The soft rustle of pages filled the room as Tina flipped through her father's diary, her voice steady but tinged with emotion. Roy sat cross-legged beside her, his eyes wide with curiosity as she recounted Joy Davidson's harrowing journey through the jungle.
"But then," Tina paused, a shadow crossing her face, "Dad wrote about reaching the city at the edge of the jungle. That's where his entries stopped."
Roy leaned forward, his voice barely a whisper. "Then what happened, Tina Didi? Did Uncle ever tell you why he was in the jungle? Or how he escaped?"
Tina sighed and closed the diary, holding it close to her chest. "He didn't write it all down, Roy. And there are things even I don't know. But…" She hesitated. "Mom might."
Just then, Tina's phone vibrated on the desk, its screen lighting up with a familiar name: Mom – Tia Carter Davidson. Tina's heart skipped a beat.
She picked up the phone, stepping away for a moment. "Hello, Mom," she said softly.
"Tina," Tia's voice came through, warm yet weighed with an unspoken tension. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm okay. Just… going through Dad's things and talking to Roy. He's been asking a lot about Dad's time in the jungle."
There was a long pause on the other end. "You know, there are things about your father's journey that even he didn't fully understand," Tia said carefully.
"What do you mean?" Tina pressed, her voice lowering.
Tia sighed. "He told me some things before he… before he left us. About the jungle, the creatures he encountered, and the people he suspected were behind it all. But it's complicated, Tina. And dangerous."
Roy, sensing the gravity of the conversation, tugged at Tina's sleeve. "What's she saying? Is it about Uncle Joy?"
Tina shook her head, signaling for him to wait. "Mom, are you saying there's more to Dad's story?"
"Yes," Tia replied, her voice firm. "And I think it's time you knew the truth. Come see me tomorrow. There's something I need to show you—something your father left behind."
The call ended abruptly, leaving Tina with a mix of apprehension and determination. She turned to Roy, who was staring at her expectantly.
"What did she say, Tina Didi? Does she know what happened to Uncle Joy?"
"She might," Tina admitted, her mind racing. "But we'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out."
Roy frowned, his youthful impatience showing. "But what if Uncle Joy's story isn't finished? What if he found something in the jungle? What if…" His voice trailed off as he glanced at the closed diary.
Tina placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Roy, I promise we'll figure it out. But for now, let's get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll take the next step."
As Roy reluctantly left the room, Tina opened the diary once more, her fingers tracing the final words her father had written.
"The jungle is alive with secrets—some I've uncovered, and others that are still out there, waiting."
Tina closed the book, her resolve hardening. "Dad, whatever you found, I'll uncover the truth. For you.
For us."
The flickering light from the desk lamp cast shadows on the walls as Tina sat silently, the weight of her father's legacy resting heavily on her shoulders.