Read the final parts of the story below. If you haven't read Parts 1 - 3 yet, click here to see them!
Part 4
They looked down at the spider's body and were thrilled to see it was slowly shrinking.
“What’s happening?” asked Riley.
Mark looked at her and calmly replied, “I couldn't be sure, but I suspected the chemical make-up of the gum and conglomeration of a few solutions I had in my backpack might possibly negate the--"
Riley cut him off excitedly, "I get it. You tried something and it's working!"
The kids watched in amazement as the spider shrunk. They found themselves getting closer and closer together to fit onto the back of the spider.
As the spider got shorter, the kids decided to jump free of it. They knew the landing would be soft, as they look down into the big, blue body of water in the middle of Cedar Point. One by one they leaped from the spider, squealing with a mix of fear and excitement. Each plunged into the water with a big splash.
After several seconds, most the children began to break through the surface of the lake coughing up water. Mark looked around to see if everyone was safe, but he noticed Riley wasn't there. He looked up at the spider, but saw no sign of her. "Billy!" he cried. "Did you see Riley jump?"
"Yes," Billy replied, just as he realized she wasn't swimming to shore with the others.
Without another word, the two dove under water to find her.
Part 5: The Conclusion
Billy and Mark found Riley quickly in the clear water. They swam to her and reached out, grabbing her hands as she waved them frantically. They thought her shoe was stuck under a rock, but when Mark swam closer he saw it was really an old chest.
Mark and Billy pulled on her arm, but had to come up for air before they could get her free. At the surface Mark shouted, "We have to hurry. Her foot is stuck under that chest. Help me move it." They both took a deep breath and plunged down again on their mission to free Riley.
They each grabbed a metal handle and yanked it with all their might. Riley's foot broke free and she drifted from it. By this time she was barely able to move. Mark and Billy grabbed her and pushed her to the surface. When they all came up, Billy said to her, "Breathe Riley! Breathe!" She coughed a couple times and gasped in huge breaths.
"She's going to be okay!" said Mark excitedly. He shouted it again to the others who had made it to shore. They cheered for their friends.
After getting Riley to the shore with the others, Mark asked Billy, "Do you want to go back and get that chest?"
"If we don't, we will always wonder what was in it," Billy said as he turned to the water.
They swam to where they had first fallen from the spider and took one more big breath. Both dropped down and began looking for the chest. Mark saw it first and pointed. They moved to it quickly and grabbed a handle. Once it was free from the dirt and rocks, it wasn't terribly heavy. Billy was glad, but he also knew that meant it wasn't full of gold.
With much effort, they pulled it to the surface. Again they breathed in the precious air. When they were able to look around, they noticed a couple of their friends had swum out to help them tow their find to the beach.
As the four kids pulled themselves and the chest onto the shore, Riley plopped down in the sand next to them. Mark and Billy dropped beside her, tired from the adventure.
"We're sure glad to see you," said Mark. Billy agreed as he turned his attention to the chest.
“What do you think it is?” Riley asked.
Billy and Mark shrugged. “There’s only one way to find out,” Billy said as he worked on the latches.
As he opened the final latch the group gathered around to see what was inside. As he opened it slowly, they were surprised to see a bright blue light coming from it. When the lid of the chest fell fully open, the blue glow surrounded them and they all closed their eyes.
When they opened them again, they were strapped back into the roller coaster sitting at the top of the hill. Riley turned and her eyes met Mark's.
"What in the world?" she said with disbelief. Mark opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut short by the screams of all the kids on the coaster.
Mark, Billy and Riley looked down the big hill before them and gasped.
They saw a huge hairy black 100 foot tall spider with bright red eyes sitting on the track.
“Here we go again!” Mark said with a sigh as the sky grew dark.