THE DISCOVERY

Ella Ramirez had always felt most at home in the wild embrace of nature. Her earliest memories were steeped in adventure, instilled by her beloved grandfather, Ramon Ramirez. A legendary climber with a heart as boundless as the sky, Ramon had scaled peaks that most only dreamed of, conquering craggy summits in the Rockies, the Alps, and even the hidden ridges of the Andes. He had ventured into the depths of the Amazon rainforest and crossed the scorching expanses of the Kalahari Desert, his every journey a vivid chapter of daring exploits and boundless curiosity.

Ramon was the first to introduce her to this amazing world. He nicknamed her “My Wild Blossom,” a term that captured her fearless spirit and impulsive nature. He was the only one who thought her impulsiveness was a strength and not a weakness. While others cautioned her to slow down, to think before jumping, her grandfather would simply laugh and say, “Jump, my dear, and if you fall, get up and jump again until you soar.”  His words had been her guiding light, encouraging her to pursue her desires relentlessly, regardless of the risks. For Ella, Ramon was more than a grandfather; he was her mentor, the greatest source of pride and the person she loved most. Her parents were okay for the most part, but she and Ramon had a closeness that was just unmatched.

Yet, as life would have it, the unthinkable happened. When her grandfather suddenly passed away three years ago, it was the most painful thing she had experienced. The grief was profound, the loss a constant ache in her heart. After that, Ellie completed college with a degree in Hospitality and Tourism and secured a job with one of the country’s largest tour companies. Though her work took her to exotic destinations, she found herself merely planning itineraries for others—rarely pausing to truly explore the landscapes. She just lost the thrill of exploring. The spark of genuine adventure that her grandfather had ignited within her had now dimmed.

This year, on what would have been Ramon’s birthday, the call of the wild became impossible to ignore. She could feel the push, the longing to recapture the spirit of their shared journeys and what better day than her grandfather’s posthumous birthday? Ella requested leave and returned to the small, picturesque town of Solterra—a place cradled by rolling hills and ancient forests where she’d spent her childhood. In Solterra, every winding road, every murmuring stream, evoked memories of escapades with her grandfather. She remembered the cheerful noises of the old food truck parked near the town square—a favorite stop during their expeditions—where Ramon had always made sure they were well-fed for the adventures ahead. Now, as she navigated the familiar streets, she felt the comfort of nostalgia.

Still, Ella wanted to do it, if not for her but to honor her grandfather’s legacy. She set out on a trek along a rarely traveled deer trail deep in the forest—a path they had often roamed together. The sky was especially cloudy that autumn afternoon, its muted light causing her to question every shadow and rustle of leaves. As she ventured further, the forest around her seemed to breathe with ancient life, and every step evoked a lot of memories, both good and bad. Halfway along the trail, Ella’s boot struck something hard beneath a thick carpet of fallen leaves and pine needles. Bending down, she uncovered a battered leather journal. Its cover, though worn and tattered by time, still bore a faded carved emblem of the rugged mountains. The emblem was familiar to her, the same on her grandfather’s old notebooks. You see Ramon had only three rules; always carry extra food and water; always carry a notebook and inform someone about where you were going. Of course, she lived by these rules except she forgot the one, to inform someone about where she was going that day.

The pages were yellowed and rough-looking, a clear sign they had been weathered by many seasons. Its edges were damaged and cracked. She opened the journal and read the slightly faded name, Tom Granger. She recalled her grandfather telling her about a mysterious hiker who disappeared in these very woods nearly a decade ago. She always thought it was a tall tale but now she was holding the proof that her theory was wrong. Local legends whispered about his mysterious disappearance, and though many had searched, no trace of him or his camp was ever found. Ella couldn’t help but wonder if the forest itself had entrusted her with a secret that transcended time.

It started to drizzle a bit so she sought refuge at a nearby ancient tree whose sprawling branches offered a cool shade. Settling onto a fallen log, Ella carefully opened the journal. The first entry was dated October 12, 2015 and was written in precise, deliberate handwriting:

“Today marks the beginning of my true adventure. I leave behind the chains of routine to follow the call of the wild. May these pages serve as my witness to both the beauty and the mystery that lie ahead.”

The rain suddenly subsided and she got up and continued her trek.

As she read, Ella felt as though she were walking alongside Tom. The pages chronicled a journey of wonder—a solitary trek that brought him to hidden waterfalls that sparkled like liquid crystals. He walked through forests where sunlight danced upon ancient trees in the most amazing way and discovered open spaces where he felt wonderfully free and alone. Just as she continued down the trail, Ella found herself witnessing these very marvels: a sudden, graceful waterfall dropped into a green mossy pool. Beams of golden sunlight shone through the mist around the towering trunks.

But as she flipped the pages, a creeping unease began to seep into Tom’s words. By October 14, his tone had shifted: he wrote of strange symbols carved deeply into the bark of these old, twisted trees. He mentioned finding footprints emerging in places where no one had been and of a haunting sensation that he was being watched, constantly observed by unseen eyes. One entry scribbled hastily under the heading “Whispering Grove,” sent shivers down Ella’s spine. Tom recounted a night he’d spent camping under the stars in a small clearing only to be woken by voices carried on the wind—soft, indistinct whispers as if the forest itself were speaking in an ancient, forgotten language. His handwriting was shaky as he wrote, “I am not alone,” and then “and the forest speaks in tongues that I do not understand.”

The final entry, dated October 16, ended abruptly: “I must go… they are coming…” The sentence cut off mid-thought, leaving an eerie void and raising a ton of questions in Ella’s head.

Ella’s heart started pounding as she carefully copied the important passages of Tom’s journal into her own notebook. Every sentence hinted at something incredible, something that just didn't make sense – a real encounter with forces that seemed to bend the rules of logic and even time itself. Intrigued, she cross-referenced Tom’s notes with old maps and any local legends she could find, soon discovering that several hikers had reported bizarre phenomena in these woods—instances of lost time, inexplicable sounds echoing through the trees, and ghostly figures that people would catch out of the corner of their eye.

She then heard a sound and shuddered but it was a false alarm. Her stomach was grumbling trying to get her attention. 

“I heard you stomach, sheesh. Mysteries will have to wait for now I guess,” she said as she put the journal and her notebook in her backpack.

 
At that moment she felt the recollection gripping at her as she remembered the food truck where she and Ramon ate steaming cups of cocoa and sweet buns. Eager to relive those memories, she wandered to the familiar corner of the trail—but the truck was gone, replaced by silence and overgrown brush.

“How times change,” she murmured. Opposite to where the truck should have been there was a newly erected bench. She slowly unpacked a small dish from her back to snack on as she continued to dissect the diary.

As the sun went down, the forest was enveloped in darkness, filled with the quiet sounds of nocturnal creatures. Ella set up a camp near the spot where she had found Tom’s journal. Even though the woods were alive with the rustling of unseen animals, there was something comforting about it. Memories of her and her grandfather camping hit her at once evoking emotions she had long suppressed. She began to sob quietly as tears fell on one of the journal’s pages. A while later she built a small fire, its flames flickering against the growing shadows. She couldn’t help but feel a kinship with Tom, a shared yearning for truth and a willingness to step beyond the familiar.

The forest had called to her, much as it had called to him, promising that every step taken in pursuit of the unknown was an offering to the ancient power of nature. With that resolve, Ellie drifted into slumber, unaware that her journey was only beginning.