A Buried Box Appears
After what felt like hours of digging, the shovel hit something solid. Mark knelt down and began clearing the dirt away with his hands. What emerged was a small, weathered wooden box. It looked old, with rusted hinges and deep cracks running along its surface. Max barked once, then fell silent, sitting back as if his job was finally done. Mark exchanged a glance with Sarah, who nodded for him to open it.
Inside the Box
With trembling hands, Mark opened the box. Inside was a collection of old keepsakes: a woman’s locket, a child’s toy car, and a faded journal. The items were ordinary enough, but their presence felt heavy, like they carried stories of their own. At the very bottom of the box was a ring—an old, intricately designed wedding band. Mark picked it up, recognizing it as the missing link to James Turner’s story. This was what had tied James to the tree.
