Fiction

---

IN THE LAST EPISODE OF THE MYSTERIOUS CITIES OF GOLD REVISITED...

Ben and his friends return to the beach after lunch, only to find that a wave has pulled their ship out into the ocean. With Rosita's help they are able to locate an airport where a pilot wants to give away his plane, which has all the supplies they will need for their travels.

AND NOW, EPISODE SEVEN...

The travelers walked inside the airport. "Well, what should we do now?" Matthew asked.

"I guess buy all of our accessories," Stephanie answered. She looked at the airplane schedule. "The flight from Argentina doesn't come in for a few hours, so it will be a while before we can meet that pilot."

Ben nodded. Then he noticed a booth where cell phones were being sold. "Look, Steph!" he exclaimed. "We can get you a new cell phone."

"I completely forgot I had enough money to buy a new cell!" Stephanie cried. "And the money is in my pocket right now! That's a good idea." She and Ben went to the booth, and she bought a new cell phone.

After shopping for accessories for hours, the travelers heard that the plane from Argentina had just arrived. They hurried to the gate to meet the pilot, but not before explaining to the ticket agent and to security that they needed the private plane from him. They told them how they had been en route to the cities of gold so that Ben, Stephanie, and Matthew could write papers about them and how they'd originally had a ship, but it got pulled out to sea by a wave. Alexis and Lionel showed everyone their identification cards, and the airport staff agreed to let them go to meet the pilot.

The group hurried to the gate where the plane from Argentina landed, and they met the pilot as he came out. They told him everything they had told the ticket agent and security, and the pilot agreed to let them have his plane. "I'd been wanting to give it away for years," he said. "My name is Juan, by the way."

"I'm Lionel," said Lionel, "and this is my wife, Alexis, and the three kids, Ben, Matthew, and Stephanie. We can't thank you enough."

"You're welcome," Juan said. "Just wait till tomorrow to fly it. It is kind of late now and it would be dangerous to fly and fall asleep while you're operating the plane, which brings me to the next question. Is anyone among you certified to fly it?"

"I am!" Ben volunteered enthusiastically.

"YOU are?" asked Matthew, Stephanie, Lionel, and Alexis simultaneously.

"You can't be," said Matthew. "You're only seventeen like Stephanie and me."

"Yeah," Stephanie agreed. "How could you have gotten your license?"

"I started training early with my dad and some other staff from the airport he works at and his boss," answered Ben. "His boss was so impressed with my flying that I got a pilot's license when I was a junior in high school. I'd begun my training as a sophomore. And now I'm a senior, so I guess you could say that all happened pretty quickly."

"I'll say," Alexis said.

Juan continued, "I'll arrange for you guys to stay in a hotel tonight. The plane has everything you need for the trip."

Everyone thanked him.

Stephanie gave Ben a big kiss on the cheek. "Wow--I keep learning such fascinating things about you, Ben!" she cried. "You already know CPR, and you already have your pilot license!" She gave him another kiss.

Ben smiled and blushed. "Aw, shucks," he said.

TO FOLLOW...

The group takes their plane on its first flight, and it accidentally crashes in a forest full of dangerous animals. Ben is severely injured as they are fighting off the creatures, but his life is saved by a young girl who lives in the forest who knows a lot about medicines and treating wounds. She takes a liking to Ben and decides to kill Stephanie by poisoning her drink. Will the others manage to stop her from drinking the poison before it is too late? Read the next episode of THE MYSTERIOUS CITIES OF GOLD REVISITED.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE