One breezy autumn afternoon, Liam stood at his Grandpa’s neglected grave, holding a bouquet of white roses. He had come to say goodbye, feeling the weight of leaving the only town he’d ever known. Kneeling beside the tombstone, he whispered, “I’m sorry, Grandpa… Dad lost everything to gambling.
We’re moving away, and now I’ll be stuck working as a mechanic instead of building airplanes like we dreamed.”
As Liam brushed away the moss from the tombstone, he noticed something unusual—coordinates were carved into the marble. They reminded him of the treasure hunts he used to have with his Grandpa. “Could this be one last message from Grandpa?” he thought.
He quickly typed the coordinates into his phone and felt his heart race when they led him to a locker at the local railway station.
Liam raced to the station and asked the receptionist about a locker under the name R. Hudson. The receptionist confirmed that locker 417 had been untouched for over a year. Excited, Liam struggled with the combination lock, but then the distant sound of an airplane made him remember something.
He typed in 1717—the model number of the first toy plane he and his Grandpa had built together—and the locker creaked open.
Inside, Liam found bundles of cash and an old brown diary. The first page took his breath away: “Dear Liam, if you’re reading this, you haven’t forgotten me, and I’m so proud of you. This money is for your dream of becoming a flight engineer. But before you decide what to do with it, you need to know about your father…”
The diary revealed a heartbreaking truth: years ago, Liam’s father, David, had stolen half of Grandpa’s life savings out of greed, ruining Liam’s future. But Grandpa hadn’t given up. Despite his illness, he worked tirelessly to save enough money to give Liam a chance. He even had the coordinates engraved on his tombstone, knowing Liam would find them when the time was right.
Holding the diary, Liam’s tears mixed with a new sense of determination. When he got home, his father, drunk and bitter, hurled insults at him for being a burden. But Liam was resolute. He offered his father a deal—money to save their home, but only if David quit gambling. His father eagerly agreed, but Liam was cautious. Later that night, David called, furious. “The money’s fake!” he shouted.
Liam stood across the street from the bank, watching his father leave the casino’s flashing lights. “You made your choice, Dad,” he said quietly to himself, walking away with the real money still safely in his backpack.
An hour later, Liam stood in front of a new sign—Aviation Academy. Wiping away his tears, he whispered, “I won’t let you down, Grandpa,” before stepping onto the campus to chase his dream.