Leo had spent the last three summers trying to convince himself that Penny, Iowa, wasn't the most boring place in existence.
But as he sat in his room, controller in hand, staring at the same Destiny 2 loading screen for what felt like the hundredth time that week, he knew the truth—nothing ever happened here.
Outside, the August sun beat down on the quiet little town. Penny wasn't ugly. It had its charm, with its endless fields, sleepy streets, and the thick, looming forest that bordered its northern edge. But it was small, and it was predictable. The kind of place where the biggest excitement was a new gas station being built.
Leo sighed, tossing his controller onto his bed. He leaned back in his chair, pulling at his baggy T-shirt. It stuck to him in the summer heat, but he never took it off—not in public, not even around his friends. He hated how he looked underneath.
"Yo, Leo, what should we do today?"
Leo turned to his headset, where Alex's voice crackled through the mic.
"Why are you asking me?" Leo muttered, rubbing his eyes. "You already know my answer."
Alex snorted. "Just wanted to see if you'd switch things up today. Guess I was wrong."
Before Leo could answer, a new voice chimed in—Seger.
"Alright, listen up," Seger said, his voice full of excitement. "I got two metal detectors from my uncle's garage. What do you say we hit the forest and see if we can find something?"
Leo sat up a little. He tried to act uninterested, but his heart beat just a bit faster.
He had always loved exploring with his friends, even if he pretended otherwise. The forest was the only place in Penny that felt… different. Like it still had secrets.
"YES," Leo blurted out before he could stop himself. "I mean—yeah, sure. Sounds cool."
"Dude, you suck at acting," Alex said, laughing.
Leo ignored him, already getting up to look for his jeans.
Fifteen minutes later, Leo stood outside with Seger, Alex, Adam, and Shawn. Seger held up two metal detectors, grinning like he had just found buried treasure already.
"Alright, let's go make history."
They started into the forest, pushing through the undergrowth, the smell of damp earth and pine filling the air. The deeper they went, the quieter the world seemed to become.
After about an hour of walking, the metal detectors hadn't found much—just a couple of old soda cans and a rusted nail.
Then, Seger's detector beeped.
"Wait… wait! I got something!"
Everyone gathered around as Seger dug at the dirt with his hands. A moment later, his fingers hit wood.
A box. Old, weathered, and half-buried.
Seger yanked it out, brushing off the dirt. There was something carved into the lid—a strange, swirling pattern, like twisting vines.
"That's… weird," Adam muttered.
"Open it," Alex said.
Seger hesitated, then pried it open.
Inside, nestled in a bed of dried leaves, was a metal key.
But it didn't look normal—it was silver, but the metal seemed almost… alive, shifting slightly when the light hit it.
Leo swallowed. "That… that doesn't look like it belongs here."
Then, the wind shifted.
And they saw it.
A tree—massive and ancient, its bark twisted and blackened as if it had been burned long ago. At its base, hidden behind a layer of overgrown vines, was a door.
A door inside a tree.
No hinges. No handle. Just a keyhole.
And it was waiting.
Waiting for them.
Waiting for the key.
Leo's stomach twisted. He had wanted excitement, something to break the monotony of Penny, Iowa.
But as Seger raised the key, his hand shaking slightly, Leo couldn't shake the feeling that they were about to open something that was never meant to be opened.
And the moment the key turned, the world swallowed them whole.