Snow Day

It was a cold December day in 1935 in a small town in Colorado as the children played in the snow with big smiles on their faces. It seemed like any other day in the town, but things were about to change for one particular child.

There was one lone boy named Samual sitting near the frozen riverbank under a tree. He was a shy young man without much ambition to participate in the activities. However, there was something special about Samual that he didn't even recognize at the time.

Samual noticed something buried in the snow but sticking out just enough to be flapping, wondering in the wind. Slowly getting up from where he was sitting, he advanced towards the object. Samual reached into the snow pulling the item out.

It appeared to be a small black notebook. Samual opened the book with some of the pages stuck together due to the chilling cold. Scribed the cover stated Samual Elliot Garrison. Samual thought to himself, "That was my great grandfathers' name. (Samuel's parents gave him his exact name; Samual Elliot Garrison) " He was stricken back by how durable this notebook had lasted in the harsh weather for this long.

Samual hobbled back to the tree where he was sitting before finding the notebook and sat down to read the content inside.

There will come a time when you find this book and when you do, I have a task that will benefit you a great deal. When I was a child, I was a loner, and the other children didn't play with me. I sat along the river bank as the other children played in the winter snow. Time has passed me by now, and without anyone to give the money I saved up, I wrote in this notebook for you. Now is an opportunity to change the future and everything you thought was possible.

Samual was intrigued by the details the notebook had for him to do. At this point, he felt he had been dreaming. Samual pinches himself," Ouch," Samual exclaims out loud. He feels he has something to look forward to now. He continues to read the notebook with serious intent to complete the task.

Here are the details of what I need you to do. Please don't advance or skip any pages; otherwise, you won't receive the reward. Your first objective is to walk North up the river bank until you make it to the old covered bridge.

Samual starts with great enthusiasm, headed towards the covered bridge. It's approximately a 1-mile hike and nearly an hour walk since the snow is so deep. Samual reaches the bridge and opens the book with such anticipation of what was next.

With caution, walk underneath the bridge and look near the bridge's pillar that sits along the bank. You will find I etched in the concrete the words "I want things to change." I need you to yell out these words as loud as you can.

Samual thinking it was a bit silly to be yelling out in the middle of nowhere these words. Although he was feeling strange doing this, Samual belted out, "I want things to change." By the phrase Echoing back under from under the bridge, "I want things to change."

There was silence after this exchange, and Samual was baffled that nothing happened. Samual looked back at the page and realized he missed a critical point. Oh no! I skipped a paragraph. "The book specifically said not to skip ahead," he thought to himself.

With his excitement, Samual had forgotten the pages were stuck together. He read the 4th page and skipped the 3rd page in the notebook. Samual began to read the 3rd page in the notebook.

There is a rock labeled "This is the key." on the side of the bridge. Lift the stone, and you will find a key. I know it's a bit obvious, haha. Take the key and follow the instructions on the next page.

Samual returns to the pillar under the bridge and repeats the words. "I want things to change," Samuel says with much more purpose this time. This time the key starts to glow in his hand as he hears the echo come back. This time the echo doesn't repeat his words. "Read the next page," the sound returned.

Samual was in great shock as he heard the echoing noise. "How? How is that possible?" he imagined in his head. Samual gazed at the next page with the meaning to not miss a word this time.

Take the key and place it in your belly button as if you were unlocking a door. I know it sounds strange, but you must do this. I know you made a mistake and skipped ahead. That's why I tell you not to miss a word in this notebook. It is crucial to your future.

"It's is getting bizarre," Samual thinking over the content. He knew that I skipped ahead. That's not possible he would even know that. It only happened moments ago. "Also, to stick a key in my belly button is silly," Samual snickered.

Samual placed the key in his belly button and turned clockwise. The key wasn't budging. He attempted to pull it back out, but it was stuck. He then decided to turn it counterclockwise. The key started to glow again, although this time, Samual began to glow with it. "What is going on? Is this some trick?" He opened up the book, and the words started to fade.

"What do I do next?" Samual yelled with frustration. He fell to his knees with such exhaustion. "What did I get myself into?"

Then at that moment, the key fell from his stomach, and the light faded away. Samual looked up, and nothing was going on. With great anger, he stomped back towards his house.

When Samual arrived at his front doorstep, he reached for the door hand and began to turn the knob. The door wouldn't budge. It appears someone had locked the door. "My parents don't ever lock the door." He walked around the house to check if there was any way to enter, but there wasn't.

Moments later, an older man starts to walk towards his house. Samual creeps behind a bush near the side. The man begins to unlock the door with a key. At this point, Samual is baffled at what is going on.

"Who is this man entering my home?" Samual was very puzzled. He walked around to a side window, where he was able to peek inside. The man went to the kitchen and opened up the refrigerator. He grabbed some food then proceeded to cook it.

"How bold of this man to be cooking in my family's kitchen." Samual thought with rage. He went to the front door, where he attempted to open it once more. Again, it wasn't budging. All of a sudden, the door opened and pulled Samual forward.

"I have been expecting you," The man said to Samual.

"You're intruding in my family's home," Samual said with much anger.

"Don't be alarmed, Samual." The man was attempting to calm him down with his smooth voice.

"It is a bit shocking, but I am about to tell you it will change your life and mine forever." The man told Samual.

"I have nothing to say to you!" "Please leave my house immediately, or I will get the authorities!" Samual cried out.

"You like science fiction, right Samual?" The man asked.

In tears and with great reluctance, Samual responded, "Yes, sir."

"What if I told you something beyond your greatest imagination just happened to you?" The man was about to tell Samual something he would never imagine to happen ever in his existence.

"Show me the key," The man asked Samual.

Samual stated," What key? I don't have a key."

The man laughed. "Samual, It's ok. I know about the key."

Samual was shocked and confused at the same moment. "What is going on here?" "How do you know about the key?" "I just found it a few minutes ago." "Is that what you're looking for?" "Please go before my parents get back, and I'll give you the key." Samual spouted off to the man.

"No, Samual, I need you to keep that key." the man soft-spoken told Samual.

With much more confusion than before, Samual said," Then what is it you want?"

The man grabbed a newspaper off of the table and handed it to Samual. On the top of the page, the date stated December 23, 1979. Samual's mouth dropped as he couldn't believe what he had just seen.

"That key is special, Samual," The man stated.

"Samual said I know but wasn't sure what it was supposed to do other than make me glow."

"Remember that family camping trip when you slid down the hill in the Rocky Mountains and left a scar that looked like a sword on your left arm?"

Samual said, "Yeah, what about it."

The man pulled his left sleeve up, showing the same scar."You see, that notebook you found wasn't our grandfather's book. It was yours. Well, yours from the future. When you heard the echo, it was me at this time. It was part of the transition. When you stated, "I want things to change." It opens up a portal in your body that allows that key to bring you to the future."

"How do I go back?" Samual asked with much urgency.

The man said, "Go back to the pillar and read the inscription on there and place the key in your belly button and turn it clockwise this time. It will bring you back. There is one more thing before you go that I wanted to tell you. It's about the reward. When you go back, I placed some money behind the wall to help our family and us out a great deal."

Samual sprinted back to the bridge with all of his might. He was so bewildered in what just had conspired—thinking and running at the same time. He nearly fell over, trying to get back. As he approached the pillar, he saw the words."Life is worth living no matter how hard it gets."

Samual Screamed at the top of his lungs with much meaning, "Life is worth living no matter how hard it gets." Then he placed the key into his belly button and turned clockwise. The same glow appeared around him as he fell to his knees.

Samual looked up towards the wall of the bridge and seen the words, "Here is our reward." Samual saw a loose board above his head and began to pull it down. A leather bag fell out from up above. Samual looked inside the bad and observed bundles of cash with a note inside.

I am so thankful we can rewrite history. However, you won't experience some heartaches that I have and the lessons that came from them. You will make your own, and I know you will overcome them. Here is $20,000 for you to create a new life. One that you can appreciate and live without regret. The money will not make you a better person; you can only do that, but I know the individual you are, and you will make the right decisions.

Samual rushed home and hid the bag in a safe place in his attic. He did as instructed, and his family lived a remarkable life. However, the money didn't change Samual in the wrong way. It did give him confidence, and he is playing in the snow with new friends.

Samual grew up to be a successful businessman and did well in the stock market. I guess it's good to know the future.