Where No One Dares Go

They never had storms like this, not in Riley's little town. It had always been such a serene place. So unsuspecting. A quiet hamlet tucked away from the chaos of the rest of the world. However, for tonight at least, the blackened sky above her was angry; unrelenting.

'It's an omen. A terrible omen.'

She raised her head thoughtfully to the heavens. No stars. It was a completely blank canvas. Even the moon had been reduced to a single sliver of pale light. Though she could not see them, she knew that the clouds had banded together to engulf the night sky. They were dark and heavy, with a rainfall which promised to drown the earth.

'It's an omen.'

There they were again. The ominous final words spoken by her grandfather before he passed. A week ago he had stared blankly at the world through his bedside window as if he knew what was coming. Riley recalled how he had always believed a storm to be a sign of bad things to come. She thought him funny for being so superstitious, but now that she found herself here, she couldn't help but wonder, what if he was right? A tear threatened to make itself known in the corner of her eye, but she waved it away before it even had the chance to brim to the surface. She had cried enough tears for the man who had practically raised her. This wasn't about her grandfather's death anymore. It was about what he had left behind.

The bellowing crash of thunder had her jumping almost a foot in the air. Then came the lighting, flashing spectacularly through the night, like electrified horses riding the wind. The rain was sure to follow and it wouldn't be long before she was soaked from head to toe.

I need to be quick!

She shuffled forward a few steps, slowly approaching the edge of the overgrown field before her, but just as her foot was about to touch down onto the grassy wasteland, she hesitated.

What am I doing!

She was plagued by thoughts that threatened to betray her, betray her mission. After coming this far, she simply couldn't turn back now. Could she? No...she wouldn't turn back. If she decided to quit now, it would be nothing but an insult to the memory of a man who cared for her more than anyone else.

No, never! I could never! I have to go on.

Her hands were almost unbearably numb from the sharp cold air, but she refused to loosen her grip on the soft black notebook clutched tightly to her chest. It could've become a part of her if it was held any tighter, but she was determined to protect it with her life. If the rain chose to come before she was finished here, she would not risk it being ruined.

Her grandfather had carried this book with him for most of his life. It was battered and bent, showing its age appropriately. Yet she still believed it to be the most beautiful and fascinating thing she had ever possessed. She thought it so, due to how it had been embroidered with over fifty years of pain, joy, and memories. He had been not much younger than she was when he'd received the book from his own grandparents, treasuring it from the day it was placed into his hands. And Riley had been the same. Ever since she had been given the book as her grandfather's last gift to her, she had it with her always and held it with such admiration, comparable to what she felt towards its original owner.

It was the book that had brought her here, to this abandoned mass of nature. The darkened unkempt grassland at her feet was wild and dismissive. She hated to admit to herself that it frightened the life out of her, but that was the very reason why she was here. That was why this small yet unassuming journal had led her to this particular place. Because of its terrifying reputation, because it was a place where no one else dares go.

The perfect place to hide something.

There was no putting it off anymore. Desperately willing her feet to move forward, she knew that if she didn't do this now, it would be too late. And so she began to move, one foot at a time, slowly creeping through the overgrown jungle that would soon surround her. Her eyes had become well accustomed to the pitch black of the night, though she dared not go on without some form of light to guide her. She pulled her phone from her back jean pocket and unlocked it, quickly flicking on the torch so that the path ahead swiftly became illuminated in the bright, white glow. With one hand holding her treasured notebook and the other clasping her mobile, she proceeded to swim through the feral green sea. As she went, it was noted how each blade of grass seemed to strike her skin, like frozen icicles sending violent shivers down her spine. She counted out her paces with each wide step. Thirty-five, the book had said. Her voice was nothing but a gentle whisper, as her mouth began involuntarily mimicking the counting in her head.

...5...6...7...

As she walked her body was constantly fighting with the greenery, her arms growing tired from pushing long branches and brambles out of the way.

...12...13...14...

The thunder made itself heard again, louder and more terrifying than before. Riley was anticipating the rain any second now, but there was nothing.

Not yet.

She continued, coming close to the halfway point. As she moved, she thought more of her grandfather, grasping his old book even closer to her chest. She paused for a while, taking in her incredibly claustrophobic surroundings. There wasn't much to see, even in the focused light of her phone. She had to keep it as low as possible, for fear of being seen by any curious eyes lurking nearby. Riley could not risk being discovered, however unlikely it was, especially on a night like this.

In a place like this.

In her mind, she could envision a young man hiding in the undergrowth ahead of her. Even forty-five years ago, when the field wasn't nearly as untamed as it was now. Still, it would be as perfect a hiding place as any, assuming he had stayed close to the ground. She remembered how he had told her of this unfortunate area, how he came here when he had no other choice. How he had reluctantly spent the night here, waiting patiently for morning to come so he could finally escape. How his friends had not been so lucky.

He was the only one who had thought it a horrific idea, for this land held a monstrous reputation. Somewhere out there, amass the bushes, brambles, and branches, there was an ominous and deadly swamp, which threatened to claim the life of anyone who crossed its path. It was unseen and impossible to detect and even though it was suggested to be the cause of various disappearances over the years, no one had decided to do anything about it, for fear of being claimed themselves. Only one person, in a hundred years it seemed, had made it out of this area completely unspoiled. And it was only by his direction that Riley had summoned the courage to enter it herself. At this moment, as she thought increasingly about the danger which loomed ahead, she felt herself panic yet again. It wasn't that she feared for her life particularly, but worried she might let her grandfather down. That the secret he had been holding on to for so long, the secret he had shared with only her his whole life, would be forever lost if she was unsuccessful. Her hands shook and fumbled as she found herself trying to flip through the journal, hoping to locate those warm words of encouragement to keep her moving forward. Juggling phone and book was difficult while her hands were still painfully numb from the bitter air, but eventually, her desired page was lit up.

"Enter that forgotten part of the world with confidence, or you will be lost. Stay low, you must not be seen. With the main road behind you, to the left of the shelter, your feet should meet the edge of the land. Thirty-five paces, no more, no less. Keep them wide! Then you'll find it. If you can't, retrace your steps and start again. DO NOT stray from this path!"

Biting her lip nervously, she wondered if everything had been done right up until this point. Her hands were violently trembling now. Looking back down, she sucked in a deep breath, desperately trying to steady herself. Then she found the words she had been looking for.

"Don't ever doubt yourself, Riley. I have every faith in you, and that will never change. I am sure that by having this book and finding this treasure, I can pass on in good conscience knowing that you will be safe, happy, and well looked after for several years to come. Out of all the things that have ever unexpectedly come into my life, you are by far the greatest."

Tears brimmed in the corners of her eyes again and this time she let them. He had always been there, the only parent she had ever really known. Just knowing how much he had loved her was enough to spur her on. Despite the unfortunate circumstances which had ultimately led her here, she was determined now more than ever. Just as her hands were about to snap the book shut, the tears which had become a stream of steadily falling droplets touched down onto the paper.

No...not tears. The rain!

She knew she had taken too long. It was time to believe in herself. Her paces grew quicker now, but she was still careful to make sure that they were wide and evenly spaced. She couldn't risk making a mistake now, even as she was rushing herself.

...30...31...32...

Almost there, Riley thought. Just a few more steps and...

"No more!"

She halted in her tracks immediately, her grandfather's deep voice echoing in her head. The rain was growing increasingly heavy. As she stared down at the patch of earth in front of her, she slowly lowered herself to the ground, briefly examining the damp soil. Without thought or hesitation, she began to hurriedly scoop handfuls of dirt away, pausing only for a moment to wipe droplets from her eyes. Although this ground would've been undisturbed for many years, she was not sure how far down this so-called treasure of her grandfathers was buried, and so she kept going. Until...

Her hands felt the light waterproof material of a parka jacket. It was dark in colour and would've been invisible against the soil if she hadn't had the light of her phone nearby. She slowly began to unfurl the sides and arms of the coat, incredibly weary as if she anticipated something live and feral to jump out and attack her. But what lived inside the jacket, was something much different.

Her breathing was quiet and shallow as she stared down at the contents in amazement. This is why her grandfather had come here all those years ago, this is what his friends had died to protect.

Where did they get this from?

Her fingers gently traced the edges of the crisp banknotes. How much was here she wondered. And why had he only chosen now, after his death to lead her to it? As she knelt on the sodden ground, still taken aback by what she had found, it was almost as if she could feel him by her side, his hand on her shoulder.

After all this time, even now he's gone, he's still taking care of me.