Chapter 1

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Alex Carter wasn't looking for adventure. He was looking for a quiet place to hide from his history teacher after skipping his last assignment. The library seemed safe. But as he ducked behind a dusty stack of books, something caught his eye.

A book had fallen from the top shelf and lay open on the floor. Curiosity got the better of him, and he picked it up. He rifled through the pages quickly and noticed a piece of paper tucked at the back—an old map, yellowed and fragile.

"What is this?" Alex muttered, scanning the lines and strange symbols drawn on it.

"Hey, what are you doing back here?" a voice said, startling him. It was Leo, his best friend, who seemed just as surprised to find Alex in the library. "Hiding from Mrs. Kane?" Leo guessed, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh, yeah. Sort of. But look!" Alex held up the map. "I found this...it's like a treasure map or something."

Leo rolled his eyes. "You're kidding, right?"

"No, seriously! Look at these symbols! There's an 'X,' and it's right next to some place in the woods. Doesn't that look like a treasure map to you?"

Leo sighed, glancing around the library. "Even if it is, what makes you think there's any treasure left? Maybe it's a prank."

Alex grinned, tucking the map into his jacket. "Only one way to find out."

And so, without another word, the adventure they never expected began.


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