Archive of Our Own ^beta

SB/Kierra: Why are we doing this?

Annie: I told you before I am writing a story to ALL the 'hidden expedition' games.

SB/Kierra: Oh... so what is this one about?

Annie: This one is based on the game "Hidden Expedition: Amazon" it's written from the player's point of view and I made it look like the player was keeping a journal of the adventure.

SB/Kierra: Oh okay, so the readers are the 'player' again?

Annie: Yep.

SB/Kierra: Ah I see. We don't own anything.

Annie: Enjoy.

Key to follow:
Your journal entries are in Italics
spoken words are Normal
Thing written on paper (Letter and the professor's Journal pages) are in Bold

(Somewhere in Mexico)

After six months of difficult travel, I have finally found the lost 'Vase of Los Dos Chihuahuas'! I better take it to HQ for safekeeping.

I was glad to be home in my office once again and I noticed that some pieces of the pharaoh's head in the outer office were missing so I set about to find them, and that was when I noticed the pigeon in the window! I have never seen a pigeon with luggage before... I might as well have a look inside and I found a letter within it.

'May 23rd, Dear friend, based on your past triumphs, stunning discoveries, and legendary courage with the Hidden Expedition team I am writing to ask you for your help. Last month our mutual friend, Professor Mandible, and I came to South America in pursuit of the lost 'beetle temple' we were separated in the jungle more than a week ago and there is still no sign of him. I am outside a small village in the Amazon jungle, it should not be hard to find with this map. Please hurry, you are our only hope! Sincerely Rachel.'

Well it seems like I have another adventure... I should let Bane know I'm heading off once again. It is too bad that her map did not make it but I know I have an old letter from the Professor from when he was in Casablanca. Maybe there I'll find a clue to where he went.

SB/Kierra: We hope you have enjoyed the first chapter!

Annie: Sorry if it is short, I couldn't think of anything else to write. Oh, and before I forget, Bane is an OC I made up. If you read Titanic  which is set before this one, you will meet Bane.

SB/Kierra: He's not in this one, is he?

Annie: No he is not, but he will be in the  Everest  one, which will be the next story.

SB/Kierra: Oh okay.

Annie: Review please and be nice with it.

SB/Kierra: Cya!

Annie: Bye!

Annie: We are back with a new chapter!

SB/Kierra: Thanks to everyone who left a review and to those who just read it! We don't own anything.

Annie: Sorry if it is on the short side... Enjoy it anyway.

Key to follow:
Your journal entries are in Italic
Spoken words are Normal
Things written on paper (The professor's journal pages) are in bold

FINALLY! I found the next journal page from the professor's journal; I hope this one is more helpful...

"April 3 rd

Great news, I found the one-eyed man in Casablanca that I had been looking for. It turns out he didn't know a guy who knew a guy. However, he did know a great spot to catch fish!

On the way back I bumped into someone more informed; my lovely assistant Rachel who was actually looking for me at the time. She had just returned from Ecuador and she brought back some shocking information about the 'beetle temple'! She also brought back a mischievous little monkey. I can tell already that he is a trouble maker."

Well not much more helpful... at least I know what this one-eyed man looks like, now if I can find him...

"Professor? I don't remember knowing any professor. Maybe if you found my glass eye I might remember. In the meantime, I have a recipe for a delightful chocolate bug quiche that I'll sell you for next to nothing. Need a rug? How 'bout a monkey?" the one-eyed man said.

I found him and asked him about the Professor, I guess I have to look for his glass eye to see if he remembers anything about the professor.

"April 4 th

When I bought those snakes I didn't realize how much they liked music. The three of them have a very refined sense of tone. I didn't even know snakes had ears!

I can't sleep. The monkey Rachel brought home from Ecuador won't stop looking at me! THOSE EYES! All he does is eat bananas. Except for today when he ate a rare and expensive bug from Indonesia that he took from my collection. I can't stand that monkey! Great, now he's playing my electric organ!

"April 24 th

I made Rachel sell the monkey to a man in town but the little sucker came back! He is hanging around outside. I hear him out there now, whimpering and rattling the door knob.

My other bug studies will have to be put on hold for some time while I study Rachel's findings on the beetle temple (Attached are two examples)"

Snakes? Why did he buy snakes? Glad I'm not afraid of snakes... but at least the one in the middle had the glass eye I was looking for.

"Oh, my eye! Let me see that. I saw the professor a few weeks ago. We fished and he told me all about the beetles and some temple he is looking for in South America. Here, take this page that he dropped; I think it will tell you what you want to know." The one-eyed man said once I gave him his glass eye back.

I thanked him and left before looking at the journal page he gave me.

"April 30 th

Tomorrow we make a trip back to Ecuador. We've contacted a man there named Gustave that says (for a price) he has a map to where he thinks the Beetle temple might be. It may not be much but we are preparing to go all the way if the map is legitimate."

Well, he was right; I'm now getting ready to head off to South America, where the professor and Rachel have gone... I hope I find them there.

SB/Kierra: We hope you have enjoyed the third chapter!

Annie: Review please and be nice with it.

SB/Kierra: Cya!

Annie: Bye!

Annie: We are back with a new chapter!

SB/Kierra: Thanks to everyone who left a review and to those who just read it! We don't own anything.

Annie: Sorry if it is on the short side... Enjoy it anyway.

Key to follow:
Your journal entries are in Italic
Spoken words are Normal
Things written on paper (The professor's journal pages) are in Bold

Well, I have arrived in South America I hope to find some clue as to where they have gone.

April 31 st

Ecuador. Since we got here last night, our contact Gustave still hasn't shown his face. He was supposed to bring us the map and some supplies. I wonder what's keeping him?

That was not helpful...

April 34 th

This place on the ocean is all right for a hut, but the bed isn't long enough and I found the most amazing bug in my pineapple drink!

I forgot my calendar but I hardly need one. With my intellect, I can keep track of the days with only the stars, as I'm sure Columbus could.

April 34 th ? There are only 30 days in April...not 34 days...:|

That was still not helpful... but I have to agree the bug in the pineapple drink does add flavor.

May 1 st

Gus got here finally. He was tattered and scared. He said he had been ambushed by a band of monkeys and nearly lost the map and his life. Not sure if he's been drinking or not. Anyway, he is here now but the map was torn in the struggle and the last half is gone.

May 2 nd

We bought some supplies in the village: food and water for another week, rope, masking tape, and some more pages for my journal. I've got to remember to close the rings so the pages will stop falling out. There is no telling who could find them!

Well, I guess it is a good thing that he forgot to close the ring. His journal pages have been helpful to a point for me to follow in his footsteps as I try to meet up with him and Rachel.

SB/Kierra: We hope you have enjoyed the fourth chapter!

Annie: Review please and be nice with it.

SB/Kierra: Cya!

Annie: Bye!

Annie: We are back with a new chapter!

SB/Kierra: Thanks to everyone who left a review and to those who just read it! We don't own anything.

Annie: Sorry if it is on the short side... Enjoy it anyway.

Key to follow:

Your journal entries are in Italic

Spoken words are Normal

Things written on paper (The professor's journal pages) are in Bold

May 3 rd

Well, we are on the trail again. We're following the half map but our donkeys seem to know the way already. It's hot and going to get hotter as we submerge ourselves in this wild and terrible jungle.

I saw a hippo today. What on earth is a hippo doing in South America? I'm surprised it doesn't have a parasol.

That was somewhat helpful...I find that I have to laugh at what the professor has written, it helps me get through the day.

May 6 th

We came upon a small community today at the end of the map; hopefully, someone here can guide us further. There is a hermit they say we should talk to but he's been gone for several days.

The hermit finally came home this afternoon and we were able to get a few words out of him, not surprisingly they were wrapped in a light riddle:  The river knows the way.

Someone untied my donkey from his tree, I found him across the river eating a strange fruit from a tree with spiky skin. A bundle of bananas was missing, from my bag. Very odd. I asked around for a weapon but all I could find was a heavy bowl for making bread. It will have to do for now.

This one is quite helpful, I found the small community that he had found, hopefully, this hermit is home so I can ask him about the professor and figure out which way he went so I can follow him.

"Don't step on the ferns! Oh wait; you're with that professor I've seen in the forest aren't you? Well, in that case, you should know that he's headed for trouble. I'll tell you where he went if you can clear those monkeys from my monument. Good luck!" the hermit said.

I was in luck the hermit was at his home and he was willing to help me if I made the monkeys leave. Once I made them leave I found another monkey inside the monument. And judging by the looks of that headdress this must be a very important little monkey! I'd better go talk to that hermit again.

"So all of those bad monkeys were after my little Esmerelda! I was wondering where she'd run off too. I thought it might have been the argument we had. I guess you're all right after all, so here's a clue: the river knows the way." The hermit said.

That is what he told the professor...I hope to figure out what it means to find him.

May 7th

What a day! I found some rare leaves that could be the savior of Sudan. I've been working on a serum that I hope can recharge the Zinguee Beetle population problem they are having there. The Beetle is an important element in their agriculture but lately, the little guy has not been feeling well or rather faces mass extinction.

If this leaf, combined with other ingredients, works like I hope the serum should put the beetle population back on the map. The same formula is bound to work on other troubled ecosystems as well.

The journal page looks promising since I found it at a campsite; I hope this was the campsite that the professor and Rachel had made up...

SB/Kierra: We hope you have enjoyed the fifth chapter!

Annie: Sorry if it is short, I couldn't think of anything else to write. Review please and be nice with it.

SB/Kierra: Cya!

Annie: Bye!

Annie: We are back with a new chapter!

SB/Kierra: Thanks to everyone who left a review and to those who just read it! We don't own anything.

Annie: Sorry if it is on the short side... Enjoy it anyway.

Key to follow:

Your journal entries are in Italics

Spoken words are Normal

Things written on paper (The professor's journal pages) are in Bold

At a nearby boat that was on the river, I found another journal page with two entrees.

May 8 th

I'm constipated.

May 9 th

Last night something went through our bags while we slept! There were plenty of valuables but all that was taken was my chocolate! In its place, they left another piece of the map that was taken from Gustave! This is very disturbing. First, they try to steal the map, now they feed it back to us one piece at a time.

The entry for May 8 th  made me frown when I saw that he had written only two words that did nothing to help, but now I also have the rest of the map and when I walked back to the campsite I found someone else was there waiting for me.

"I'm so glad you came! I'm very worried about Professor Mandible! He may not have been as lucky as I was. Someone jumped me on the trail but I'm okay now. I see that you have been collecting the Professor's journal pages. He'll be so happy to see them returned when you find him. I almost forgot: take this torn diagram. You'll need it!" said Rachel.

I was relieved to find Rachel at the campsite as she was to see me there as well, but I still have to find the Professor.

May 10 th

We've been following the river downstream and it brought us to a small canyon. There is an old train here that must have derailed years ago, overrun by bandits like in the American Old West. Jesse James and John Wayne. One of the passenger cars is locked from the outside with a chain but there are all kinds of junk scattered about the place and I can probably find something to break the lock.

We'll sleep here tonight and tomorrow find a way across the nearby ravine where we can see a cave on the other side.

I found this page on the old train in the canyon that I found when I followed the river; I too can see the cave on the other side of the ravine. So that is where I will go next.

May 11 th

We finally made it across the ravine after I rigged up a kind of human slingshot. We sustained fairly minor injuries but Rachel broke her glasses and that's a real setback. There had to be a better way across.

Me and my contraptions. I'm going to really get hurt one of these days.

I think I had the easier time crossing; I had used a plank I found at the old train to cross the ravine, instead of doing what the professor had done.

May 11 th  (continued)

A branch of the river runs through the bandit's cave and has led us to a room under the falls. There is a strange puzzle here involving jewels. It will need some study before we can progress. It's very advanced compared to other stone games I've seen the locals play.

We couldn't solve the puzzle because some of the stones were missing.

I had to go back to the train to start it to find some oars to row the boat that was in the bandit's cave, I had found bolt cutters, a light bulb, and a gas can and these things helped me start the train to get the oars.

Once I got back to where the boat was I got in and rowed off and found the puzzle that the professor had found and was unable to solve... Let's see if I can solve it.

I solved the puzzle, I had to first put the jewels into the correct spots and when I did a rope dropped down and when I pulled on it, some jewels lit up I had to follow the pattern and when I did it correctly the rock the puzzle was on made a line from a few of the jewels. When I finished repeating the lights in the correct order, the line had made the shape of a star and it cracked and broke apart and revealing an opening that had a scroll in it. The scroll showed me the location of the beetle temple!

SB/Kierra: We hope you have enjoyed the sixth chapter!

Annie: Sorry if it is short, I couldn't think of anything else to write. Review please and be nice with it.

SB/Kierra: Cya!

Annie: Bye!

Annie: We are back with a new chapter!

SB/Kierra: Thanks to everyone who left a review and to those who just read it! We don't own anything.

Annie: Sorry if it is on the short side... Enjoy it anyway.

Key to follow:

Your journal entries are in Italics

Spoken words are Normal

Things written on paper (The professor's journal pages) are in Bold

May 12 th

From the cave, the river took us back into the jungle and new territory. There was a large raft that we were able to load the donkeys on.

Rachel fixed her glasses well enough to see out of one eye. She claims that as soon as she put them on she caught a glimpse of a figure in the bushes, yet she swears it was a monkey with binoculars! I think the heat must be getting to her!

I ran out of socks a few days ago. Why didn't I think to get some from the train wreck? These wool socks are itchy and my feet stink like you can't imagine.

I think I could have skipped the part about the socks... but so far I have been getting closer to the professor if his pages are any indication.

May 13 th

We followed the river for most of the day yesterday until we found a small trail heading west. That night a monkey in the jungle was screaming loudly all night. When I finally yelled back for him to shut up, I was answered by TWO monkeys screaming loudly. Three would have been too much to bear so I held my tongue. I don't think I slept at all.

Somehow I'm not surprised by this with the monkeys. I followed the river and found the trail heading west and followed it.

May 14 th

This morning we found the last section of the map rolled up and stuffed in the coffee jar. My jelly beans have gone missing. Someone has a sweet tooth and a twisted sense of humor.

The completed map took us through a section of wild jungle that had me wondering if we were being led astray. Just when I was ready to turn around I emerged onto a bluff above where several small rivers ended in waterfalls. There in the center was the  Beetle Temple!

I was so dumbstruck by the temple I didn't notice Rachel was missing. I doubled back and eventually found her tracks but they didn't veer off our trail, they just stopped as if she were vaporized donkey and all. I made my way back to the bluff, all the while watching the sky for Rachel and her donkey. I'll camp here tonight in case she is nearby. All I can do now is wait.

This must be when Rachel was jumped and brought back to the campsite I found her at. The professor must have gone on ahead, as I follow the rest of the map that was with the journal page and I was blown away from the beetle temple. I hope the professor is inside the temple.

SB/Kierra: We hope you have enjoyed the seventh chapter!

Annie: Sorry if it is short, I couldn't think of anything else to write. Review please and be nice with it.

SB/Kierra: Cya!

Annie: Bye!

Annie: We are back with a new chapter!

SB/Kierra: Thanks to everyone who left a review and to those who just read it! We don't own anything.

Annie: Sorry if it is on the short side... Enjoy it anyway.

Key to follow:

Your journal entries are in Italics

Spoken words are Normal

Things written on paper (The professor's journal pages) are in Bold

May 15 th

It's dawn. Still no sign of Rachel. Maybe she got ahead of me somehow. I've found a narrow patch with a drop-off on each side. It looks treacherous but it's the only way. With care, I can navigate my shaky little donkey down its crooked spine.

Unbelievable! I was halfway down the trail when they finally showed themselves! They came from behind and my donkey panicked and slid over the edge. I was able to dive off and grab hold of some weeds. I looked up to identify my attackers and what do you think I saw? THOSE EYES! YES! It was the monkey and his buddies. I don't know how he did it but he followed us across the Atlantic; that blasted monkey!

Anyway, they left me hanging; maybe they figured me a goner. "Finish me!" I screamed at them, but they just danced off, laughing the way monkeys do

He had no idea that Rachel was back at that campsite I found before. I gasped and then laughed at what he wrote about the monkeys. Gasped when he went over the edge and laughed when he realized it was monkeys. When he spoke of the narrow path with the drop-off on both sides I did not realize just how treacherous it looked by reading it until I found the path and started down it myself.

May 15 th  (continued)

The uninviting front door is sealed with some sort of puzzle and I'm too worried about Rachel to concentrate on how it opens. Maybe I'll try the backdoor.

I just ate the last of the food. I should turn back and go home but I can't leave Rachel and I've come so far. Besides, I can't risk another time crossing with those monkeys still out there. My only choice is to move forward.

I had found a key that let me open the door with no problem when I reached the front door of the temple, I was surprised when the professor wrote about turning back and leaving and had to laugh that the reason he did not stop was because of Rachel and the monkeys.

I too will keep moving forward, I MUST find the professor.

SB/Kierra: We hope you have enjoyed the eighth chapter!

Annie: Sorry if it is short, I couldn't think of anything else to write. Review please and be nice with it.

SB/Kierra: Cya!

Annie: Bye!

Annie: We are back with a new chapter!

SB/Kierra: Thanks to everyone who left a review and to those who just read it! We don't own anything.

Annie: Sorry if it is on the short side... Enjoy it anyway.

Key to follow:

Your journal entries are in Italics

Spoken words are Normal

Things written on paper (The professor's journal pages) are in Bold

May 16 th

On the roof, I accidentally triggered a mess of rusty spikes yet emerged unscathed. I was feeling pretty good about my abilities when I waltzed within a millimeter of the swing of a giant axe that whizzed just over my head. If I hadn't been scratching my knee at that exact second I'd be buzzard bait! I'd definitely stick with the front door next time.

Last night I had a dream of a woman with a large headdress that hung like a bouquet of daggers. She looked right at me and just stared, saying nothing. Then her eyes changed and they were the MONKEY'S EYES! What a nightmare.

I am glad I went through the front door instead of going up to the roof and getting in that way...thou I am not surprised this temple has traps in it.

"So, you have finally come. Maybe now you can help that crazy old man that I lured here last week using my monkey spies. His science may prove essential to the survival of our temple and the life that it holds, but first, he needs some help of his own. Find him and then make things right!" said the temple guardian.

I knew that I would have to help him with something before helping him 'make things right' within the temple. Before I left to look I took another look around the room where I found the Temple Guardian now that he left me alone to do what I need to do. Now, where can he be...?

I found a way into the temple from up here and it doesn't require wizardry to get in, just a rope and some good old-fashioned adventurer's skill. There is the small matter of the poison vines that are covering the hole but how poisonous could they really be? Before I lower myself down I'm going to pick some of these berries and eat them. They look very delicious!

Don't know how long I've been out. The vines were horrible. I swear they came alive! Stinging and grabbing at me! I must have passed out and fallen the last fifteen feet or so but I can't remember.

My head is killing me. Berry hangovers are the worst. I need to sleep this off before I continue.

I had not seen this journal page before and I have to shake my head at the professor, he is very lucky to be alive after all that as he tried to get in from the roof of the temple.

I eventually found a door that was locked and I needed to move the 6 beetles (3 on the left had to be moved to the right while the 3 on the right needed to be moved to the left) once I did that the 6 beetle lock, moved up and I needed to find six shapes before the door opened to reveal another locked door.

On the second door, I had to turn seven shapes on both sides of the door to match the images of the shapes I had to rotate, once I did that the door slide opened to reveal a third door. For this one, I had to push on five posts to get the jaguar head-looking door to look a certain way before it slid into the ground and opened into a room with water and a pod I could use to go underwater with.

SB/Kierra: We hope you have enjoyed the ninth chapter!

Annie: Sorry if it is short, I couldn't think of anything else to write. Review please and be nice with it.

SB/Kierra: Cya!

Annie: Bye!

Annie: We are back with a new chapter!

SB/Kierra: Thanks to everyone who left a review and to those who just read it! We don't own anything.

Annie: Sorry if it is on the short side... Enjoy it anyway.

Key to follow:

Your journal entries are in Italics

Spoken words are Normal

Things written on paper (The professor's journal pages) are in Bold

May 18 th  (assuming that I only slept a day. I'm starting to lose track.)

I don't know how long l slept but it's night now I found a map of the temple here: it shows four levels all underground. Each one seems to serve some specific purpose but I can't tell what. The architecture here seems familiar somehow, but I can't place it exactly. Maybe it will come to me later.

The door leading further into the temple is locked and I'm not sure how to open it. I wish Rachel was here.

Now I have the map to follow, and hopefully, it will lead me to the professor.

May 18 th  (continued)

I'm back on track. This morning there was some food left for me and the door was open! Apparently, I'm not alone. In the room adjoining this one, there is a large pool and a submersible chamber suspended above it like a cocoon over a pond. I'm going to see if I can get it working.

It works all right since I made it work...I feel like I'm in an underwater elevator or something.

May 20 th

I'm still drying out after the swim. I didn't trust the mechanical cocoon so I went in old style like we used to do. I didn't plan on the crocodiles being in there but somehow I managed to escape with my life. The big one at my shoe though. It must be nice to be a crocodile and eat anything you want. On the plus side, I needed a bath something awful.

He jumped into the water and dived down there and ran into some crocodiles? The risks he takes shock me and leave me shaking my head at the things he does sometimes. I am reaching the bottom of the underwater level.

May 20 th  (continued)

Cake. What I would give for a slice of cake right now. Someone has hidden all kinds of other objects in the crazy place, so why not a slice of chocolate cake? Hey you up there, if you're listening, hide some vanilla ice cream too while you're at it.

I'm soooo hungry right now.

Just a few of my favorite things.

The carvings on the first level are so interesting. I wish there was a way to drain the water so I could have a closer look at them.

SB/Kierra: We hope you have enjoyed the tenth chapter!

Annie: Sorry if it is short, I couldn't think of anything else to write. Review please and be nice with it.

SB/Kierra: Cya!

Annie: Bye!

Annie: We are back with a new chapter!

SB/Kierra: Thanks to everyone who left a review and to those who just read it! We don't own anything.

Annie: Sorry if it is on the short side... Enjoy it anyway.

Key to follow:

Your journal entries are in Italics

Spoken words are Normal

Things written on paper (The professor's journal pages) are in Bold

I found a rock that had locks on it and when I pushed one lock which had a gold button below and two gold clasps holding the lock in place when I pushed the button on the bottom and then the clasps the lock slid down. For the second lock and two gold buttons and clasps, I had to do the top button and clasp and then the second button and clasp to fully unlock the second one, it was the same for the third lock which had three buttons and clasps.

The whole thing spun around and I had to turn four slabs around to make it unlock, which caused a small spot open and I had to turn the 3 dials to make an image of an octopus. I was rewarded with a gold-colored gem and the water drained away!

Now I am back in the elevator pod and there was no water to worry about and I could search around once more for more journal pages. The gem unlocked the door I had seen before and once it was open I found another journal page and could move forward.

May 21 st  (I think)

I'm really upset about Rachel. She is strong and smart and has emerged from many tough situations, but not knowing if she is okay is the worst part.

I found a doughnut cleverly hidden amongst a patch of mushrooms. It was very good and didn't taste old at all. Or maybe I just wanted it to taste good. Maybe it wasn't even a doughnut.

I'm starting to wonder if he is losing his mind with everything he has been through so far on this journey. I can understand his worry about Rachel, I thankfully know that she is just fine, and I will tell him just that since she is the one who brought me here to find him in the first place.

Does it actually matter what day it is? Down here below the earth it doesn't really matter.

I didn't get to see much of the underwater level because of the crocodiles but I sketched this from memory once I was on dry land.

Once I headed down the stairs on the other side of the door I found a room with gears and had to move back and forth through three rooms to find 4 gears to make a mechanism work to open the way to a new area.

It's shocking how advanced these people were. The environment on this second level is dominated by large gears that all seem to be intact. If I can just figure out how to get them moving... Ah, but Rachel was the one who studied gears!

There are several symbols of animals throughout this gear level that when touched, randomly produce a geometric shape that can then be changed to one of six shapes. I found this rubbing, probably left by a previous adventurer but I don't know what it means.

I slept on the gear problem. Literally. But nothing came to me but a backache.

For breakfast, I broke off a piece of the bread bowl I bought as a weapon and crushed it to a fine powder, and ate it. It was quite good actually. It could have used a little salt maybe.

SB/Kierra: We hope you have enjoyed the eleventh chapter!

Annie: Sorry if it is short, I couldn't think of anything else to write. Review please and be nice with it.

SB/Kierra: Cya!

Annie: Bye!