The Monster of Greed

The lagoon reflected the sun on the surface of the water, making the thicket seem opalescence by the gleaming strands of light. The suffusion of greens and yellows among the covert and forest made the four people ululate in joy and surprise.  All wore dun clothing made out of what seemed to once have been old cloth rags and satchels, but each one possessed a different expression to their faces.

             "God…This is it?" the prefect said, disappointed, "It's too small. A leviathan would never fit in there."

             "I dunno. What if it's deep?" another boy said, adjusting his small, square glasses.

             "Riley, how bad is your myopia? You can clearly see the bottom. There's nothing, not even a minnow!" the corpulent boy exclaimed, "I was hoping for even just a tad to eat…"

             The last person, was several years younger than her three older brothers. She store at the water while being as inarticulate as possible. Something felt strange to her, but she couldn't purse out a warning from her frozen lips. The water danced around the edges of the pool, flashing rays of light this way and that, similar to how a lighthouse guides its ships.

             "This lagoon wasn't meant to find food, Timothy.  Since I'm the oldest and a prefect, I declare we all stand here."

             "And do what? What for something that doesn't exist? Gordon, admit it already! This creature doesn't exist!"  Timothy exclaimed, "Standing here won't do anything!"

             Gordon glared at Timothy harshly, "Wasn't it you who thought all this up?"

             "Actually, it wasn't. Riley suggested it, I only told you," Timothy explained.

             Gordon turned his attention to the brown haired boy cleaning his glasses, "So, what do you wanna  say 'bout all this?"

             "Nothing. I said there was a creature worth more than anything in the world here, and I meant it. I did not say, however, that I wanted to come," Riley shrugged, "Too late now."

             "Hogwash!" Timothy yelled.

             The diffident girl continued to watch the steadfast recrimination continue. She saw how Timothy's furtive mind games made all his wrong-doing be placed on his twin Riley, and how Gordon's obtuseness made him such a confused leader. She even saw how Riley acted in such a bravado way, that Gordon believed every word he said. She felt her own feeling of indignation rise. All that work, only to have everything turn out to be a lie. Suddenly, there was a squawk in the distance. She stopped making a festoon and stood up.
             "The monster?" she blurted.

             Gordon capered, looking very proud of himself, as if it was he who made it sound. The voice echoed again and again, but nothing arose from the water. Gordon furrowed his eyebrows, his eyes seeming furious.

             Riley laughed, "That was totally a bird dude!"

             Gordon rebounded with a malevolent aura about his body, "Maybe, maybe we need to sacrifice something…"
             "That sounds crazy," Timothy responded.
             "No! I know if someone falls into that water, that illusive creature will arise!" Gordon shouted.
             "…I think…I think Gordon's right. But, you won't get what you want from it," the girl spoke.

             "Hogwash! No way it's here! I'll prove it," Timothy said, matter-of-factly. He waded into the water until he was about mid-waist in, but before he could go any farther, Gordon jumped in.

             "How do I not know this is your way of getting the gold? Huh?"

             Riley then looked at the water. His eyes widened, and he grew excited.

             "Gold!" Riley exclaimed, pointing to the bottom before jumping in as well.

             They wrestled in the lagoon before swimming to the bottom. They tried to collect more than everyone else, and in their stupid ways, died so they could have gold in their pockets.