#randomtin

I'm not suppose to be here, was the first thought to occure to the young scientist after waking up in an completely foreign place with tall trees surrounding her as she sat alone on the cold stone road. There was something about the place that gave her the chills; it felt like she was in one of those cheest teen horror movies.

"Hello?" She called out. However there was no one in sight. It was getting colder and colder with every second that passed. Where am I? Could it be a dream? Yes, that seemed like the best and only explanation to the situation. She was either dreaming or hallucinating or drugged. Great. And that was when she spotted the stranger standing that far from her. Had it been there all along? Juliet was pretty sure she was the only one on that particular road but there her intruder was.

It had been an extraordinarly long trek, leaving the somewhat unhealthy Friedrich breathless by the time he and his well-prepared companion reached the top of the hill. It didn’t help that he was burdened with a cumbersome backpack- Joseph seemed to be much more fit for traveling than he. 

Joseph was the one following the map. After scratching at his bearded chin, he traced his finger along the browned surface of the old treasure chart before tapping a spot in the base of the mountains up ahead.

“If I’ve decoded the message correctly, our precice destination is here.” He said, “I seem to remember there being an old cave in this area… though I’m afraid I don’t know how deep it goes.” 

“If zhis proves to be too difficult,” Friedrich began, catching his breath, “I vill leave. I have no interest in throwing mein life avay for zhis.” 

“Without risk, there is no reward.” Joseph said, bundling up the treasure map and stuffing it away in his backpack.

Friedrich adjusted the shoulder straps of his backpack and continued on after Joseph. Going downhill, towrads the forest, was strangely difficult in its own way, as he struggled not to stumble upon their descent.

He wondered how Joseph managed to talk him into this crazy situation. Though, he had all his facts right- and he was a detective, after all. He could figure out a lot of things that most others couldn’t- and the fact that he had deciphered the precice location of a hidden trove of treasure excited Friedrich. He needed money- and this would surely be enough to pay for both himself and his son for the rest of their lives… and maybe afford some better research material, as well.