-1My hair whipped across my face, entangling itself. The heavy rain beat down, feeling like needles pricking my skin. I sped across the motorway, weaving through many cars, not caring to monitor my speed. I turned the motorcycle off to exit the motorway, and then sped through various countryside roads and paths until I reached my grandfather's rather small cottage, which contrasted greatly in size from the huge mansion in which I lived.

The motorcycle came to a halt, and I kicked out the stand to hold it up. With a shake of my head I flipped my bangs out of my eyes, and to get some of the water out. I made my way up the short pathway to the cottage, my boots sloshing with water, my clothes soaking and dripping wet. I knocked on the wooden door lightly. A few moments passed, and the door open with a creak. "Ah, Lara!" came the voice of my grandfather from behind the door.

"Hello," I said with a giggle. I looked down at my wet clothes and was afraid to step inside. "Er, I'm sort of… soaking," I said with a grimace.

"No matter," he said and pulled me into a hug. "It's been so long. A little rain won't stop me from huggin' you!"

His warm embrace was comforting. I had missed my grandfather; my parents had wanted little to do with him and his archaeology. Sounds a little like the relationship my parents and I shared.

"Okay," he said, holding my shoulders, "let's get you dried off and warmed up."

I sat on a chair that was covered with a quilt. I myself was wrapped in a warm duvet by the fire, sipping hot tea that my grandfather had just taken off of the kettle. It felt better now to be warm and dry, rather than wet and chilled to the bone. Grandfather returned to the room with his own cup of tea and sat down in a chair adjacent to mine. "Alright," he said with a soft face. "Something tells me you aren't just here for a visit. I know Richard better than that."

"Yes, father," I said, looking down at the liquid in the warm up. The liquid rolled up from the cup and moistened my face. I closed my eyes. "And mother. They didn't approve of this." Grandfather nodded in agreement. He knew of my parents' strict policies and regulations.

"That's quite alright. At least they'll know your safe if they know you're here." He patted my knee, knowing that I was a little uneasy. "You want to tell me why you're here?"

I nodded, looking up, but my eyes were drawn to the bright flames dancing in the fireplace. "Where to start," I mumbled. "My college is having a sort of outing at sea, an excursion. We'd take an aeroplane to Japan and then being the voyage on a research vessel. Of course I'm interested in this; that's the whole reason I've decided to study archaeology. However, my parents did not agree… as you'd expect. They told me such things like 'it's not safe,' and 'we only want what's best for you.'" I stopped to look at him. He nodded in a way that told me to continue. "I'll just come right out and say it. You're perhaps the only one who would be able to support this. I need £800 to cover the expenses."

Grandfathers eyes were soft, kind, and his mouth was pulled slightly upward in a smile. "Lara, you know that I would do anything to help you pursue your dreams."

I returned the smile. "Thank you. But what's more, the island were going to be the closest to is Miyakejima. I remembered this journal you once gave me." I pulled out the leather-covered book and flipped through it as I continued you explain. "The boat will remain close to the shores of this island. If I could get the professor to allow me to stay on there for maybe a week, I might be able to continue your research and hopefully uncover the secrets that you've tried so desperately to uncover." I looked up from the book to grandfather's face. His expression was now stern, and one could tell that he was in deep thought.

"Lara," he began, "that island is truly brutal. Dangerous. Vicious. I'm not so sure if you setting foot on that island alone is smart."

My hopes began to diminish. "If I need to… I can ask my friend Amanda to come along. She's had more experience in archaeology than I have."

Grandfather still looked thoughtful. I could tell that he was contemplating his decision carefully. On the one hand, he didn't want to send me off somewhere where I might be in danger. That was understandable. But on the other hand, he loved archaeology truly, and he would do anything to support me. Finally he opened his mouth to speak, "Well, Lara, I believe in you with all my heart. I'll fund the trip if you allow me to send one of my colleagues, Conrad Roth, with you to guide and protect you."

I thought for a moment. I was willing to do what my grandfather asked if that meant the chance to finally explore some caves and tombs, and continue where he left off. "Deal," I said with a smile. "Thank you so much!" I stood and unraveled myself from the duvet to hold my grandfather in a hug. "This means a lot to me."

"And you mean a lot to me, Lara," he said, pulling away to look me in the eyes. "That means I don't want you get hurt. Ah, before I forget…" he exited the den and flicked on a light in a small room. I followed him, seeing the hundreds and hundreds of books that lined the shelves around the room. How one could manage to fit so many books into such a small space was absolutely astounding. Grandfather searched through several rows of books until he found one, pulling it out and blowing off the dust.

"This is a book that I think might help you on the island. Ever since I left that island, never having completed my mission, I have been studying and researching what I believe to be linked to the island's secrets. Please read through my notes and journal completely. I believe they will help you to find the answer." I took the book from his hands, though I didn't look through it just yet. "Will you be staying the night here?" he asked.

"Yes, if that's alright," I said, eyeing the intricately and ornately designed cover of the book.

"Of course," grandfather answered, flicking off the light. He took out a small cot from the closet and laid it out for me.

"I'll be up around seven for college," I said, laying the duvet onto the cot to prepare a sleeping arrangement.

"I'll be awake to see you off," grandfather said as he threw on a robe. "Goodnight, Lara."

I wished him a good sleep as I tore off my jacket. I slipped under the duvet on the small cot and relaxed, trying to clear my head of all thoughts. I couldn't. There was far too much racing through my mind to allow me to sleep: excitement and nervousness, among other emotions, ran throughout my brain. Somehow, I managed to slip into unconsciousness some minutes - or was it hours? - later.