With nothing but a map, an oar, and a sleeping bag.
... Also Kai, who was sleeping on the raft behind him, connected by rope.
There was only one person who could have done this.
Mia.
Jay groaned and picked up the map. A small paper slipped from it. He picked it up, and read,
Happy birthday, brother! Your first clue is... Look for a tree.
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This is the beach
Jay groaned, rubbing his eyes. "A tree?!" he exclaimed, staring out at the endless expanse of water around them. "Which type? There are thousands of trees!"
He glanced back at the map, hoping for more clues, but it offered little help. There was a vague outline of what seemed to be an island, but nothing else. He looked out at the horizon, searching for any sign of land or a tree that could be his first clue. But all he saw were the waves and the endless sky.
"Great. Just great," he muttered to himself, his mind racing as he tried to figure out what Mia had planned. "This is what I get for letting my guard down on my birthday."
He grabbed the oar and began to paddle slowly, trying to steer the raft in a direction that made sense. The rope connecting him to Kai’s raft tugged slightly as he moved, causing Kai to stir. Jay glanced back, hoping Kai would wake up and help him figure out what to do next.
As Jay paddled, he kept an eye out for anything that resembled a tree. The frustration of not knowing where he was going gnawed at him, but he also knew this was Mia’s way of challenging him. She always loved these kinds of puzzles—testing his wits and seeing if he could solve her riddles.
Finally, after what felt like hours, he noticed a speck in the distance. He squinted, trying to make it out. Could it be...? Yes! It was land! And as he got closer, he saw it—a single tree standing tall on the beach, its leaves swaying gently in the breeze.
Jay felt a small surge of triumph. "There it is!" he shouted, more to himself than to Kai, who was still snoring away.
He paddled harder, steering the raft toward the tree. As he approached, he noticed something tied to one of the branches. It looked like another note. Jay’s heart raced with anticipation. He pulled the raft up onto the shore, hopping off and quickly tying it down.
He hurried to the tree and reached up, untying the note. As he unfolded it, he couldn’t help but smile at Mia’s handwriting once again:
Good job, Jay! First, dig this spot
Jay looked around for a shovel. Nothing. With a sigh, he dug with his hands.
After a while, there was a chest. In it was a picture frame of the ninja and him, with Jay.... Looking very weird.
