Strycker, being the practical child, quickly packed a bag full of essentials. Three granola bars, a comb, a pair of clean clothes, his pocketknife, and a journal and pen.

He quickly wrote his mother a note telling her everything that was going on.

Mom- We found this old key of Grandma’s or something. Rybeck and I will be back-

Here he stopped, not knowing how long the journey would take. Where was the Black Forest?

We’ll be back soon enough. Love you- from Strycker. Rybeck is with me, as I said. Don't fret. 

“I’m ready,” Rybeck called from his room down the hall. 

“Coming in a second,” Strycker called back, and he opened his laptop and began typing. 

Where... is... the... Black... Forest…?

The search results were promising, and he yelled at Rybeck again. Rybeck barrelled into the room, like a train going off the tracks. 

“Look!” Strycker pointed to the computer screen.

The Black Forest is half a mile west from your current location.

“That’s great,” Rybeck said. “I was afraid we would have had to walk across the country or something.”

    “No way, bro. Come on! Let’s go. Do you have a bag packed?”

    “Yep. Right here,” Rybeck said, turning around to show Strycker his backpack.

“Oh boy. Let’s get a move on,” Strycker

said quietly, grabbing his backpack and tucking his laptop into it.

They walked downstairs, silently, and Strycker opened the front door after leaving his note at the kitchen table. 

They walked out the front door and Strycker opened up a map he had gotten out of a drawer.

"Okay, we continue on this road until we come to the Black Forest."

"There should be a cool overlook thing that we can look around on."

"Okay," said Strycker skeptically. He didnt know how his brother knew that, but he went with it.

The brothers continued to walk down the road, not talking to each other.

"Are we there yet?" Rybeck asked as they turned the corner.

The trailhead was in view, next to the sign reading "Black Forest." Surprisingly there was nobody else there.

"Here, this way," Strycker instructed, pulling his brother over to a large rock. It was huge, and very tall, and Rybeck took a seat.

"I'm nervous," he admitted finally.

Strycker took a deep breath. "Me too."