Alan had gotten up bright and early to go fishing. The weather was actually being agreeable and the season was right. He had high hopes for catching some beautiful salmon that he could bring home to his husband and kids for dinner. Oh what a hero he'd be.
After getting all of his gear together, he headed out. So far, the sunshine was staying with him and it didn't look like it would rain. Although, he thought, rain is never too far off. Once at the river, he put on all of his gear and waded in. The water wasn't flowing too fast for him to stand, so that was also a good sign.
Alan cast his reel and took a deep sigh. He loved going fishing. It was peaceful, he was surrounded by nature, and he could usually bring home a good meal (better than bringing home the bacon he'd always joke to his husband Timothy). It wasn't too long before he caught a beautiful salmon. It wasn't very big, certainly not big enough for his family to share, but it was a start.
He cast his reel again and was shocked and how quickly it snagged something. He struggled to reel in his catch. This was going to be the prize salmon he could brag about. But Alan found that he hadn't caught a fish at all. Instead, there was a locked box on the other end of his reel. Alan had to fish it out of the water because he couldn't manage to pull it all the way out.
It looked to be made of wood with a gold-colored metal along the edges. There wasn't much sign of rust, so Alan couldn't see how it could've been in the river that long. He turned it over in his hands, getting a sense of the weight of it. He could hear some things moving around in it that sounded heavy. The box wasn't very large. It was a little shorter than the length of his hand. He looked for any sort of initials on it, but couldn't find any trace of ink or any deliberate carving in the wood. He took a sniff and only smelled how the river had coursed over it. Unsure of what to do with it, he waded back to shore and put it with his gear. He still needed to catch dinner, after all.
After a few more hours, Alan was happy with his catch of salmon. He thought he had enough for dinner and maybe even some leftovers, depending on how hungry the kids were today. He had almost forgotten about the box, but decided it could be fun to open up with the kids.
Once home he was greeted by hugs from his children and a quick peck from Timothy. They oohed and aahed appreciatively at the catch and Timothy went about starting to make dinner.
"Come here, kids," Alan said as he took the box out, quickly grabbing a rag to put it on. "I found this box today and I figured we could find out together what was in it."
"Is that a good idea?" said Timothy, poking his head in from the kitchen. "What if there is a-" he cut himself off and mouthed "dead thing."
Alan laughed, "You're too morbid, Timothy. Sam, grab me a screwdriver."
Sam, the oldest of the three kids, grabbed a screwdriver from under the kitchen sink and returned it to his father.
"Now kids, let's see what's inside," Alan said grunting with the effort of popping the lid. Alan and the three kids all moved their heads to look over the box. Inside were a myriad of things. There were some pennies and shone with the river water slicked all over them; there were fossils of little plants that had stood the test of time; and there were some metal bracelets that didn't seem to have gotten too rusted. The three kids grabbed eagerly at the treasure and began to examine it closely.
As Alan smiled at his kids, he noticed there was a ziploc bag at the bottom with a note and key inside. He took it out and, after skimming the note, read the beginning out loud. "Congratulations treasure hunters, I hope you enjoy the loot, but know that this is just the start. Take this key and these clues and you will find yourselves on an even greater adventure."
His three kids and Timothy, who had popped back in from the kitchen, all looked at him expectantly.
"Let's get to work, treasure hunters!"
(Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy)
After getting all of his gear together, he headed out. So far, the sunshine was staying with him and it didn't look like it would rain. Although, he thought, rain is never too far off. Once at the river, he put on all of his gear and waded in. The water wasn't flowing too fast for him to stand, so that was also a good sign.
Alan cast his reel and took a deep sigh. He loved going fishing. It was peaceful, he was surrounded by nature, and he could usually bring home a good meal (better than bringing home the bacon he'd always joke to his husband Timothy). It wasn't too long before he caught a beautiful salmon. It wasn't very big, certainly not big enough for his family to share, but it was a start.
He cast his reel again and was shocked and how quickly it snagged something. He struggled to reel in his catch. This was going to be the prize salmon he could brag about. But Alan found that he hadn't caught a fish at all. Instead, there was a locked box on the other end of his reel. Alan had to fish it out of the water because he couldn't manage to pull it all the way out.
It looked to be made of wood with a gold-colored metal along the edges. There wasn't much sign of rust, so Alan couldn't see how it could've been in the river that long. He turned it over in his hands, getting a sense of the weight of it. He could hear some things moving around in it that sounded heavy. The box wasn't very large. It was a little shorter than the length of his hand. He looked for any sort of initials on it, but couldn't find any trace of ink or any deliberate carving in the wood. He took a sniff and only smelled how the river had coursed over it. Unsure of what to do with it, he waded back to shore and put it with his gear. He still needed to catch dinner, after all.
After a few more hours, Alan was happy with his catch of salmon. He thought he had enough for dinner and maybe even some leftovers, depending on how hungry the kids were today. He had almost forgotten about the box, but decided it could be fun to open up with the kids.
Once home he was greeted by hugs from his children and a quick peck from Timothy. They oohed and aahed appreciatively at the catch and Timothy went about starting to make dinner.
"Come here, kids," Alan said as he took the box out, quickly grabbing a rag to put it on. "I found this box today and I figured we could find out together what was in it."
"Is that a good idea?" said Timothy, poking his head in from the kitchen. "What if there is a-" he cut himself off and mouthed "dead thing."
Alan laughed, "You're too morbid, Timothy. Sam, grab me a screwdriver."
Sam, the oldest of the three kids, grabbed a screwdriver from under the kitchen sink and returned it to his father.
"Now kids, let's see what's inside," Alan said grunting with the effort of popping the lid. Alan and the three kids all moved their heads to look over the box. Inside were a myriad of things. There were some pennies and shone with the river water slicked all over them; there were fossils of little plants that had stood the test of time; and there were some metal bracelets that didn't seem to have gotten too rusted. The three kids grabbed eagerly at the treasure and began to examine it closely.
As Alan smiled at his kids, he noticed there was a ziploc bag at the bottom with a note and key inside. He took it out and, after skimming the note, read the beginning out loud. "Congratulations treasure hunters, I hope you enjoy the loot, but know that this is just the start. Take this key and these clues and you will find yourselves on an even greater adventure."
His three kids and Timothy, who had popped back in from the kitchen, all looked at him expectantly.
"Let's get to work, treasure hunters!"
(Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy)
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