It was the summer holidays, and Rene and his family had decided to go on a vacation. His mother wanted to visit her hometown, and they all agreed it would be nice to breathe some fresh air in the countryside.

All the bags were packed, and they left in the evening for the long drive. Rene fell asleep during the ride. Early in the morning, his mother gently woke him up to let him know they were almost there. Rene rubbed his eyes and looked out the window at the beautiful scenery.

As they crossed a narrow path, Rene noticed a strange house but didn’t pay much attention and dozed off again. When they reached their destination, they washed up and took a short nap. Later, Rene woke up, spotted an old bicycle outside, and decided to explore the area.

While riding his bike, he came across two kids standing by a bridge, peering over the edge. Curious, Rene approached them and asked, “Hey, what’s going on?”

The kids turned to him, clearly noticing he was new. “Hi, we haven’t seen you around before,” one of them said.

“I’m Rene,” he replied, explaining that his mother was from this place and they were visiting for the summer. The kids nodded, saying, “Maybe our parents know her. We come here often. This bridge may be small, but the water is really deep. One time, we spotted a beautiful fish swimming underneath. We come back hoping to see it again.”

“Wow, that’s so cool! Can I join you? What are your names?” Rene asked.

The boy smiled and said, “I’m Jeremy, and this is Kiara. We’ve been best friends since kindergarten.”

Rene grinned. “Nice to meet you both! Hey guys, it’s almost lunchtime. Let’s head home, eat, and meet back here at 4 PM.”

On his way back, Rene noticed the strange house again. He got off his bike, walked closer, and heard a dog barking inside. He peeked through the window but didn’t see anything. He decided to ask Jeremy and Kiara about it later.

Later that afternoon, Jeremy and Kiara returned to the bridge with some local snacks for Rene. As they sat down to eat, they shared stories of their little adventures. Rene was fascinated and wanted to be a part of it all.

Jeremy said, “Our next adventure is going to be the strange house.”

Rene was shocked. “I was just about to ask you about it!”

Jeremy grinned. “We meet here at the same time tomorrow. No one should see us. Bring the essentials—flashlight, rope, a notebook, gloves, pens, scissors, snacks, hoodies, and sunglasses. It’s time for a real adventure.”

They all went home excited. Rene couldn’t sleep, thinking about the next day. His mother noticed his energy and asked, “What’s got you so hyped up?”

“I’m going on a secret mission, Mama. No one should know.”

“A solo mission?” she asked, smiling.

“No, Mama. I’ve got my squad. We’re prepared!”

“Well, have fun, but be careful, alright?”

Before he left, his mother handed him a few walkie-talkies. “Alright, Captain. Good luck on your mission.”

Rene arrived early at the bridge. While waiting, he heard the dog again. He walked toward the house and looked inside, finally spotting the dog whose leg was stuck in the floor.

When Jeremy and Kiara arrived, they saw Rene looking worried. Kiara asked, “What’s wrong?”

Rene pointed. “The dog’s leg is caught in the floor. We have to help him.”

They approached the house. Kiara spotted a dog door and they crawled through it. They found the dog and gently helped him, but he was frightened and hid. Jeremy said, “Let’s give him some water. He must be thirsty.”

As Kiara comforted the dog, Rene and Jeremy looked around the house. Rene’s foot got stuck in the floor, and when he pulled it out, the wood broke. Inside, he found a book.

“What’s this doing here?” he wondered aloud.

They sat down and opened the book, surprised to find a letter inside. It read:

“My name is Derek. I hope you found this letter in time. I was trying to build a tunnel under the bridge to explore what’s beneath the water. I worked for months, and when I thought it was ready, I went in with my dog, Trip. But partway through, the ceiling collapsed. Trip escaped, and I sent this letter with him, hoping someone would find it.”

Now comfortable, Trip led Kiara to a spot where he had previously been stuck. She shone her flashlight there and noticed something that looked like a lock. “There must be a door here,” she said.

Jeremy added, “We need to find the key.”

Rene shook his head. “It’s getting dark, and we need to save Derek. Let’s break the lock.”

They found a hammer and after several hits, broke the lock. Opening the door, Jeremy volunteered to go in. His friends tied a rope around his waist, gave him a helmet, and handed him a walkie-talkie.

“Keep talking to us,” Kiara said.

Jeremy disappeared into the tunnel. But after 10 minutes, the walkie-talkies went silent. Rene and Kiara grew worried. Trip jumped into the tunnel after Jeremy.

Meanwhile, the kids’ parents began to worry. They met at the bridge. Rene’s mother, Cathy, recognized the others. “I’m Cathy—do you remember me? I can’t find my son, Rene.”

Jeremy and Kiara’s parents said, “Yes, we remember you! Our kids haven’t come home either.”

As they searched, they noticed lights coming from the strange house. “Look!” someone said. “I think the kids are in there.”

At that moment, Trip emerged from the house with a note tied to his collar. It read:

“Guys, I found Derek, but there’s a glass door. I need a hammer or something heavy to break it. The walkie-talkie’s not working.”

Rene, who had run outside looking for a better tool, froze when he saw the parents. His mother rushed to him. “Rene! Where have you been? What’s going on? Where are the other kids?”

“We need a heavy object,” Rene said. “Derek’s trapped behind a glass door.”

One of the dads picked up a large rock and went inside. He found the tunnel, told Jeremy to come out, and used the rock to smash the glass. Finally, Derek, who had been trapped for two years, was freed.

The kids had uncovered more than an adventure—they had rescued someone who’d been missing for years. As the group walked back together, Trip wagged his tail happily, leading the way home.