Secret Of The Crest by Demetra Gerontakis

in.
       ‘ If this doesn’t get me the scholarship then nothing will !’ she thought to herself.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Four
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
       Gregor lead them under the falls through the wide opening into the cave. From inside the view was unexpected. None of them had ever seen through a waterfall before and it was a delight to see nature from that angle. As they continued doing so, Gregor set down his backpack, took out a table cloth and set it down right at the very edge of the cave so that they could slightly feel the waters mist as it came down abundantly. They all took out their lunches and canteens spreading a picnic feast.
       ‘I have been coming here since I was twelve. I had then stumbled upon it by accident. I explored every inch of the cave and many times I took a sleeping bag with me and stayed for hours at a time’ Gregor said.
       ‘It’s fascinating!’ said Rebecca. ‘But how could you possibly want to be here alone? Although, it is very beautiful and serene still, I would never want to be here alone.’
       ‘You are right to think that way because, as reality has it, most dangers could be found in a cave. Snakes, scorpions, wolves and even bears. Worst of all, Ghouls. Which might come here on a full moon’ came the reply.
       ‘How do you know that for sure?’ asked Sarah.
       ‘Like I said before, I came here often. I once saw that on a full mooned night, ghouls gathered here. I then stopped coming during the fullness of the lunar. I would return with the new moon as to be sure that I would be alone.’
       Sam grabbed a second sandwich and with a full mouth he spoke.
       ‘If we stay here after dark tonight we may be accompanied by ghouls?’
       ‘That is most likely.’
       Cassandra looked at the both of them.
       ‘It wasn’t that frightening to meet a ghoul now that it has passed me but I really wouldn’t want to live through it again so now that you informed us of that possibility, I say we eat and quickly get the bloody hell out of here!’
       ‘We sure will. We need enough time to reach our next point called pigadaki which means little well.’
       All of them agreed, continued eating and conversing for a while longer. Gregor was now quiet. He didn’t want to talk about ghouls anymore. He didn’t want to know what his sister would think of him once she knew the truth. He surely didn’t want Rebecca to be afraid of him. Not now that he had fallen for her. As the friends made small talk, Gregor was drowning in his thoughts.
       All of them at once turned their head toward the right side of the cave’s opening where they heard a conversation. The voices approached quickly. For a moment all of them were silent as dead. They watched as a couple walked through the passage under the water and into where they stood. The woman stood tall and confident. She spoke first looking very surprised.
       ‘Gregor! What a lovely surprise!’
       The woman, a beautiful slender woman with long curly brown hair and emerald green eyes smiled at him. 
       ‘Elizabeth, my dear Elizabeth. I haven’t seen you in ages, you look stunning as always’ Gregor said.
       ‘Thank you, I could always count on your lovely compliments unlike Giorgio here. You look pretty good yourself by the way.
       ‘Giorgio, you stand well too old friend. How is it that every time I see you, you look younger? You must tell me your secret’ said Gregor while shaking the mans hand.
       ‘Well I wouldn’t say I look all that young anymore but thanks for your kind words. Your kind words about others always came easy to you. It is good to see you Gregor. Eliza and I have been travelling a lot lately trying different cuisines all over Europe. Very potent indeed. You must join us sometime. Now, would you like to introduce