the wind.
The wind had a raspy, impatient tone. Thirsty trees bent over the edge of the upper riverbank kissing the heads of white wildflowers sprouting near the sand. I imagined my mother as a little girl saving the fish and giggled to myself. Following the river downstream, I threw rocks and twigs along the way. The stretched-out clouds overhead cast long shadows across the water.
In the distance, something white caught my eye. I stomped along a shaded path overgrown with woody branches until I reached a small wooden cross. It was surrounded by piles of red-and-white
X
next to a cluster of bushes. At the bottom of the map were these barely legible words scribbled in cursive:
There you must soar with fire, to see the treasure you desire.
I held the map up to the sun that was peeking out from behind silvery clouds.
“Does it make any sense to you?” Mateo asked. “I know it’s to the east of the river. But what do you think those words mean?”
“I’m not sure,” I said.
Mateo kicked at the dirt. “There must be something I’m missing.”
“Well the
X
is near a bunch of bushes, we know that, right?” I said.
Mateo huffed and leaned in closer. He smelled of soap and water.
“I want to help.” Maggie reached for the map but Mateo pulled it from me before she could touch it.
Maggie’s bottom lip quivered and I shot Mateo a look that said,
give it back, or else.
“No one ever said she couldn’t see it, just not touch it, right?” I asked.
Mateo reluctantly handed it over. Maggie smiled and stepped closer, gazing at the treasure map. “Hey, they can’t write very good.”
“Who can’t?” Mateo asked.
“Whoever drawed this. That’s a backwards
B
.” She pointed to the small cluster of bushes. “It’s supposed to be one line upand two loops to the right.” She sang the words. “That’s what my teacher teached me.”
Mateo swept Maggie into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “You’re a genius. That’s it. Now we just have to find a bunch of bushes shaped like a
B
.”
I scanned the thicket of trees and bushes. “You know how many bushes there are around here?” I said.
Frida licked her paws, seemingly bored with all our talk of treasure maps and letters.
“I’m hungry.” Maggie said as she took a pile of treats from her pocket. Frida stood on her hind legs and waited for Maggie’s commands to sit, roll over, and shake. With each successful trick she gulped down a peanut butter treat.
“Come on. Where’s your adventurous spirit?” Mateo raised his eyebrows at Maggie.
Maggie rubbed her stomach. “Mine’s eating my tummy.”
I handed her and Mateo each a
tortilla
from my bag. He held it up to the sky for inspection. “Who made this? It sure doesn’t look like one of Nana’s
tortillas
.”
“Well, then don’t eat it if you don’t like the way it looks.” I threw my head back and walked in front of him. “Can
you
make
tortillas
?”
He laughed and jogged to catch up to me. “Is everyone from California as funny as you?”
“Only about their treasure.”
Bowing, he said, “And the brave Izzy can make a joke.”
Suddenly, the wind swirled through the trees, whispering in my ear.
Come
.
“I have an idea. I’ll walk south along the river, and try to find a cluster of bushes shaped like a
B
, and you can walk north. We’ll cover more ground that way,” I said quickly.
Maggie grabbed my hand. “Will you be sad, Izzy, if I go with Mateo? I just think he can fight off ghosts better.”
“It’s fine.” I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful to be alone to follow the wind.
The wind had a raspy, impatient tone. Thirsty trees bent over the edge of the upper riverbank kissing the heads of white wildflowers sprouting near the sand. I imagined my mother as a little girl saving the fish and giggled to myself. Following the river downstream, I threw rocks and twigs along the way. The stretched-out clouds overhead cast long shadows across the water.
In the distance, something white caught my eye. I stomped along a shaded path overgrown with woody branches until I reached a small wooden cross. It was surrounded by piles of red-and-white
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