Chapter
1. EcoTreasure Hunt
Sunanda
was shaking with excitement as she picked
up the package. For two days it had been
all she could think about, and she'd had
to stop herself a hundred times from tearing
it open. Now at last it was time for the
Kindness Team meeting, and she could finally
show it to her friends.
Excitedly,
with the package tucked tightly under her
arm, she typed in the Club's web address
on her computer keyboard. In an instant
she was transported INTO Cyberspace.
Looking
around, she saw that she was the first one
there in the empty, milky white void she
knew so well. She didn't even wonder anymore
how or why she was magically transported
there every week for their meeting. She
did at first, of course, but by now she
was used to it, and just grateful that she
got to meet her friends there. Especially
this week!
Finally
the other kids started to arrive from their
homes all around the world. She did her
best to try and sit patiently while they
appeared one by one.
"This
week's meeting of the Kindness Team is officially
called to order," Ahmed, the club secretary,
typed on his laptop after all of the kids
had materialized.
Sunanda
took a deep breath and hugged her package
tightly. She wanted to jump up and share
her news with everyone, but she reminded
herself, yet again, that she was trying
to work on being more patient.
"Is
there any new business?" Ling finally asked.
Sunanda politely waited for Sol to finish
telling the Club about a big Peace Festival
in his town, that kids working with the
international organization, PeaceSeeds,
had organized. It brought Israeli and Palestinian
children and adults together for a weekend
of cultural sharing.
Jamal told everyone about all the scientists
and politicians who had just come to his
city from all around the world for a United
Nations conference about saving endangered
animals and plants.
Sunanda congratulated herself as she successfully
waited until no one else seemed to have
any more news to share. Then just as they
were about to move on, she leaped up and
showed everyone the package.
"Guys,
look at this. It was delivered by special
messenger to my father's office. He's an
attorney for one of the biggest law firms
in India, and he says this is for real!"
Sunanda was so excited that she was jumping
up and down.
"But
what is it?" everyone wondered.
"The
letter that came with it said it's a TREASURE
MAP!" Sunanda exclaimed.
"A
treasure map?" the kids said in disbelief.
They were a little disappointed. After all,
only pirates in story books get excited
about treasure maps.
"No,
really guys!" Sunanda insisted. This is
for real. Haven't you heard about that rich,
eccentric mega-billionaire who hid a billion
dollars. It was in the news all over the
world, not just in India … Don't you remember,
they called it 'The Great Eco-Treasure Hunt'
beause he's known for being concerned about
global climate change... "
Most of the Kindness Kids remembered hearing
about it. "But that was last year," Michiko
exclaimed. "And all the newspapers said
it was just a hoax … right?"
"They
just said that because no one found it!"
Sunanda laughed. "But it's real. The note
said he's been following the work we've
been doing with Kindness Teams. He's so
impressed at how we've inspired kids all
around the world to start their own local
clubs… And because of all of the amazing
events and activities that all the Kindness
Kids Clubs are doing, he thinks that WE
should be the ones to find the treasure…
So he's giving us a treasure map!"
The Kindness Kids were still pretty skeptical.
"It
sure would be great to have that much money
available for people who are working to
make the world a better place," José
sighed. "Think of how much it would do to
make our wish for a more peaceful, just
and sustainable world come true."
"A
billion dollars could really change the
world!" Ling said, and all the other kids
agreed.
"Well,
where does the map say we're supposed to
look?" Ling asked. All the Kindness Kids
seemed to be a little more interested in
at least checking into this a little further.
"I
don't know, I haven't opened the package
yet," Sunanda smiled. "I was waiting until
we all opened it together."
"Well,
open it!" everyone exclaimed, quite excited
now.
Sunanda carefully opened the flaps, slowly
so as not to rip it. She was trying very
hard to keep her pledge to be more patient,
and was feeling quite proud of herself.
But the Kindness Kids didn't think this
was the time to practice patience. "Tear
it open, Sunanda," they begged.
Finally the package was open and Sunanda
reached inside and pulled out a thick folded
wad of paper. Carefully she opened each
flap until the paper was completely unfolded.
But there was nothing inside. The Kindness
Kids looked at the large six foot wide sheet
of blank paper, and then at Sunanda.
"Isn't
a treasure map supposed to have a map on
it?" everyone wanted to say, but no one
said a word. Sunanda sat down and there
were tears in her eyes.
"I
don't know what's going on. My father said
the lawyers that brought it assured him
this was a real treasure map…"
"Uh…
Guys, look at this," Johnny said. He had
picked up the box and found a tiny magnifying
glass inside.
"Maybe
it's not a blank page after all," he said
as he began poring over the page with the
magnifying glass. Everyone stared over his
shoulder.
He stopped at the very center of the page.
"Look! There's something here…"
"A
map?" everyone wondered at once.
"Hmm…
well, not exactly," Johnny said. He looked
up at his friends.
"Well,
what is it?" Sunanda piped out. So much
for patience.
"Well,
it's a website…"
"A
website?" the Kindness Kids exclaimed.
"Yep.
It's tiny, but that's definitely what it
is," Johnny insisted.
"Well,
what's the address?" Erin gasped and all
the other kids exclaimed the same question.
"Well,
you're not going to believe this…"
"What
is it?" everyone demanded.
"www.EcoTreasureMap.com"
It seemed too obvious to take seriously,
but all the Kindness Kids thought they should
check it out anyway. It didn't matter, because
Ahmed was way ahead of them. He'd already
typed the address into his laptop, and the
kids suddenly found themselves zipping down
the information super-highway.
www.EcoTreasureMap.com