Thursday,12th June, 2025
Dear Diary,
Today was an inset day — no school, no homework, just one of those lovely, golden days where I could do nothing at all. I had it all planned out: get some snacks, collapse into my chair, and spend the whole day playing Minecraft on my computer. No headset, no chattering — just me, building random things, maybe blowing a few things up for laughs.
But then Mum put the kibosh on it.
She walked in just as I was folding up my universe and said, “You’ve spent all week stuck in front of screens. No more. Get outside, do something tangible.”
I attempted to protest, but it was one of those Mum moments. You know. The kind where speaking your mind just makes it worse.
So, I surrendered.
Wandered around outside for a bit, kicked at a stick, considered pretending to go for a nature walk — and then just kind of ended up at the library. The quiet section, the old section, where the carpet is all dusty and mysterious. I wasn’t seeking anything, but then I saw this book. No title, black leather cover, stuck in behind all these old encyclopedias.
Careful, I pulled it out.
Back at home, when I opened it, a folded map fell out — radiating. And then, in spinning gold letters, my name at the top. My actual full-name, and in the corner, some creepy riddle: “Below where silence sinks in deep, the watchers guard what none shall keep.”
Cryptic enough?
The map shows a secret world below the town. Secret tunnels. Strange symbols. A riddle in the corner that I am instantly fascinated with.
But here’s the strange thing: the glow is already fading.
I have no idea what this is yet, but I believe it’s waiting for me.
And I don’t believe Minecraft can touch this.