{"id":1038,"date":"2025-04-22T09:52:01","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T08:52:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/?p=1038"},"modified":"2025-04-22T09:52:02","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T08:52:02","slug":"man-cuts-down-old-family-tree-finds-great-grandfathers-fateful-prophecy-inside-story-of-the-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/time.amazingstory.blog\/?p=1038","title":{"rendered":"Man Cuts Down Old Family Tree, Finds Great-Grandfather\u2019s Fateful Prophecy Inside \u2013 Story of the Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A desperate man finds a chained-up chest with a cryptic message hidden in the hollow of a tree outside his house. He brings it to his Grandma\u2019s home with plans to sell its contents, guessing little what\u2019s inside was locked up for a reason.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alan was a 41-year-old family man down on his own luck. He was already frustrated that evening after his boss denied his request for a raise, and his spirits sank even further when his wife told him that they had run out of groceries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite working as a packer in a warehouse, Alan\u2019s modest earnings were barely enough to make ends meet. As he sat on his porch, sipping his coffee, his gaze fell upon the towering pine trees outside. A strange thought struck Alan. \u201cI can sell these logs to buy groceries and gas,\u201d he pondered as he marched to his garage and grabbed an ax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alan began chopping down all the trees, and just as his ax struck another trunk, a strange crumpled paper plopped out of its hollow. \u201cWhat\u2019s this thing?\u201d Alan grew curious and dropped his ax. He picked up the paper and unfolded it, only to gasp at the message: \u201cThis treasure is cursed. Please get rid of it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTreasure? What\u2026Where?!\u201d Alan was overjoyed and puzzled. He hastily pocketed the letter and peeked into the pine\u2019s hollow; his eyes widened in astonishment. Within the dark cavity lay an ancient chained-up chest, likely untouched for centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFinally! I\u2019ve got you, you heavy old chest. Let\u2019s see what you\u2019ve got in there,\u201d Alan grunted and panted as he pulled the chest out. He raised his ax and struck the rusty lock with a swift, powerful blow. The lock shattered, the chain snapped, and the lid of the wooden chest creaked open. But as Alan peered inside, his excitement turned to shock, and he froze to the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh my\u2026Jesus Christ!\u201d his mouth fell open. Sparkling gold jewels, rare stone-studded ornaments, and stacks of dollars stared back at him, tempting his every desire. \u201cI\u2026 I\u2019ve never seen so much gold and money all my life! A treasure chest was hidden within this tree, and I never had a clue?! Oh God\u2026I\u2019M RICH! I don\u2019t have to work anymore! I\u2019m rich!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alan was so excited about the unsuspecting jackpot in his grasp. But something about the cryptic warning message left him unsettled. \u201cWhat a strange thing to accompany this treasure\u2026What does it mean?\u201d his mind haunted him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGrandma must know something\u2026she used to live here. I\u2019ll meet her and find out\u2026.\u201d Determined and curious to delve into the mystery, Alan took his findings in tow and drove to his Grandma Barbara\u2019s farmhouse seven miles away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh my! What brought you here?!\u201d Barbara was surprised to see Alan on her doorstep with an intricately carved box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook, Grandma,\u201d Alan said, putting the heavy chest on the table and opening it for Barbara to see. \u201cI found this treasure chest in that pine tree outside our house. And there was this note, too. Do you know where it came from? These jewels look ancient. I wonder how long they were hidden in that tree.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barbara\u2019s eyes widened in horror as though she had seen a ghost when she read the note. Her gaze shifted to the jewels again, and she leaped back, shrieking, \u201cWh\u2014Where did you say you found this, Alan?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFound it in a hollow in a pine tree outside our house,\u201d Alan replied. \u201cWhy, is anything wrong? Please tell me if you know something about these jewels.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, my\u2026Close it! Close the chest, Alan. Take that thing out of my house right now. My mother was right. Oh, Christ! What did you do? Why did you bring it here?\u201d Barbara shrieked in fear as a puzzled Alan couldn\u2019t understand what had terrified his Grandma. \u201cJesus, I didn\u2019t think the story was true\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWait\u2026Stop. What story?\u201d Alan pressed her to speak up, \u201c\u2026tell me, Grandma\u2026I want to know everything. Why was this treasure chest hidden in that tree? How come nobody knew anything about it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barbara\u2019s frightened gaze drifted back to the chest. \u201cYour great-grandfather, Albert\u2026He wasn\u2019t the most honest man in town. And what I\u2019m about to tell you happened 80 years ago\u2026 in July of 1910, when I was a little girl\u2026Everything was fine until Dad met his friend at the pub and learned of a rare treasure\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amidst the haze of cigarette smoke and clinking glasses in the dimly lit pub, Albert swirled the drink in his hand, engrossed in a conversation with Jimmy, an old pal and petty thief with a reputation for trouble in town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlbert, you won\u2019t believe what I overheard last night,\u201d Jimmy leaned closer, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes as he whispered. \u201cThe bank in the town nearby\u2026heard it holds precious items and an \u2018important cargo\u2019 \u2026 One of the guys with the gang I hung out with last night was heavily drunk, and he let it slip\u2026 Told me it\u2019s some kinda rare treasure\u2026something unusual the town had never seen before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Albert\u2019s curiosity was piqued, and his mind raced. \u201cA cargo of rare treasure? Uhm, it sounds like a jackpot to me! Go on, Jimmy. Tell me more. What have you decided?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat else, pal?!\u201d Jimmy grinned wickedly. \u201cHow long until we settle? I\u2019m done making petty bucks and mugging people on the road\u2026It\u2019s time to catch the whale now! If you know what I mean\u2026Yuk! Yuk!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know! I know! That\u2019s exactly what I was thinking, Jim,\u201d said Albert. \u201cI\u2019m tired of these small-time petty scores. This is our chance to become rich. What\u2019s the plan? How are we going to do it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhatever we\u2019re going to do, we do it quietly\u2026and we don\u2019t need any weapons. Honestly, I suck at using guns! Let\u2019s use our wits this time. If the treasure is as rare and precious as they say, we must be smart to loot it without a trace!\u201d Jimmy explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The friends downed another drink and left the pub, and that night, the plan to rob the bank began to take shape in Jimmy\u2019s shabby house on the outskirts of town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlright, pal\u2026that sounds like one helluva plan! Count me in! Let\u2019s meet here tomorrow first thing before the town wakes up!\u201d Albert cheered as he excitedly agreed to take the risk. They met again before the break of dawn and left for the nearby town with their last bit of money, forged documents, and a strange plan brewing in their mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A week passed, and after a painstaking effort, Albert and Jimmy rented an old bakery near the bank in the new town. They faked their names as Simon and Arnold and even paid the greedy landlord extra money to silence him from asking for their documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFinally, pal\u2026we\u2019re all set for the big day! Are you sure this plan will work?\u201d Albert whispered to Jimmy as he wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers behind the counter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The friends were not professional bakers, but it was their only way to deceive the locals and set their plan in motion. While Albert disguised as a pastry chef, Jimmy discreetly made his way to the back of the bakery to dig out a secret tunnel leading to the bank vault on the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s now or never, Albert! You keep the bakery busy and noisy with customers while I get down to some serious business back there,\u201d Jimmy said as he walked away with a shovel in his grip and an evil grin on his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: PexelsAlbert donned a baker\u2019s apron and stepped behind the counter as he arranged the freshly baked pastries. His hands trembled with fear, but he knew he had to play along so that nobody would suspect him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Jimmy diligently worked on tearing down the wall at the back of the bakery. He toiled the whole day, meticulously following the markings on a roughly drawn map that revealed the location of the vault. His eyes beamed with joy when he removed a hidden panel that revealed the concealed passageway. \u201cI\u2019m a born thief! I knew this was the right spot leading to the vault!\u201d he chuckled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he descended into the darkness and peeped, the musty smell of damp earth enveloped him. Jimmy ran back to fetch Albert and get started with their heist. \u201cAlbert, the job\u2019s done! I found the way to the vault. Let\u2019s do this. Put up the \u2018Closed\u2019 sign on the door and come quick!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the silence of the night, their heartbeats echoed in their ears as they crawled through the muddy tunnel. The passage led them to a concealed entrance in the bank\u2019s basement, just beneath the vault. The absence of modern technology and alarms made it easier for them to pull off their heist undetected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a steady hand, Jimmy placed his gloved fingers on the metal door leading to the vault. He slowly and cautiously turned the handle, praying it wouldn\u2019t creak or give them away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wait was frustrating, but Albert and Jimmy remained resolute to bag their jackpot. After a momentous struggle, the metal door swung open as the men exchanged an excited glance. The sight before them was unbelievable! Shelves upon shelves of gleaming safety deposit boxes were stacked inside, each hiding a life-changing fortune.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s do this! Hurry, bring the bag\u2026.\u201d Jimmy whispered as he carefully cracked open one safe lock after another. Their fumbling fingers moved with precision, but as they continued their search, bagging everything they found, Albert noticed a reinforced wooden chest that looked different from the rest, and his curiosity was piqued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis box looks strange, don\u2019t you think?\u201d he asked Jimmy. \u201cYou told me about some cargo with rare items. Could this be the one?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure, pal. But this thing does look weird. Look at those strange carvings\u2026And it\u2019s locked tighter than the rest. Gosh! I\u2019m not able to open it\u2026What shall we do? Leave this thing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Albert\u2019s eyes rushed with excitement. \u201cWait\u2026no! We can\u2019t pass this opportunity up, Jim. What if it has something expensive inside? It could turn our lives around\u2026Let\u2019s take it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Albert and Jimmy couldn\u2019t break any more safes, they made a quick decision. \u201cAlright, let\u2019s take this chest with us along with the rest of the loot,\u201d whispered Jimmy. \u201cWe\u2019ll break it open in my house and see what\u2019s inside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He tossed the reinforced box in the bag, and they both crept back to the bakery through the tunnel to make their big escape that night. \u201cThat was one helluva jackpot, pal! Fine, let\u2019s not waste any time here. We need to leave this town before sunrise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pixabay<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Albert and Jimmy burned their fake documents, erased their fingerprints, and hopped into the car. The engine roared as they escaped the quiet town, laughing and chatting about their successful mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe made it, Albert! We\u2019re back home with our treasure!\u201d Jimmy cried with delight as he pulled over outside his shabby house. \u201cNobody will even know we were there! The cops will break their heads searching for a fake Simon and Arnold\u2026Yuk! Yuk!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh Yeah, Jim. I\u2019m so glad we did it! Now, let\u2019s crack this thing open and split our share!\u201d Albert chuckled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDamn, this thing is too tight,\u201d Jimmy sighed in his kitchen, giving up his quest to open the box. \u201cAlbert, let\u2019s do this tomorrow, man. Been a long week for both of us. I\u2019m so exhausted\u2026You take the money bundles home. I\u2019ll have this thing open by morning, and we\u2019ll share the rest of what\u2019s inside, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a bad idea, pal. My wife will suspect if I take this money home tonight. Let\u2019s do one thing. You keep this with you\u2026I\u2019ll come again in the morning and take them with my share in that box,\u201d Albert said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when he excitedly visited Jimmy the next morning, he was in for a massive shock. The door was locked on the inside, and Jimmy never answered his endless knocks, leaving Albert unsettled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid he run away with the loot? Why isn\u2019t he opening the door?\u201d Albert stood outside Jimmy\u2019s house, growing increasingly worried. Fearing his friend had escaped with the treasure, Albert checked around the house and noticed an open window at the backside, its curtains fluttering in the morning breeze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Albert climbed through the window and searched for his friend. \u201cJim, man, where are you?\u201d he called out. But the house was eerily quiet, devoid of any signs of human existence. Albert treaded silently to the kitchen, where he last saw Jimmy with the treasure chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he took another step, he bumped into Jimmy\u2019s lifeless body lying on the floor behind the counter. The treasure chest was wide open, and all the jewels lay scattered on the floor near Jimmy\u2019s body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, my God! Jim, what happened to you??\u201d Albert\u2019s eyes bulged with horror. A chill ran down his spine when he noticed Jimmy\u2019s skin had an unnatural tone. \u201cOh no\u2026did someone strangulate you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Albert\u2019s mind raced, struggling to make sense of the horror before him. The treasures remained untouched, and Jimmy\u2019s house was locked from the inside. Albert assumed somebody had broken into the house through the window and killed his friend. But the intact condition of the treasure puzzled him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Albert gazed at the glistening jewels, his eyes were soon captivated by a peculiar ring with a big, shimmery stone. The intricate patterns adorning it were unique and tempted Albert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWow, what a beautiful ring! It looks like a rare piece!\u201d Albert excitedly muttered. Greed filled his eyes, and convinced his friend, who was the sole witness to their heist, was dead, Albert quietly gathered the treasure in the box. He erased his fingerprints and fled in his car to share the good news of their riches with his wife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEmily, look what I found. Look at all these jewels and money! We\u2019re rich! I don\u2019t have to be a woodcutter anymore!\u201d Albert cried out to his wife. He then displayed the jewels and money on the bed before picking the strange, stone-studded ring. \u201cIt resembles all those cursed ancient artifacts, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d he chuckled as he kissed it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Albert\u2019s humor was met with solemn silence from Emily. \u201cJesus! Where did you get so much money and jewels from? I hope you and that robber Jimmy didn\u2019t do something wrong again,\u201d she frowned and walked away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moments later, Emily suddenly heard a loud crashing sound in their bedroom. She bolted towards the room and found Albert collapsed on the floor, holding his chest and the ring still clutched tightly in his bloodied hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, no\u2026Albert, can you hear me? What happened\u2026Oh my God, why is your nose bleeding? Albert\u2026wake up\u2026your skin\u2019s turning blue. What happened to you\u2026somebody, please help\u2026\u201d Emily panicked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With labored breaths, Albert struggled to speak his final words, \u201cGet rid of it, it\u2026\u201d he gasped, and his voice trailed off as he died on Emily\u2019s lap, leaving her haunted by his unfinished last words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pixabay<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fear gripped Emily as she realized the treasure scattered on the floor, especially the ominous ring in her dead husband\u2019s grip, was a threat to her and her little daughter, Barbara. She couldn\u2019t shake the feeling that the jewels were indeed cursed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Afraid to touch the artifacts and the money, Emily carefully wrapped them in a ragged cloth and stashed them back in the chest. She secured it with a chain and lock, and her hands trembled as she cradled the box to the dumpster outside her house. Emily suddenly stopped in her tracks and stared at the chest in her grasp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat if this thing kills somebody else? No\u2026I can\u2019t let that happen,\u201d she whispered and looked around. That\u2019s when she noticed a hollow pine tree. Emily hastily threw the treasure chest inside the dark cavity along with a note warning any potential finder of the curse of the artifacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026And nobody could figure out how my Dad died,\u201d Barbara\u2019s eyes welled up with tears as she recounted her Dad Albert\u2019s unfortunate death all those years ago. \u201cMy mother told me about the treasure, and I thought it was just a tale. But now I understand why she never allowed me to go anywhere near that pine tree. I\u2019m afraid you found something sinister intended to remain undisturbed and hidden in the dark\u2026You have to get rid of it, Alan\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pixabay<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Alan listened intently to his grandmother, he realized he had found ancient artifacts that weren\u2019t just stolen 80 years ago but also likely cursed. But a part of him urged him not to give in to his grandma\u2019s beliefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, Grandma, I\u2019ve had these jewels with me for a day. And look! I\u2019m alive! Nothing has happened to me. If these artifacts were cursed, I would\u2019ve been dead by now!\u201d he joked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to get rid of them, Alan,\u201d Barbara sternly demanded. \u201cThey were not only stolen but also cursed. Whoever tries to possess them meets a gruesome death. Why would you want to invite such trouble into your life?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, C\u2019mon, Grandma! You\u2019re still clinging to your old, foolish fables. Do you honestly believe in such tales? I don\u2019t! And I want to become rich, okay? This treasure will help me have everything I\u2019ve ever dreamed of!\u201d Alan argued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlan, I\u2019m not kidding,\u201d Barbara asserted. \u201cIf you don\u2019t get rid of these jewels and put them away, I\u2019ll call the cops and have them seized.\u201d Her words unsettled Alan, and he stopped in his tracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOkay\u2026okay, cool! You\u2019re probably right, Grandma. I\u2019ll not keep them, okay? I\u2019ll bury these treasures deep in the woods\u2026where nobody will find them,\u201d Alan instantly changed his mind, fearing Barbara would call the cops and have the treasure taken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a heartfelt embrace, he bid his Grandma farewell and hopped into his car with the treasure chest in tow. As Alan drove on the deserted country road to the woods, thoughts of the valuable artifacts played on his mind. When he approached an intersection, the red light on the signal halted his drive, granting him a moment of thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo I have to spend my life cutting down trees and working hard every day at the warehouse for such a low wage\u2026just to scrape by for food and gas?\u201d Alan pondered as his gaze shifted to the treasure chest on the seat beside him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo hell with it! Finders, keepers!\u201d his eyes glistened with greed. Alan turned his car\u2019s wheel and headed toward his home instead of the woods. \u201cI\u2019ll sell these jewels for a great deal and settle down with my family! Why should I feed them to the soil when I can become rich?!\u201d he whispered with a smile. But fate had other plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barely 20 seconds after Alan made that fateful decision, a speeding truck barreled through the crossway and rammed into his car with a thunderous roar. In that chaotic second, Alan died on the spot as the ill-fated treasure chest rolled over from the car seat and landed right beside his bloodied dead body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pixabay<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five hours had passed, and Barbara was sitting in the police station, endlessly sobbing after identifying her dead grandson\u2019s things that were retrieved at the accident site. A police officer approached her and sympathetically delivered the details of the tragedy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnfortunately, the impact was so severe that your grandson had little chance of survival,\u201d he said. The words pierced through Barbara\u2019s already shattered heart. \u201c\u2026Seems the truck\u2019s brakes failed, and your grandson happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time,\u201d the officer added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd one more thing, Mrs. Derek\u2026we seized the treasure chest you mentioned in your report. We sent the contents for testing, and reports suggest the stone on the ring was coated with a rare slow poison.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barbara looked up at the officer in shock. \u201cAnd we believe this ring belongs to the Mayan civilization or something like that. Reports suggest they soaked the gems in lethal poison to make them shine brighter and deter thieves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barbara\u2019s heart ached with regret and pain as her face drained of blood. She hung her head sadly and clumsily left the station, heading to the morgue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What can we learn from this story?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n