I’ll Die Laughing (A Story from The Sealed Book)
One by one the Keeper of the Book turns the pages of The Great Sealed Book and stops at the strange story of three people who venture into a long-lost cavern that has been cursed by the ancient Aztecs. A tale called I’ll Die Laughing.
The story begins in a big old house, on Mount Hill, San Francisco, home of wealthy industrialist John Batan and his wife Laura. John has a visitor named Gimpy Gordon. Gimpy is a prospector who has brought John a map that shows the way to a secret cave called the Devil’s Cavern. The cave is reputed to contain a lost Aztec treasure, but the treasure is protected by a curse—anybody who enters the cavern is doomed to die.
John is very interested in what Gimpy has to say. He gives little credence to the curse, but the treasure is a different matter and he decides to go and investigate the Devil’s Canyon, taking his wife with him, and his financial advisor Harvey.
John is unaware Gimpy originally approached Harvey, and it was Harvey who sent the old prospector to see him. Harvey considered the story to be nothing more than a tall tale, but he knew full well that John would want to go to the Devil’s Canyon and look for the treasure. Harvey is having an affair with Laura, and he knows that if John ever finds out about it they will both be left with nothing, so he plans to make sure that John never returns from his treasure hunting trip. Needless to say, the last laugh is on the guilty pair.
But what of the Aztec treasure? That’s a good question. Press the play button below to find out.
The Sealed Book: I’ll Die Laughing
(Listen to the Full Episode)