The Riddle of Redwood Ridge

Lucas Denton wasn't much for small talk. He lived in a cabin just outside Redwood Ridge, a town so small strangers were front-page news. Lucas had moved there five years ago, trading city lights for solitude. He wasn't running away—no, he was running toward something he didn't have yet: peace. Every morning, Lucas walked through the woods, hidden from the world by towering trees and the constant murmur of the wind. It was peaceful. At least, it was until he stumbled across the note. A single piece of paper, wedged between the knotted roots of an ancient oak. Nothing special about it, except for the message – a string of numbers, written in a trembling hand. Curiosity piqued and caution thrown to the wind, Lucas pocketed it. Days turned into nights spent trying to decode the message. It started as a distraction but quickly morphed into an obsession. He knew it wasn't random—there was logic buried within those numbers. Then, the first phone call came. "Stay out of it," the voice snarled. Lucas couldn't tell if it was a man or woman. Just a mash of static and threat. It almost stopped him. Almost. Now, charismatic defiance isn't usually Lucas's style. But this wasn't about choice anymore; it was about discovering why someone didn’t want him to succeed. Tripping over his thoughts and the forest foliage, he hiked to his nearest neighbors, Megan and Elroy, a couple with a penchant for conspiracy theories and cats. Knocking at midnight might've seemed dramatic, but drama was the currency now. Megan was half-awake but managed a smile. "Lucas, my lampshade could read energy off you! What's got you so wired?" Elroy was less diplomatic. "Mate, we're betting fine china that your regular weird just ramped up a notch. What'd you find?" Lucas flashed the paper. "Numbers, scrambled symbols, and zero context. I think it's a code." He showed them his scribbled notes: a mega crossword clue plastered across three books. With more enthusiasm than skill, Mystery Night kicked off. Coffee on tap, punctuated by arguments over what constituted a ‘good clue’ versus ‘wild speculation’. It was Megan, sharper than any cat in the shed, who hit it first. "Longitude and latitude," she announced. "It's coordinates!" Lucas's grin was wide enough to rival the Cheshire Cat. "So, what's our next step?" Two days and three more coded notes later, new voices surfaced. A shifty traveler at the diner wore an impossibly fake smile but knew Lucas's name. A policeman asked about unusual sightings but seemed more interested in Lucas's morning coffee routine. Finally, the cryptic voicemail: "You know too much about Redwood Ridge." Lucas shared the info with his skeptical sister, Madeleine. A private investigator by trade, she had an affinity for street fighting and deadpan humor. She called Lucas an idiot for getting involved. He knew it was code for "I'm glad you did". When Madeleine arrived, their first move was scouring the Redwood Ridge Forest deeper than ever before. Under twisted limbs and rusted cans, they found an abandoned facility—grayish walls, glass fragments, and the usual ‘keep out’ signage. Megan, Elroy, and their cats were out-front support, relaying back to Madeleine and Lucas who ventured inside. "There's still power," Lucas whispered, checking humming lights. A chilling breeze squeezed through cracks as they followed hazy corridors. They found a room lined with screens and papers filled with numbers—like Lucas's notes but multiplied by madness. As Lucas scanned each line, it grew clear. This wasn't just a code; it was data—a surveillance map, relaying information on everyone who entered or exited Redwood Ridge. Turned out, Redwood Ridge was a spy’s playground. The project was abandoned but not all secrets were packed away. Through a twist of fate, Lucas exposed an underground network of deception aimed at monitoring not just residents, but potential outsiders. As dawn clawed its way across the skies, the small group held a not-so-small truth about Redwood Ridge. Some wants peace, others want a return to a simpler past. But, as Lucas learned, it's not about leaving or staying—it's about facing unknown shadows and unraveling the tale they whisper. Lucas reflected over his reason for coming. This mystery looped him into people's lives—ferociously loyal, madly messy lives. And that, for better or worse, was coming home.