Yusuf decided to slip the rock into his pocket. After grabbing his backpack, he lined up with the rest of the class, ready to leave. Just then, an old man approached the group, heading straight for the teacher.
"Excuse me, miss," the old man said, his voice steady but urgent. "I'm one of the park rangers here, and it seems that one of your students has taken something from the forest that we need to have returned."
The teacher looked at him, eyebrows raised in concern. To her, he looked more like a hiker than an official park ranger.
"I don't believe any of my students would have done that," she replied with skepticism. "Besides, there aren't any signs indicating not to take things. So, if you'll excuse us, we'll be on our way now."
As the class started walking away, the old man's eyes narrowed in frustration. He mumbled under his breath, "I *will* get the key."
While walking back to school, Abdi glanced over at Yusuf. "By the way, what are you doing this weekend? You told me you couldn't come to the sleepover."
"Yeah," Yusuf said, "my grandpa's taking me to this cabin for the weekend. It's gonna be fun! He said we're gonna go fishing, and I even get to sleep outside. We're going to do all this cool stuff. I can't wait."
Abdi's eyes widened. "That sounds awesome. I wish I had a cabin."
"Well," Yusuf shrugged, "it's not actually my grandpa's cabin. He rented it. He told me that when he was younger, he and my dad would do this kind of stuff, and before that, he did it with *his* dad. So it's kind of a family tradition now."
Abdi grinned. "I'll just be at home. Since you're not coming to the sleepover, my mom said we're getting pizza, and I get to stay up late playing my PlayStation. She even said my cousin might come over, but I'm not sure."
Yusuf laughed. "That sounds cool too. I don't think we'll have Wi-Fi at the cabin, but if we do, I might bring my PlayStation. We could play online."
"Yeah, that'd be awesome!" Abdi nodded. "Hope school's almost over so we can start the weekend already."
The boys continued chatting until they reached the school. They headed back to class, waiting for the final bell and to be picked up by their parents.
All this time, however, a shadowy figure was following them at a distance. The old man hadn't given up—he was trailing them from far enough away not to be noticed, still waiting for the right moment to reclaim the mysterious rock.
Once back at school, the teacher, Mrs. Maria, stood in front of the class. "Alright, everyone, remember it's Friday, so you get to go home for the weekend! Some of you can walk home alone, and others will be picked up. Anyone want to share their weekend plans? As for me, I'm going to relax!" She chuckled. "But remember, next week, we'll start a new chapter in English—*Romeo and Juliet*. If you want to read ahead, feel free. Otherwise, we'll dive in on Monday. Have a great weekend!"
With that, half of the students left the room, some waiting outside for their parents. Abdi's mom arrived shortly after and waved him over.
"Yusuf!" she called out cheerfully. "I heard you're going away with your grandpa this weekend. It's too bad you can't join us for the sleepover, but maybe next time?"
Yusuf smiled. "Yeah, maybe next time! I'll see you guys next week."
While they were talking, a big, burly man with a gray beard and fishing gear approached the group. His voice boomed across the parking lot, "Yusuf! I'm here! Let's go—I can't wait to show you my favorite fishing spot!"
Yusuf's face lit up as he ran over. "Grandpa! Finally! Is it okay if we stop by the house and grab my PlayStation? Just in case the cabin has Wi-Fi?"
His grandpa chuckled, ruffling Yusuf's hair. "Sorry, buddy, but I already packed up your suitcase, and the cabin doesn't have Wi-Fi. But don't worry! We'll be too busy for that stuff anyway. We'll have bonfires, roast marshmallows, go fishing, and do all sorts of fun things. And next week, you can go to Abdi's sleepover. This weekend is our time, and I can't wait!"
Yusuf beamed. "I can't wait either! Let's go, Grandpa!"
As Yusuf and his grandpa walked off toward the car, the old man from the forest watched them from a distance, his gaze fixed on Yusuf's pocket where the mysterious rock lay hidden.
As Yusuf climbed into the car, he tossed his backpack onto the seat behind him. Looking around, he noticed stacks of books piled up on the back seat and floor.
"Hey, Grandpa," he asked, curious, "why do you have so many books back here?"
His grandpa chuckled. "Well, you see, Yusuf, I'm a writer. I write different kinds of books—mostly stories that young people like you read. I keep a lot of books around for reference, inspiration, and to see how other authors write. I need all kinds of materials to keep my ideas flowing. Haven't you seen mine studies it is full of books? Some of them are mine, but most are by other writers I really admire."
Yusuf scrunched up his face. "I don't get books," he admitted. "They're boring most of the time! Just a bunch of writing—it's not fun. Comics are way better. There's this new comic book, *Mr. Hero*, and it's the best one yet!"
His grandpa smiled, glancing at the books with a fond look. "You know, once you find the right stories, you might feel differently. It's about discovering what you enjoy if it is adventure, mystery, fantasy—once you find that, books come alive in a way that's just as exciting as comics, movies Even real life. I write because I've always had a big imagination. You might not know this, but I wasn't the best student in school," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "But I loved telling stories to my familiy, friend and even strangers. So, I started to writing them down and it made sense. It was tough at first, but the more I put my ideas on paper, the more fun it became. Maybe while we're at the cabin, we could even write something together."
Yusuf's eyes lit up. "Yeah, that would be awesome! Maybe we can make a comic book!"
His grandpa laughed warmly. "Now, *that* sounds like a plan. We'll have plenty of time to think of some great ideas." With that, he turned the key, and the car's engine roared to life as they pulled out of the school parking lot.
Meanwhile, back in the school lot, the old man from the forest stood watching. His gaze locked onto Yusuf's grandpa's car as it began to drive away. He glanced around quickly and noticed a taxi nearby. Striding over to it, he leaned down and said in a deep, gruff voice, "Excuse me, how much to follow that car?"
The taxi driver, taken aback by the strange request, hesitated. "Uh… do you have a specific destination? I don't usually follow people around like that."
The old man's eyes narrowed as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a thick stack of cash. "Don't worry about the destination. Just follow that car, and I'll pay whatever it costs."
The driver looked at the cash, then back at the old man. Reluctantly, he agreed. "Alright… get in. But no questions, okay?"
The old man nodded, settling into the back seat. "Just drive. I'll take care of the rest."
The young taxi driver, a bit uneasy but too tempted by the cash to refuse, put the car into gear and started driving, staying just far enough back to keep the old man's intentions hidden.
And so, as Yusuf and his grandpa headed off for what promised to be a fun weekend, they had no idea a mysterious pursuer was following them. The old man's eyes remained fixed on the car ahead, waiting for his chance to reclaim the strange rock Yusuf had taken from the forest.