Day 29: After everything that’s happened—dinosaurs, treasure maps, aliens, robots, and the FBI—I needed a break. Or at least I thought I did. Turns out, when you’re trying to juggle school, a secret time-travel mission, and the growing suspicion of everyone around you, “normal” is just as stressful as running from a pack of Deinonychus.
Life Back Home: A Snapshot of Normal (Sort Of)
It’s weird going from dodging headbutting Pachycephalosaurus in the Late Cretaceous to sitting in Mrs. Callahan’s history class, pretending to care about the Louisiana Purchase. Across the room, my best friend, Jake, scribbled a note and slid it across the desk.
Jake: Dude, your pics are blowing up.
He wasn’t wrong. Ever since I started posting my “wildlife photography” (minus the time-travel details) online, the internet has gone nuts. My latest Pachycephalosaurus shot got over 10,000 likes, and people are already debating whether it’s CGI. Dr. Grant, the scientist who’s made it his mission to discredit me, posted another hit piece last night, calling my work “an insult to paleontology.”
“Just tell them the truth,” Jake whispered when class let out.
“Sure,” I said. “And then the FBI can haul me off for tampering with history.”
Jake doesn’t know the whole story—just enough to help me cover for the weird gaps in my schedule. He thinks I’ve stumbled onto a secret dinosaur reserve or something, and honestly, that’s close enough to the truth for now.
Research Day: A Library Field Trip
After school, I biked over to the town library. It’s one of those old, creaky buildings with shelves so tall you have to use a ladder to reach the top. The librarian, Mrs. Novak, gave me a suspicious look as I headed for the paleontology section. “Back again?” she said.
“Just doing some light reading,” I replied, grabbing a stack of books.
I spent hours flipping through anything I could find on dinosaurs, Bermuda Triangle legends, and weird time anomalies. One book had a chapter on mysterious disappearances tied to strange electromagnetic fields, which reminded me of the robots’ glowing orb. Another mentioned pirate legends about buried treasure “sealed beyond the reach of time.”
Then there was the old map tucked into the back of Legends of the Deep. It didn’t match anything in Harrow’s journal, but it marked a place near Shadow Cavern called “The Rift.” Was this another clue, or just a coincidence? Either way, it felt like the pieces of the puzzle were piling up faster than I could connect them.
Home Life: Dinner and Desperation
Back home, the smell of Mom’s famous lasagna filled the air. Dad was hunched over the kitchen table, working on his latest project (something involving 3D printers and drone parts), while Sam argued with him about borrowing the car for the weekend.
“I’m just saying,” Sam said, waving her learner’s permit in his face, “if Max and I get stranded somewhere, you’ll feel really bad.”
“Where are you going?” Dad asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Nowhere,” I said quickly, stuffing a breadstick in my mouth.
The truth was, I wasn’t sure where to go next. The FBI was watching me, the robots seemed to be one step ahead, and Harrow’s treasure felt more like a curse than a reward.
Later that night, I spread out all the clues on my bedroom floor: the map from Harrow’s journal, the metallic disc I found in the Pachycephalosaurus pit, the mysterious chip left by the robots, and a growing list of unanswered questions:
- Who was Captain Harrow, really, and how did he end up in the past?
- What’s the connection between the aliens, the robots, and Harrow’s treasure?
- Why is the FBI so desperate to stop me from finding it?
- And what happens if I fail?
The Growing Stakes
The more I thought about it, the more urgent everything felt. If the robots and aliens were protecting something, maybe finding Harrow’s treasure could expose whatever they’re hiding. But if they were trying to prevent something—something catastrophic—I might already be too late.
And then there was the personal side of things.
- Jake: He’s my best friend, but how much longer can I keep him in the dark?
- Sam: She’s been my biggest ally, but her driving terrifies me, and she’s starting to question how deep this rabbit hole goes.
- Lily: My crush, who probably thinks I’m a fraud thanks to Dr. Grant’s latest article. If I don’t find undeniable proof soon, my reputation—and any chance with her—is toast.
What’s Next: Plotting the Mission
By the time I finally crawled into bed, I had a plan.
- Shadow Cavern: Sam and I would head there this weekend, using the map to find the treasure—or at least the next clue.
- The Rift: If the library map was connected, it could be the key to unlocking Harrow’s mystery.
- The Robots: I needed to figure out how they tracked me and why. If they were hunting me, I couldn’t afford to let my guard down.
I glanced at the growing pile of evidence on my desk and sighed. Somewhere between dinosaurs, pirates, and robots, this had gone from a wild adventure to something that felt like the weight of the world. And if I wasn’t careful, it could crush me.
Field Notes From Max
- Survival Tip: Never underestimate the power of a quiet library. Sometimes the best clues are hidden in plain sight.
- What I Learned: Dinosaurs are complicated, but modern life might be even worse.
- Favorite Moment: Finding the map to The Rift and realizing there’s always more to the story.
Next up: #30: Maiasaura – The Dinosaur Known for Its Excellent Parenting Skills.
What happens when dinosaurs prove they’re more nurturing than we imagined? Stay tuned for the time I uncovered a Maiasaura nesting site—and why it might hold the next key to unlocking Harrow’s treasure.
