Overboard

Chapter One

     It was Friday afternoon as bus twenty two pulled out of the neighborhood. The sky was almost clear, and the sun was on it's way to setting. A gently breeze rustled the branches of budding leaves on the trees behind the houses, and in the yards. Kids walked down the sidewalks, and crossed roads, all across the neighborhood on their way home.

     Almost halfway down the hill that was Ogden Place Lucas noticed a small box on the porch. Heading to the front door he picked up the box, and continued inside.

     "Emily!" he called walking down the hall to the dining room.

     A moment later the pounding of feet hurried down the stairs. Lucas set his book bag on the dining room table as Emily came over to greeted him. Her green eyes, the ones that matched his, and his father's so well, twinkled with delight as she spoke, "Hi! How was your day? What's with the box?"

     "I don't know it was outside when I got home." replied Lucas as he sat down, and opened the box. He lifted the lid noticing a envelope on top of a journal. Lucas picked up the envelope.  Printed on it was his name in blue pen.

     Emily stood next to him patiently as he opened the envelope.  Inside was a hand written letter, in the same blue ink that was on the envelope.  He quickly glancing at the bottom to see who it was from; Sincerely, Adam E. Brooks.  A wave of shock went through him as he read his fathers name.  Angling the letter towards the table, so Emily couldn't read it, he looked up at her trying his best to hide his shock. 

     "It's nothing interesting." lied Lucas. 

     "Well I'm going to go back up stairs then." she responded as she started back to the stairs. 

     Once she had made it passed the turn in the stairs, and was out of sight, he carefully looked over the letter.  It read:

   Dear Lucas,

     I am sorry that I had to leave, and that I must give you my journal like this. But I feel that now is the right time, and I can not see you in person. Not yet at least. Please do not let your sister mess with it, or let her know about it in the first place. Be careful with it. It is not the safest, and do not lose it. Your mother might be upset to see the book so you may not want to show her, but this is up to you.  

   Now the journal, incase you do not ask you mother, is something was from your great grandfather. Be careful the pages have the ability to take you to the places described on them. I promise to explain later. The thirtieth page is the waypoint to Willow's Edge. Open to the page, and with a hand on the picture ask to be taken there. This works for all the pages, but some are much more dangerous than others so be careful. Notes on the page will tell about some of the things, but some may be outdated. If you go to Willow's Edge we can meet, face to face.

Sincerely, Adam E. Brooks

     He took a moment to take it all in. His first though was that this had to a joke. Why would his father send him a letter like this, after eight years of nothing? And the last part, what in the world was that? But who would do something like this?  He put the letter down beside the box. The journal still inside was the same size as a composition notebook. Picking it up he found it was more like three of the notebooks on top of each other.

     The journal's cover was made of leather, with papers sticking out along the edges. A suede string that formed a loop, that wrapped from the back to the front, went over a button, holding the covers together. Lucas put the journal on the table in front of him, pushing the box away to make room.  He unhooked the string from the button, and opened the journal's cover. The page had a picture near the top that showed a white building with a blue roof to the left, and a field of small purple flowers. At the top of the page written largely were the words Fabaceae Fields.  Along the sides, the little space between the picture, and the title, and the large spot below the picture someone had written in several different colors. Looking over what had been written Lucas figured that they were notes about Fabaceae Fields, whatever that was.  Looking back at the letter he went to check the page it had told him about.

     Flipping through the pages he found page thirty.  It showed a field with short grass.  A bend of trees could be seen curving along the left edge.  The field stretched far into the distance, making it hard to see what seemed to be buildings farther back.  It was titled Willow's Edge. Scribbled around it were notes, that's what Lucas assumed they were, and he wasn't wrong.  But rather then reading them he decided why not act like the letter wasn't completely crap, and do what it had said.

   Rolling his eyes Lucas placed his hand on the picture.  Quietly murmuring to himself he sarcastically asked, "Take me to Willow's Edge."