I was surrounded by water. It was steadily rising. My leg was trapped under a fallen stone column. It was small and light enough to lift up. However my position under it was too awkward to do so. “Holy shit man help me out. “ The pain was unbearable. Even if it was released. I wouldn’t have been able to move without help. 

How did I get into this situation you might ask? Well we would have to start from the beginning. 

“There comes a day when you will do something you never thought you would do. However you will do it because you need to. Because it was the right thing to do.” That is what my father told me just days before passing. Load of shit that was. Why do anything remotely related to things I don’t want to do if I had the money to not. Like working. Who needs to work when you have money. Who needs to think when you have money. Money solved it all.

That was until I got a rude awakening from the inheritance meeting. A black suited man with an outrageous nose told me the bad news. I always hated my fathers lawyer Mr. Tinner. He was a rail thin man that absolutely needed to eat more. I hated him even more for the bad news even though it wasn’t his fault perse. 

Mr. Tinner spoke in a butlerly way the annoying “Going to his lovely wife Sandra is his Company and its assets. He leaves a note stating he loves you and believes you will do the business well.” 

My mother, who I loved dearly, started crying for the 8th time this day. “You’ll do dad proud mom. Anyway Hara did most of the work now and days she’ll keep it running.” My mother had a stake in the business more when it first started. A tech company called Corton Digital and Corton Institute of Technology. A digital art studio as well as a slew of many other applications. I for one didn’t know jack shit about it having no desire to be my fathers heir. That's what Hara was for.

This wasn’t to say I was an idiot. I went to my fathers school and passed with flying colors. I was a natural computer wizz. I just didn’t like the idea of taking over my fathers business. Also I was lazy. Why work when you could just play games all day.

“You are right.” She said through her tears.

“Next is the twins Sira and Martha. To you goes half each of his wealth besides the company and its assets.” It didn’t dawn on me what he said as I was looking over my phone.

“And lastly to his son Conner goes the old Corton Mansion and all that resides in it. As well as this letter.” Said with a slight smile that I barely caught.

My mind caught up to what I heard. “Wait. I don’t get any money? Only the practically eroded pile of wood and stone?” I was angry and rightly so. My sisters did less than me. Ok they technically did more having started their own startup. But I stayed with father….and helped sometimes. I did the dishes sometimes.

“You should have seen father more in the hospital.” Sira spat at me.

I was outraged,”I saw him everyday.”

“Yeah and just sat on your phone while he tried to talk to you. Don’t think he didn’t notice the earbuds you tried to hide behind your hair.” My other sister added.

“QUIT IT.” Mother screamed at us. “Your father is dead and you should at least show some courtesy before arguing who his favorite is and who-” She stopped, tears overwhelming her. I tried to comfort her but was pushed away.

“Fine Tinner what does the letter say?” I asked calming myself down.

Tinner smiled the way only a lawyer could,”I haven't the faintest clue. It has been sealed for many years and was stated that upon his death it was to be given to you.”

“Probably a prediction on how much of an ass yo-” Martha started before a stare from mother shut her up.

“Fine hand it over and I’ll read it then.”

“Can not do that.”

“What then what- why even tell me?”

“It strictly says you can only open it in the Corton mansion.”

“Really. I have to drive almost 50 miles away to open a stup-” Another glare changed what I said.” I mean a lovely letter from my father that I will do to the letter…of the letter.”

“All that is left is to sign a few papers. We will-” I tuned him out thinking on what the hell was going on.

I was driving to the Corton mansion with a few friends of mine. There was Kyle Smith, a computer nerd like me. I would never admit it to him but a way better one than me. He always wore fake circular glasses saying they were the fashion. We were roommates at Corton IT. Stayed in touch and played games together regularly. He was a bit pudgier back then but leaned up a bit as of late. Something about a health scare. He didn’t go too much into detail and I respectfully didn’t ask.

 We even made a few phone games that did well for themselves. Kyle tried to rope me into a much larger game but I just didn’t want to put that much commitment in. Phone games were easy, people were dumb enough to spend hundreds on free games we would make in a month.

West Northman, an author of crime books. I didn’t know his real name and never asked. If he changed it for his book it was probably something dumb. I met him at a bar. He just so happened to need help with a cyber killer and needed information on the interwebs. We became friends fast and he even got me into light reading. Rather light as in only his novels but that was good enough for West. He always wore a turtleneck and carried source materials and his laptop with him. “Always prepared if inspiration hits.” He had told me so many times.

And lastly my girlfriend Michelle. She was a historian or something, an archeologist? We really only have been dating for the past few months. But she was kind and funny. As well as a great listener during my fathers long passing. She was muscular for a female and did mountain climbing for fun. I told her out right I was way too scared to do that when she asked me to come along.. Afraid of heights and not afraid to say it. Michelle was kinda like a cartoon character in the way that she never changed her style. She wore sleeveless shirts and cargo pants. With boots to match. I didn’t care for stereotypical femininity anyways.

We went down the long winding roads to the small peninsula where the mansion stood. I hadn’t seen the place in years. It was mainly just used as old storage for family belongings. I knew dad paid a butt load of money to security guards to keep it from being robbed as well as a staff that just cleaned it every so often. I didn’t know why anyone would want to work all the way out here.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Michelle played some old classics having taken control of the player. My truck bumped down the road the four wheel drive taking it well. “Hey Kyle can you hand over some of the fries?”

“What fries?” Kyle answered fixing his glasses.

“Did you…seriously? Come on man, I bought those.” I said with mock anger.

West bumped in and I could see a shit eating grin speckled with fries, “And we ate them. You snooze, you lose mate.”

“We have some onion rings?”

“You know I hate onion rings”

“Don’t worry hun I have some left over.”

“See people, this is what true friendship is.” I said taking more than a couple of Michelles. Now with my mouth full, “If this ever happens again we are through you here me.” The burp that came after ruined the seriousness of the statement.

“Are we there-” I threw a bobblehead I had in the truck for such occasions at the offending voice.

A yelp could be heard,”Shit mate that wasn’t me, that was Kyle.” I missed hitting the wrong person. Ooops.

A grueling few hours later we arrived at our destination. We couldn’t go too fast due to the bad road and many twists and turns. It was made for slow moving carts back in 1850 or something that was absurdly old. Xane did know that the mansion was used for military purposes back in the American civil war. At least my grandfather said multiple times. In my opinion I would be spreading that story since it was the confederates that used it.

We finally got a view of the estate. It was a massive building with 3 stories. Why did we need so many rooms? The world will never know. The Corton family was rich, a merchant family and then branched off to tobacco farming. But it wasn’t a huge family. Most stayed back in england. So the big mansion only had a few of its rooms ever used.

Large wrought iron fence surrounded the land with an intricate gate with a family tree dating to even recent times. I knew I was near the bottom. And soon like the rest of the deceased my fathers name would be crossed out. I had asked my father one time why they did that. “Its a superstition. Something about their souls needed to be let free.”

“Then why are we still doing it with grandpa?” He died when I was 18. Probably my favorite member of the family. Always told me stories of grand adventures. I felt bad for turning my back on him later in life not caring about stories. I couldn’t change that though.

“The reason is because of superstition or not, why risk it. Easier to scratch off a name than stay forever on this plane.” My father had said laughing in his nasally way. My mother said that was the reason she fell in love with him.

The family tried to persuade me to do it when I got here. Saying it was my duty and other nonsense. I for one wasn’t about to give in to superstition. They could do it if they wanted but I was out.

I dove the truck up to the gate. I took a moment to look at it. I found myself and where my brother's name used to be. He died on some boating accident a year after my grandfather died. He was even closer than me to my grandfather.

After a moment I was confused. Shouldn't there have been a guard here? Looking around I saw no one. There should have been multiple vehicles here as well for all the staff members. We used to have a ferry move them here but it fell out of fashion. I think it is still docked at the dock.

“You guys see anything? There should be people here.”

Kyle stuck his head out. “See what?”

“People, cars, signs of life. My father always had workers here making sure it was in working order. ‘Incase we ever move back in’ he’d say.”

“Who cares we now don’t need to tell them to leave.”

That was a fair point. “You know what you are right. Who cares.”

We pushed open the gate, no lock was on it. Another weird thing. We parked the truck near the front door and started unpacking. The door itself was thankfully locked and I took out the key. “I was meaning to ask you if you had a key. Wouldn’t want to drive all this way for nothing.” Michelle said, holding a case of beer.

“I would have just broken down the door or a window. Anyway there were supposed to be people here to remember.”

You might be wondering why I brought my friends along to just open up a single letter? Because we were about to have a party.

We got situated in the main room. It was immaculate like the place was lived in. Fake flowers and plants were set around for presumably easier cleaning. Tables had little to no dust. “Jeez you weren’t kidding when you said your dad kept this place clean.”

We quickly settled and the drinking started early. By the end of the night we were all mostly drunk. Michelle walked up to me staggering, “Ok ok ok…I love drinking as much as the next person BUT,”she said this here can spilling a bit. She should probably not have grabbed another. “wasn’t the entire reason for us being here, the stupid note your dad left you before…” She said this by slitting her own throat with her finger and laughing a bit.

“Morbid” I replied and she pouted, “but apt sure why not I think I’m drunk enough.” I sloppily tore it open, the wax seal not wanting to come off. Inside were just a few sentences. “Inside these walls. An adventure and treasure awaits. If you look for it and she looks for you.” I paused after reading it out loud. “What some bullshit is this.” Is started laughing madly. “He really left me a goddamn riddle. To what five dollars as a prank? “Pops”, I yelled to the house throwing the paper crunched up to the side.. “You are better at jokes than this. This is weak.” And then I collapsed to the ground way too tired to think. I barely noticed West go over and pick  it up before I passed out.

I woke up to being shaken. “Quick Connor wake up. Wake up!” The last one wasn’t needed, I just needed a moment. I could blurily see Michelle shaking me.

“What. Just let my eyes adjust.” As I sat up I grabbed at a bottle of water and downed it. “Ok I’m sorta fine now. What do you want?”

She seemed totally fine not even a bit hungover. “I think West accidently found it.”

“Found what?”

She looked disappointed in me. “The room dumbass”

“The- the stupid riddle thing” I had a slight recollection of reading my fathers note and being pissed. That was about it.

“Yes that one. Now come on, we haven't looked inside yet.” She lead me up some stairs and to a wall with a knocked over painting with a hole in it. “What the hell happened.” I yelled. “That is probably priceless.” I didn’t know if it was but had to assume.

West looked ashamed. “Sorry mate, I was looking for the bathroom and took some wrong turns. Tripped on this carpet and slammed into the painting. We both fell over and behind it was this button. He pointed at the mural on the wall that was hidden behind the painting. It was quite lewd and he saw the button he was talking about and I growned.

“You didn't, did you?” I pleaded.

If he could look even more ashamed he would have,”Yes BUT watch.” He touched the moral and the wall moved revealing a room. Inside was just one piece of paper on a table titled Corton Legacy.

To whom this may concern, 

This is our legacy. We Cortons have kept a terrible secret. We have hidden centuries ago a great treasure and greater danger. I believe though that soon it won’t matter how hard we try to keep it hidden. Patricia holds a key you’ll need. Find the treasure and destroy it before it falls into the wrong hands. You’ll be in dangerous waters if you accept this request. For many seek to find it.

Sincerely, Bert Corton

Charles was my great great grandfather or something. Why was I given directions here from my father to find a note from some old family member. “Well that is cool and all but I just don’t care.” I bluntly said leaving the room.

“What!” My three friends said I must have been feeling off still because I swore they seemed angry and they looked different somehow, but it was gone in a moment. “You can’t just not try. This sounds so fun.” West added. “Like a novel of mine. You said before you’d like to be inside of one before. This is your chance.”

“I don’t-”

“Think of it. You find this treasure. You’d be even more rich than you already are. Be more famous than you already are. A new age treasure hunter.” I had to admit I liked the idea. But-

“We can help you. We are here already. Why not” Kyle said, finally convincing me.

“You know what fuck it why not. But if it turns out to be an elaborate prank on me or I die I’m haunting you.”

“We promise.” Michelle said, hugging me. “This will be fun.” she whispered into my ear.