The Road To El Dorado: What if you were there?

7: Is This Your Rock?

You walked around the jungle, Miguel insisting on reading the map himself. Tulio started getting blisters because he didn't like riding on Altivo.

Sometimes Miguel would leave you and Tulio behind and end up going in a circle. Then you would have to turn his map around. He would smile innocently and Tulio would glare.

Altivo would occasionally carry all three of you and dash away. Tulio would nearly fall off and you would have to catch him constantly.

Every time you turned legend into fact and found a clue, Miguel would get excited. You would feel relieved that you're moving on and Tulio would just shrug it off.

Tulio was also very impatient. Most of the time you convinced him to just wait for Miguel to cross a certain bridge or make a certain path. One time, however, he ignored you and walked through the lake. He was bitten by leeches and acted like a baby when you had to take them off.

He was bitten often. Even by fish. Fortunately, you could use that fish for food.

One time they decided to go skinny dipping. They invited you but you opted against it since doing so in the jungle was not your forte. Then the monkeys came and you didn't move to stop them from taking the clothes. They had fleas for days.

With time though, Tulio's attitude improved and he would smile at all the landmarks. You all learned how to appreciate the beauty around youtube also to respect its superiority.

Then one day you made it, to the place the map marks as El Dorado. You and Tulio looked around the stone. Nothing. Only a waterfall.

"Miguel," whispered Tulio, waking him up. "We're there." Miguel's eyes widened.

"We found it?" he asked. You sat down and said nothing.

"Oh yeah," said Tulio. "We found it." You glared at him.

Miguel stood up. "Fantastic!" he looked around. "Where is it? How far?"

"Right here." Tulio motioned to the rock in front of you.

"It's behind the rock?"

"No, no, no. This is it."

"Give me that." Miguel took the map. "This can't be." You touched his shoulder.

"Apparently El Dorado," said Tulio, raising his voice. "Is native for Great. Big. Rock!"

"Tulio!" you yelled, putting your arm around Miguel protectively. "Stop-"

"You know what, I'm feeling generous so you can have my share." he mounted Altivo.

Miguel looked at you pleadingly. "You don't think Cortez could've gotten here before us and, and-"

"And what?" replied Tulio. "Taken all the really big rocks? The scoundrel."

"Tulio," you said, your voice icy and dangerous. "Take it down a notch."

"Just get on the horse," he said. Miguel sighed and you took his hand, starting to walk away. "No, not with that act." You continued walking and then you saw someone, a woman, running.

She was panting and bumped into you. She fell back, dropping whatever she was carrying, and stared at you in fear.Then you saw another group of people with spears approaching.

You and Miguel were mounting the horse when they surrounded you and were startled by Altivo. The woman threw a wrapped up item at you. You caught it but tossed it back. You went back and forth until it accidentally hit Tulio.

"Uh, hello," said Tulio. "Is this your rock? Sorry, we were just looking. We're um tourists. Tourists. We, we-we lost our group. Yes, may we go now-" One of the natives held a spear to Tulio's throat. You chuckled nervously.

You were led away with the other woman since you never made it onto the horse. They tried taking what was in her hands but she pushed them away.

You were led to a boat. You sat next to the woman, across from Miguel and Tulio. She sighed and eyes all three of you. She was pretty, you noted, and very thick. She took up most of the bench.

It was a dark, watery cave. But then you saw the golden light reflecting off the water. You glanced at the item the woman was carrying and got a brief glimpse of gold. You gasped quietly. You looked up and squinted at the bright light.

"It's-" began Miguel.

"-El Dorado," you all whispered.