I stared at the email on my screen, my heart racing with disbelief. It was addressed to me, but it was from my father, who had gone missing ten years ago.
The email contained a strange-looking envelope that had been addressed to me, and it included a message from my father, asking me to come to his cabin in the woods.
I hesitated for a moment, wondering if this was some kind of sick joke or if someone was trying to mess with me. But as I read the message again, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was real.
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I quickly packed a bag and made my way to the cabin, my mind racing with questions. What had happened to my father? Why had he been gone for so long? And why had he reached out to me now?
As I arrived at the cabin, I was greeted by the sight of an old, wooden structure that looked like it had seen better days. It was nestled deep in the woods, surrounded by towering trees and dense undergrowth.
I took a deep breath and stepped inside, my heart pounding in my chest. The cabin was dark and musty, with a thick layer of dust covering everything. I made my way to the back room, where my father had always kept his things.
As I looked around the room, my eyes fell on a small, locked box that was sitting on a shelf. I picked it up and examined it closely, trying to figure out how to open it.
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Suddenly, I heard a creaking sound, and I turned around to see a figure standing in the doorway. It was my father, looking older and more worn than I remembered.
“Hello, son,” he said, his voice raspy and weak. “I’m sorry I had to contact you like this, but I needed to see you. There’s something I need to tell you.”
I was speechless, unable to comprehend what was happening. My father had been missing for ten years, and now he was standing in front of me, looking like he had been through hell.
He gestured for me to sit down, and I obliged, my mind reeling with questions. “What happened to you, Dad? Where have you been all these years?”
My father took a deep breath and began to tell me his story. He had been working on a secret project for the government, something that involved a dangerous new technology that could change the course of history.
But things had gone wrong, and my father had found himself in the crosshairs of some powerful people who wanted to silence him. He had gone into hiding, moving from place to place, always looking over his shoulder.
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He had finally found refuge in the cabin, where he had been living alone for the past ten years, always watching and waiting for the day when he could finally tell someone the truth.
As my father finished his story, I sat there in shock, trying to process everything he had just told me. It was a lot to take in, but somehow, I knew that it was all true.
We talked for hours, catching up on the years that had been lost between us. I learned about my father’s struggles and his fears, and I began to see him in a new light.
As the night wore on, my father grew weaker, his breaths coming in short gasps. I knew that he didn’t have much time left, and I wanted to make the most of the precious moments we had together.
“Dad, I have something to show you,” I said, pulling out the locked box from earlier. “I think it might be important.”
I fiddled with the lock for a few moments, and then it finally clicked open. Inside, there was a small piece of paper, with a message scrawled in my father’s handwriting.
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I read the message aloud, my voice trembling with emotion. “My dear son, if you are reading this, then I am gone. But I want you to know that I love you and that I am proud of the man you have become.”
Tears streamed down my face as I continued to read. “Inside this box, you will find the key to my greatest invention. Use it wisely, my son, for it has the power to change the world. But be careful, for there are those who will stop at nothing to get their hands on it.”
My father’s words sent shivers down my spine. I couldn’t believe that he had left me with something so important, something that could have such a profound impact on the world.
I looked up at my father, but he had closed his eyes, his breathing shallow and labored. I knew that he was gone, and a deep sense of loss washed over me.
But as I looked down at the box in my hands, I felt a flicker of hope. My father had left me with a legacy, something that would live on long after he was gone.
I left the cabin that night, feeling a mix of sadness and excitement. I knew that I had a great responsibility on my shoulders, but I was determined to honor my father’s legacy and use his invention for good.
As I walked through the woods, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I knew who I was and what I was meant to do.
I looked up at the stars above, feeling a connection to my father that transcended time and space. And in that moment, I knew that his spirit would always be with me, guiding me and watching over me as I forged my own path in life.
***
Read my ebook WRITE. EDIT. PROMOTE. to learn the basics about becoming an author – from writing your own book, to editing your first draft, and to promoting your book yourself! You can also read my ebook How To Write A Story Effectively and learn some valuable lessons about how a story can go from average to extraordinary. This book is part 1 of the series.
In fiction, I have two short stories for children in an ebook called Bedtime Stories.
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter. Send me an email at editor@samarpita.in for editing, content, coaching, or social media planning.
