The Road To El Dorado: What if you were there?

6: Aye

Days went by slowly. You would take turns rowing the boat and try to survive huge storms. There was nothing to eat, not even a bird, and you would go from cold, rainy days to hot, dry ones in a matter of hours.

You felt like you were losing your mind. You listened to the gentle waves. "Tulio, Miguel, did you ever think we'd end like this?"

"The horse was a surprise," said Tulio. You smiled.

"Any... regrets?" asked Miguel.

"Dying," you replied.

"Yeah, and besides that," said Tulio. "I never had... enough gold."

"My biggest regret," said Miguel. "Besides dying, is that our greatest adventure is over before it even began. No one will even remember us."

"If it's any consolation Miguel," said Tulio, taking your hand. "You two made my life... and adventure." he started sobbing.

"And if it's any consolation to you both," you said. "You made my life rich."

"And, Y/N, Tulio," said Miguel, sobbing as well. "You're both worth dying for." You swear you saw Altivo roll his eyes.

You sighed deeply. You went to touch the water but it felt... dry. The sand fell through your fingers and you gasped. You looked at them and smiled, jumping out of the boat. They kissed you and then kissed the sand.

Then you saw all the skeletons and screamed. "All in favor of going back to the boat, say aye," said Tulio. "Aye."

"Aye."

"Aye." You walked back slowly. You noticed Miguel stopped. "What is it?"

"Hey!" called out Tulio from the boat. "I could use some help." Miguel didn't move and Tulio looked at you. You shrugged. "Miguel!"

You went to touch his shoulder. "Y/N," he turned around suddenly. "We did it."

"Did what?" you asked

"Is that the map?" asked Tulio. "You still have the map?"

Miguel ignored him and showed you. "It's all right here. The whistling stream."

"You kept the map but you couldn't grab a little more food?" exclaimed to Tulio and you nudged him.

"Even those mountains," continued Miguel excitedly. "You said it could be possible and it is possible. It really is the map to El Dorado!" You stared at him quietly, not wanting to hurt his spirits.

"Miguel-" you said.

"You drank seawater didn't you?" said Tulio. You pushed him. Miguel was a puppy.

"Oh come on," said Miguel.

"I'm not coming on," replied Tulio. He started walking to the boat. "I wouldn't step foot in that jungle for a million pesetas."

You gave Miguel a knowing smile. "How about a hundred million?"

Tulio stopped, "What?"

Miguels put his arm over your shoulders and he said, "I just thought that, after all, El Dorado is the city of gold..."

"What's your point." Tulio still didn't turn around.

You touched his arm. "Oh, you know, dust, nuggets, bricks. A temple of gold where you can pluck gold from the very walls." you wrapped your arms around his waist.

"But you don't want to go," said Miguel mockingly. "So let's get back into the boat and row back to Spain."

"We're so close already," you added. He turned around.

"Alright wait," said Tulio. "Wait a minute, new plan." You smiled triumphantly with Miguel. "We find the city of gold, we take the gold, and then we go back to Spain."

"We buy spain!" said Miguel.

"That's the spirit," you said, laughing.

"Come on Tulio, let's go Y/N, we'll follow that trail," said Miguel, sword in hand.

"What trail?" asked Tulio.

"The trail," Miguel cut some vines, "that we blaze." A wall was behind the vines. You stared at the wall and then at Miguel. He pointed away, "That trail that we blaze!"

Altivo shook his head and started for the water but you pulled him back, petting him reassuringly. Tulio on the other hand pulled him harshly and Altivo bit him. You started laughing.

"Shut up Y/N," he said but you didn't stop. He crossed his arms but smiled when you kissed him.