Characters : Tom, a boy who has a dream to find the lost treasure into the woods. So he embarks on his beautiful but hard journey into the woods to find the lost treasure and fulfill his own dreams.

The attic smelled like dust and secrets.

Tom wiped the sweat from his forehead as he pulled open the rusted metal trunk. It had belonged to his grandfather — an explorer who had vanished deep in the jungle ten years ago. Since then, no one had dared open this trunk. Until now.

Old books, broken compasses, and faded photographs filled the box. But beneath them all, wrapped in oilskin, was something far more curious — a brittle piece of parchment, half-burnt at the edges.

A map.

Tom’s eyes lit up. His fingers traced the rough lines and symbols drawn in brown ink. Mountains. Rivers. Dense forests. And near the edge, circled in red, was a strange spiral — like a sun turning inward.

There were also letters scratched in the corner:

"The Path is Lost. Let the brave find it."

> “This is it,” Tom whispered. “The treasure he was chasing.”

By morning, Tom was gone.

He left behind only a short note for his aunt — “Gone hiking. Back soon.” — and disappeared into the edge of the jungle, guided by his grandfather’s map and an unstoppable curiosity.

---

The jungle was alive.

Birds screeched overhead, trees twisted like green giants, and every step Tom took was met with resistance — roots grabbing at his ankles, thick vines blocking his path. But he pressed on, using a borrowed machete to cut through the wild.

After hours of walking, just as the sun reached its peak, he stumbled into a small clearing. And there it stood — a lone stone pillar, half-covered in moss. Its surface was carved with strange symbols, but one stood out: the spiral sun.

> “Same as the map…” Tom murmured, stepping closer.

But as his foot touched the base of the pillar — click.

The ground shifted.

Before he could jump back, it collapsed beneath him with a roar, and Tom fell through the earth.

---

He landed hard on wet stone.

Groaning, Tom reached for his flashlight. The beam flickered, then steadied — revealing walls covered in ancient paintings: snakes, warriors, suns, and strange jungle gods with glowing eyes.

A tunnel stretched ahead, dark and silent.

Tom’s heart pounded — not from fear, but from excitement.

> “The jungle doesn’t hide the treasure…” he whispered, remembering his grandfather’s words, “…it guards it.”

He stood, brushed off the dirt, and grinned.

> “Challenge accepted.”

And...

Still this is not the end... The journey will continue for Tom to find the lost treasure in the woods. Still this is the beginning now the real Treasure Hunt begins so so please read for the in my episodes and please like follow follow and subscribe just now and make it a hit among the other action adventure novels.

Please show your love and do comment your reviews and Suggestions.

The sunlight felt like a blessing after hours in the dark tunnel. Tom squinted as he stepped into the open, brushing dirt off his arms. The thick jungle buzzed around him — insects chirping, birds shrieking from the treetops, and somewhere in the distance, the sound of rushing water.

The map around his neck crinkled as he unfolded it again. The path continued — but now it ran alongside a wide, twisting ribbon inked in blue. A river.

He made his way through tangled roots and tall grass, following the sounds of flowing water. After twenty minutes of hiking downhill, he broke through the final row of trees and stood at the edge of a cliff.

There it was: the river.

It cut through the jungle like a blade, broad and wild, its surface shimmering under the afternoon sun. But this was no peaceful stream. The current was strong, swirling with white foam. Jagged rocks stuck out like shark teeth. Fallen logs floated by, sucked downstream at incredible speed.

Tom stepped back in awe.

> “So this is the River of No Return…”

He scanned the area for a way across. No bridge. No boats. Just dense jungle on the other side and that raging water in between.

Then he spotted it — an old system of vines strung from a tall tree on his side, stretching out across the river. At the end, a second tree anchored the other side. It looked like a makeshift zipline — or what was left of one.

Near the base of the tree, he found a wooden handle tied with rope, worn and damp. A platform jutted out beside it, high above the water. Someone had built this long ago — explorers maybe. Or those who had never returned.

> “This could work,” Tom muttered, testing the rope. It was frayed… but still held.

His hands trembled slightly as he climbed the tree, took one last breath, and stepped onto the platform. Wind brushed against his face, and the roar of the river echoed below.

> “You’ve got this, Tom,” he whispered, and launched himself forward.

For a few seconds, it felt like flying.

He zipped across the river, wind howling in his ears. Trees blurred past. But halfway across — snap! One of the vines tore loose with a sharp whip.

The handle jerked violently, and Tom lost his grip.

He fell, tumbling through the air.

SPLASH!

Cold water swallowed him whole. It was like being hit by stone. The current grabbed him and pulled him under. He thrashed, spinning and choking, his backpack dragging him down.

Gasping for air, Tom kicked hard and broke the surface. He ripped the backpack straps off, letting it go. He couldn’t see the map — he couldn’t see anything but water and sky and foam.

But then — a log! It floated beside him, jammed against a rock.

He lunged and grabbed it, coughing up water. It scraped his arms, but he clung to it for dear life.

Minutes passed. Slowly, the river’s fury calmed. The log drifted to the edge, and Tom pulled himself onto the muddy riverbank.

He lay there, soaked and shaking, staring up at the sky.

His backpack was gone. His legs were sore. But around his neck, he still felt the pouch.

He opened it.

The map — soaked but safe — was still there.

And now, something new was visible. A faint red marking beneath the spiral sun. A waterfall symbol. Hidden behind it, a tiny drawing of a cave.

Tom smiled through his shivers.

> “It’s not over yet.”

He stood slowly, still dripping, and turned toward the sound of crashing water in the distance.

The next challenge was already calling.

The path behind the river was denser than before. Trees stood taller, older, with roots like serpent tails and vines that hung like curtains. Tom moved carefully, his clothes still damp, but his spirit untouched. The jungle was testing him — but he wasn’t about to give up.

The map, though soggy, had revealed something new: a hidden cave behind a waterfall. That was his next destination. He walked for over an hour, guided by the sound of rushing water growing louder with each step.

Soon, he found himself at the edge of a steep slope. Below, mist rose like steam from a waterfall crashing into a wide pool. The water was crystal clear, glowing faintly in the sunlight. Rainbows danced in the spray.

> “This place doesn’t look real,” Tom whispered.

But he knew better. Beauty in the jungle often hid danger.

He followed a narrow trail along the cliff’s edge until he reached a stony outcrop just beside the waterfall. Carefully, he edged behind the curtain of water — and gasped.

There it was.

A dark opening carved into the rock, hidden completely from the outside world. Moss covered its entrance, and ancient symbols were etched into the stone around it — spirals, suns, arrows, and one large face of a jungle god with hollow eyes and an open mouth.

Tom took a deep breath and stepped inside.

---

The air grew cold. The cave was silent except for the faint drip of water and the distant roar of the falls behind him. He turned on his flashlight and slowly advanced.

After twenty paces, he entered a circular chamber.

In the center was a large stone table, and above it, a beam of sunlight fell through a crack in the ceiling, illuminating the top. On the table were seven stone tiles, each carved with a different animal: a snake, a jaguar, a monkey, a turtle, a bird, a frog, and a bat.

On the far wall stood a heavy stone door, sealed shut. Above it, a sentence was carved in a language Tom didn’t understand — but below it was a drawing. Seven animals… lined up in a row.

A puzzle.

Tom stepped closer and noticed that the tiles could be moved. Each animal had a groove beneath it, like it could slide left or right.

He looked at the drawing again. Something clicked in his mind.

> “This isn’t random,” he said aloud. “This is a food chain.”

He rearranged the tiles, placing the animals from smallest to largest predator:

Frog → Turtle → Bird → Monkey → Snake → Bat → Jaguar

The cave was silent.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then — rumble…

The tiles lit up faintly with golden light, and the stone door groaned as it slowly opened.

Tom grinned. “Got it.”

He walked through the newly opened passage into a long corridor. Torches along the walls burst into flame one by one as he passed — as if welcoming him. At the end of the hallway, a second chamber waited.

Inside it lay something astonishing: a stone pedestal with an ancient compass, still glowing softly. Its needle spun wildly before pointing straight ahead — toward a deeper part of the jungle.

Tom picked it up, heart racing.

> “One step closer.”

He slid the compass into his pouch and turned toward the shadows beyond the chamber.

The next challenge was waiting.

---