*Bang* *Bang*

Two loud gunshots echoed the forest grounds scaring the birds as they flew away from the trees they were staying at. A loud thud followed as I stood tired as I emptied out my shotgun. With a dead animal which looked like a bear of some sorts. 

A bear with rocks sticking out of its back. As weird as it is, I’m somewhere I don’t know where the hell is and how unusual this place is. I better calm down now since we’re in unknown territory and a bear already nearly killed us.I was raised and trained for this kind of stuff so I shouldn't panic over such trivial things. For now I have to assess the situation properly. 

But before we get to that… I’ll tell you the story of how I got into that situation. My name is Alan Brooke, and currently I’m bored out of my life with nothing to do during high school summer break. While lying down on the summer house of my father who passed away a long time ago. I took on this summer house to relive my memories of me and my Father being woodsmen. But soon got bored after arriving and to my surprise this place still has electricity and everything I need. 

I still know what to do while I’m here. So I took my time off and did the things I used to see my Father doing. Cutting wood, smoking food, and the simple hard life of living in the forest. My mother who also had passed away before I even had the chance to know her fully. He raised me with everything he knew in the world of forestry. The things needed for me to do when I get stranded in the forest. From picking which food to eat and not to eat, properly drinking water from streams.

And making survival tools that are helpful for hunting game and trapping them as well. But those days are now gone by the time he finished teaching me everything he knew after he got into an accident on his way back home. 

This makes me alone living in his cabin in the woods. While I was cleaning the house around I managed to get hit by one of the books on the bookshelf above the fireplace. Seems like this book is ancient from the texture of the cover alone. With Father’s initials written on the front of it. And a letter tucked in the first page of the book. I took the letter and the book and sat down by the backyard to get some fresh air while I read it. 

The Letter in question:

If you’re reading this Alan I’m probably dead by now. It is sad to let you live alone after all you never saw your mother’s face. I left behind something for you to do if you ever come to stumble upon this book of mine. It’s a special book, Alan. Something I wanted to tell you once you were ready but to my luck I wasn’t lucky in the end to tell you about it so I’m telling you here now what it is about. And it will be something you’ll keep in mind.

I remember you like doing adventures when we wandered around the forest. For that I remember a certain place where you should visit some day once you’re old enough you should see that place yourself. It’s a part of the forest that you should see. Amazing views, clear waters, and a perfect landscape for camping. Actually while I’m at it, me and your Mother once did camp out there before you were born.

So it was actually your mother who discovered such a beautiful place. Hidden away from the forests of our home. I know it’s hard to fully explain it, it’s more on the line of you better see it for yourself to believe it. Or something like that to be honest. But if you are ready to take on this journey to see what I mean. I left behind some of my proudest possessions for you to use in this adventure you’ve always wanted. 

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Before you open the book you better check the things I left behind for you. There will be another letter in that room once you find it. The hint is, something you’ve always sat above but can’t get under it. You’ll find it always in the same place every time and holds a great weight above its shoulders. I know you’re probably laughing at this already. Your Father tried his best to make it a secret since I know I shouldn’t make things easy for you since this is my most important possession. I want you to take this seriously and find it for yourself.

If you figure out this short riddle of your Father everything I left behind in that room will be all yours.

So good luck, your loving Father…

I closed the letter with a sigh of relief. Father is always doing things differently each time I see him do stuff. I should look for the room first before I read the rest of this since Father seems to treasure his possessions that he left behind for me to use.

Actually I will never forget the dream I’ve always wanted. Going on an adventure in the forest was originally with my Father but now that I’m alone. I guess I have to do things on my own. Figuring out Father’s riddles can be the easiest thing you ever think of…

Or the most obscure and hard riddles that took me years to figure out. This one I feel something familiar about but at the same time I don’t know it either. The house isn’t the biggest thing I know off. So it shouldn’t be that hard right?

And it took me the entire afternoon just to finish looking at the house and finding nothing. So I sat down by the couch in front of the fireplace. And saw my old photo of me sitting down enjoying the wooden toys Father gave me during Christmas. Wait… Something I always sat on but can’t get under it… I just realized something as I quickly stood up and pushed away the table. Seemingly this is the weight that is on its shoulders I presume. After I removed the carpet to the side.

I found a hatch going below the house.

“Is this the room Father told me to find?” I asked myself. I pulled the hatch open and a stairway going down is convenient so I followed the steps below into a door after I stepped down the stairs. I hesitantly opened the door first but then again I remember it was meant for me to cherish. This is the room where my Father left behind the things I need for the adventure I’ll be facing now that he passed on this story to me. To be honest his story alone makes me wonder if it really is amazing.

An ideal hidden place full of the beauty of nature preserved somewhere in this forest. Is something I am curious about since even before I hit college I basically scoured the entire forest at this point and haven’t seen anything unusual. Maybe it’s something my Mother had found but slipped by my vision when I did my thorough walks around the forest. After opening the door I saw something you see in an action movie of some sorts.

A wall rack filled with stuff I never saw my Father use when he’s around me. And now that I saw what they are I did understand why he didn’t show me these things. Various hatchets from the combat style to the things you use for cutting small trees. Axe’s also in the same various styles. A double-barreled shotgun probably for home defense if we had bears. I know Father taught me how to use firearms properly and safely at one point. Ropes, chains, and proper adventure gear are secured in the walls. 

Seems like Father was really packing up a lot of stuff. Knives of various sizes and shapes, some might be useful for forestry some are oddly designed for combat. I never really know what Father’s job was other than he’s just a woodsman.

But he has gear ready for all certain situations. Even winter gear, which could be very useful when I climb vertically. Ice picks, foldable shovels and spades. He basically has everything here that could be useful for going around the forest.

Even guns which is eerily weird that he has more than his normal double-barreled shotgun. As of right now before I should start my adventure I have to assess what I need and what I don’t need to bring for the trip.  I went up to make some sandwiches first while thinking about if I’m gonna abandon everything I do right now and go on an adventure or stay for now until I’m ready. I’m at my 2nd year highschool anyways I should finish school first before I go adventuring right?

Well the thought of it is tempting already to be honest. Since I’ll be bored as hell for the next few months. I wonder if it’ll take a long time to find this place that Father had mentioned.