14 June 2026, Freewriters Community Daily Writing Prompt Day 3134: what’s in that chest?
“OK … that wasn't expected.”
A tree in the Trent yard had hung on through two hurricanes swirling their fringes over Lofton County, VA, only to quietly give up on life overnight some weeks later, there being a hollow place in its root ball that caused it to be progressively unstable on one side.
The cause of the hollow place came up with the tree, thereby causing Sgt. Vincent Trent's comment.
“Oh, my, it's a real treasure chest!” eleven-year-old Velma Trent said.
“Yes, Milton, you can come off being grounded to go see,” Mrs. Melissa Trent said, and nine-year-old Milton went along with eight-year-old Gracie and their first cousins Tom (16) and Vertran Stepforth (9).
“That's a big chest, too,” Milton said.
“Ain't it the truth – I think all four of us under ten could get in there, and maybe we could smush Tom in, too,” Gracie said.
“I hope somebody didn't already have that idea!” Milton said. “That thing is big enough to hold Dracula, too!”
“Get your camera ready, Vertran: this is probably news,” Tom said as he pulled out his phone to alert his editors at the Lofton County Free Voice. “Pop-Pop is always saying history in Lofton County is never as far away from you as you think.”
“Yeah – I mean, Dracula being in there is gotta be news, but we need to sharpen some pencils just in case,” Milton said.
“Wait, what, why?” Velma said.
“Come on, Velma,” Milton said. “You know you gotta have wooden stakes and stuff – and hey, Mom, can I have a couple of cloves of garlic?”
“But it just could be treasure, and instead of marking the spot with a X, they put a tree on it,” Gracie said.
“The tree has some age on it,” Sgt. Trent said. “The chest must be even older, so there's history in there, and – .”
“MILTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!”
Nine-year-old George Ludlow from next door did not care about the chest; all he saw was his best friend back outside, and came running down the street to wrap Milton up with a hug.
“And to him, that's what's in the chest: the treasure of getting his best friend back,” Mrs. Maggie Lee said to her husband, George's big cousin Col. H.F. Lee, as they looked out the window at the scene from next door.
“He is the only one,” the colonel remarked, “who is not going to be disappointed, no matter what happens. Given the history of Tinyville, though, I'm sure whatever is in that chest is probably going to be interesting.”
“Any chance of gold coins and such?” Mrs. Lee said.
“Very little,” Col. Lee said, “but, given the age of Tinyville, and also of Lofton County, there could be something in there worth at least a small fortune … or a small fortune some family would be willing to pay to have buried again along with all those who have knowledge of it. Sgt. Trent is doing well to be calling Ironwood Hamilton in his role of police captain in Tinyville: let all things be officially noted. ”
“Is it that serious?” Mrs. Lee said.
“It is,” Col. Lee said. “Lofton County still has some deep, deep secrets … a chest buried deliberately under a tree means someone could not let the truth be heard at a particular time, but they did want it out at some point.”
By this time, the rest of the little Ludlows were streaming down the street, the ask coming from many of their lips: “What's in that chest?”
“It's gonna be a little while because the tree is big and the rootball is tight, so, y'all get some lemonade and go play while we let Capt. Hamilton and some professionals get this all untangled,” Mrs. Trent said as she brought out enough cups for all little children. “We'll call you when it is time to open the chest.”