Sam Adams and the Great Betrayal

WIll Sam Adams Save the world from his alien parents?

Sam Adams and the Great Betrayal”

         On his 25th birthday, Sam Adams received a mysterious package in the mail. It was from his long-deceased parents and had been written exactly 25 years ago, with strict instructions: Deliver only on Sam’s 25th birthday.

         He opened it with trembling hands. The circumstances of his parents’ deaths had always been shrouded in secrecy—whispers of strange sightings, government cover-ups, and a fire that left no remains. The official story never sat right with him.
Inside the package was a letter.

Dear Sam,

         If you are reading this, it means we are gone. You deserve to know the truth about your heritage—and a warning of what’s coming.

         We are sorry we never told you. We had to keep the truth hidden. But now, the time has come. You must be ready.
Solve this riddle before continuing:

         “Return to the place of your childhood dreams. Look closely. The truth hides in plain sight.”

         Go now. Follow the instructions you find there.

         And remember: trust no one. Everything you thought you knew is a lie.
________________________________________

         Sam knew exactly where to go. As a child, his parents had taken him to a secluded cabin deep in the mountains of Southern Oregon. It was nestled along Dead Indian Memorial Road, near Lake of the Woods—a place that had always felt both magical and unsettling.

         When he arrived, the cabin was just as he remembered—except colder, darker, and eerily silent. Inside, he found a second envelope and a map.
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         “Read this and follow the map,” the note began.

         “We are not who you think we are. And neither are you. We are not human. We are the last of the ancient ones—reptilian shapeshifters from the lost city of Atlantis.

         We have ruled this world from the shadows for millennia. You, Sam, are our heir. Follow the map to the center of the world. There, your destiny awaits.”
________________________________________
         Sam followed the map through dense forest and into a hidden ravine. There, buried beneath moss and stone, was another cabin—older, rotting, and humming with energy. Inside, a spinning wheel pulsed with light. A portal.

         Above it, a sign read:

“          Welcome, Sam Adams, to your true home. Open the gateway. Rejoin your kind. Together, we will reclaim the Earth and rule the stars. Open the gate and set us free.”

         Sam stepped through.

         On the other side, he found his parents—alive, but no longer wearing human faces. Their skin shimmered with green scales, eyes vertical and cold. Behind them stood legions of reptilian warriors, armored and waiting.

         “Join us,” his father hissed. “You are one of us.”

         Sam hesitated. Then, without a word, he pressed a hidden button on his phone. Moments later, a deafening roar filled the air as U.S. Marines stormed through the portal, weapons drawn. Chaos erupted. The alien army was subdued. The portal was sealed.

         Back on Earth, Sam stood before his superiors and said:
“
         Mission complete.”
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         But the story didn’t end there.

         That night, alone in his apartment, Sam stared at his reflection. His pupils flickered—just for a second—into slits. His skin itched beneath the surface.

         He turned off the lights and whispered to the darkness:

         “I didn’t betray them. I infiltrated you.”

         From the shadows, a voice replied:

         “We know. And we’re ready.”
________________________________________

On their 25th birthday, your main character receives a letter written by their parents 25 years ago — scheduled to be delivered exactly on this day. The letter includes a confession, a riddle, and a map leading to a long-buried family secret.

Write the story or poem (including all three), and use MYSTERY as your genre.