Finders Keepers

The lake was large, with brown water, algae everywhere growing on the rocks beneath long enough to reach the surface and the ducks paddled across racing against the cold breeze. People hurried along drawing their coats close to them, afraid that the wind may get in. I was busy looking around enjoying the bitter air when I slid on the mud underneath falling to the ground and that's when it caught my eye. Right by the shoreline a glimpse of a corner, something metal, hidden in thick green grass. I thought I was seeing things but at a double glance, it was confirmed. It was a long key with something hanging off it. It was rusty and old I didn't know how long it had been there for.

There was a label with it just about read able under all the mud. It read... Stonehaven cottage, Dunottar Square, AB39 3UJ

The rest was too dirty to read and no one around me seemed to take note of me sitting on the floor let alone looking for anything. I put it in my pocket and got back on my feet, beginning my journey home. I was curious to say the least, i wanted to see what else it said hoping it would provide me with a name for whom it belonged to.

The weather had gotten worse, the wind had picked up and the heavens opened above, by the time I got in I was frozen to the core and soaked to my skin. I'd changed my clothes and dried my hair while the key soaked in a warm bowl of soapy water, hoping to make it easier to clean.

I grabbed a new toothbrush from the draw and got to work scrubbing every inch until it revealed a golden key with a beautifully detailed pattern running all over it from top to bottom. I couldn't even imagine what it could open or where this place was but I made it my mission to find out and return it to its owner. The label was detailed to with swirls and curls going all around the boarder with beautiful fancy writing filling the middle. To my dismay there was no name written under the address just what appeared to be a family crest.

I got my phone out and typed in the address and waited and waited....and then I saw it all by itself in the middle of nowhere. I check the time, just gone 3, plenty of time to get there. Just under a two hour drive, perfect.

4 o'clock came around rather quickly and before I knew it came 5. It was dark the sky thick with angry clouds rain still pouring freely without a care.

I pulled into the driveway, not a soul insight, no lights to be seen nothing but lines of trees and a muddy track lay head. The road was rough and muddy, forcing me to pull to the side before going too far. I decided to put on my Wellington boots, take my torch from the boot and start walking. I was walking straight for 20 minutes as I walked, the place seemed deserted, like it has been cast out from society. Just the wind rustling through the trees and the raindrops crashing down, it was just when I was about to stop and go back, I saw the gate in the distance. It was grand, it towered over me with a long fence for as far as the eyes can see. But as I I got closer I realised it was open so I slipped through face-to-face with a dark derelict mansion.

The door was huge with a stained glass window stretching across the top and made of thick heavy wood. I'm knocked it once, twice on the third time I knocked even harder making the door creek open. Stepping inside I walked in to a room, but this wasn't any other room it was large with swirling staircases crawling up each side of the wall leading you to a second floor, long dark corridors either side of me and in front another double door which was close concealing what lay behind it. I called out numerous times but all I was greeted with was my voice echoing down the corridors followed with silence.

I decided to look around the place and found nothing no furniture, no people, nothing. It wasn't until I stumbled across a long dark corridor with the door the end I thought I've been down here but clearly I hadn't. It was right at the end of the corridor just hiding in the dark all by itself. I decided to go towards it and see what was behind it the closer I got the faster my heart thumped. I reach my hand out and grasp the door knob and turned but it was locked. I bent down to peep through the key hole, i could make out an object but it was to dark to see. then i remembered why i was here...the key!

I reached into my pocket and felt nothing. No no no where did I put it I searched the other pocket, the inside pockets of my coat. Still nothing. I felt around my back pockets and breathed a sign of relief from there it was amongst my car keys. Inserted it and and turned. The clicking of the door was loud, drumming against my ears and echoed throughout the place. I pushed the door open and there in the middle of the room in front of the window was a single large desk. The desk made of dark solid oak with draws either side and placed ever so gently in the middle was a book.

A little black book. I couldn't believe it, behind the large door, in a large mansion with a beautiful key hidden away from praying eyes was this, this, little black book! I pick it up feeling frustrated thinking how much time I had wasted over nothing. Then a piece of paper fell from one of the pages onto the floor. It looked old the paper, small rectangular had ink marks on it. I picked it up and placed it back inside. I decided to being the book home with me where I could look at it in the light. I didn't suspect any one would miss it considering it was locked in a room for god knows how long.

On returning home the rain had ceased but time had vanished it was almost 11 o'clock at night I hadn't realised how long i was gone for. I entered my kitchen feeling defeated, switching on the kettle I poured myself a cup of tea and decided to see what was so special about this little black book. I opened the first page, it read ' To Whom finds the key, finds the book and wins the fees' no name no date just that. I would be lying if I wasn't curious I flipped through the pages and stopped dead in my tracks. In the middle was an envelope - Finders Keepers - written across the front. Inside was the deeds to the mansion and a check for £25 million pounds....

I sat there blinking unable to process what i was seeing.

Was this real? Was i dreaming? Did i hit my head when i slipped?

I surely could not of been the finder, there must of been someone else before me the years that house must have sat there and i came across the key by chance after falling over. Never in a millions years....well maybe 25 million i might. It was to late to phone anyone to see if this was all true and happening, had i really just found myself this and got it.

The night was the longest one ive had in a while, was sleep an option - NO - was my brain thinking all night long - Yes. It wasn't even 7 o'clock yet but I had already tried to call my solicitor....she would know wouldn't she.

Two hours later:

Well lets just say she was shocked and spent hours going through all the paper work this mysterious little black book contained. The deeds were real as was that check and since i was the founder of it it was truly mine.