The Keys to freedom

Revelations

Oz lay in her bed, staring up at the darkened ceiling, her mind spinning in circles. Sleep felt like an impossibility, tangled as she was in thoughts she desperately wanted to avoid.

She repeated the riddle in her mind, over and over again, like a mantra: Her lips moved soundlessly as she recited it. The rhythm of the words offered a distraction, something to focus on other than the ache in her chest. She traced the lines in her head, dissecting them, looking for a crack that would let her in.  Time was slipping away, each passing day eroding their hope. Every sunrise mocked them, but giving up wasn't an option; their livelihood and the chance to remain together depended on solving this clue.

They had scoured every possibility—deserts, caves, sand dunes—anywhere that fit the description of a place where the tide was near but couldn't touch. Yet they always came up empty. She ran through every scenario again in her mind, frustration building with each dead end. The phrase that kept tripping her up was "beneath the shadows where time cannot hide." What did it mean? Was it a specific time of day, a moment when the tide receded, or something revealed by sunlight striking just the right spot?

And then, like a bolt of lightning, it hit her. The answer was so simple, so obvious, that she felt almost foolish for not seeing it sooner.

She sat upright so fast the room tilted around her. Her breath came in short bursts, her heart pounding in her chest.

"The shadows!" she whispered to herself, scrambling to her feet. "Time cannot hide... it's the sundial! It has to be the old sundial in the dunes!"

Without hesitation, she threw on a hoodie and darted into the living room where Grayson was sprawled on the couch, one arm draped over his face. He looked peaceful, his breathing steady, and for a brief moment, she hesitated. But there was no time for second-guessing.

"Grayson!" she yelled, shaking his shoulder.

He groaned, rolling onto his side. "What... what is it?" he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.

"I figured it out!" she said, her excitement bubbling. "The clue, Grayson. I know where it is!"

His eyes blinked open slowly, his face scrunching in confusion.

"Get up! We have to go now!" She tugged at his arm until he sat up, groggy and confused.

"Alright, alright," he grumbled, running a hand through his hair. "What's this revelation that's worth dragging me out of bed for?"

"It's the sundial," she said, pacing in front of him. "Where the sand is untouched by the tide—it's in the dunes. And 'where time cannot hide'—it's a sundial! It makes perfect sense. We have to go check it out before someone else figures it out."

Grayson blinked at her, the sleep slowly fading from his expression. "You're sure about this?"

She nodded fervently. "Never been surer."

With a resigned sigh, he stood, reaching for his jacket. "Alright. Let's go find your mystery sunflower." He replied half asleep.

"Sundial," she corrected.

Whatever," he groaned, rubbing his eyes as he followed her out.

She flashed him a grin, their earlier exchange momentarily forgotten. As they stepped out into the cool night air, the stars overhead seeming brighter.

Together, they climbed onto Graysons bike, the quiet hum of the engine breaking the stillness as they sped toward the dunes. The uneasiness still lingered between them, but for now, the thrill of the chase kept it at bay.

~

The dunes stretched before them, moonlight, silvery glowy over the undisturbed sand. The wind was faintly chill, but they barely felt it as adrenaline coursed through their veins. Grayson parked his bike at the edge of the dunes, the soft crunch of tires against sand breaking the silence of the night.

"I hope your right about this?" Grayson asked, stepping out and glancing toward the horizon.

"It has to be here. Come on." She grabbed a flashlight from her bag and started toward the dunes, her feet sinking slightly with each step.

Grayson followed, his footsteps heavy but steady. "You know, if we don't find anything, I'm going to hold this against you forever."

"You won't have to," she replied, flashing him a quick, confident smile. "It's here. I can feel it."

They climbed up the small hills the loose sand making it hard to find footing. But then, at the crest of a hill, Oz stopped abruptly. There it was: the sundial. It stood tall and weathered, its shadow faint in the moonlight but unmistakable.

Grayson stared at it with curiosity. "I'll admit, it's... suspiciously perfect. Now what?"

She knelt by the base of the sundial, running her hands over the carvings etched into the stone. "The clue said, 'beneath the shadows.' It must be hidden under it."

Grayson joined her, crouching down to help. Together, they pushed aside loose sand and debris until Oz's fingers brushed against something solid. Her heart skipped a beat as she uncovered a small, ornate box, its surface engraved with intricate patterns.

"This is it," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of the wind.

He leaned closer, his breath visible in the chilly night air. "You did it! You actually found it!" he exclaimed. Without hesitation, he pulled her into a full embrace, his arms tight around her.

She laughed, relief and exhilaration lighting up her face as she returned the hug briefly before stepping back. Her eyes sparkled. "We're almost there Gray, we're almost at the finish line," she said, her voice brimming with confidence.

"Then let's go get the others and finish this thing." He grinned. His tone filled with an energy she hadn't seen in him in weeks.