My late Grandpa, the man who told me wild stories about buried gold and promised me the world, left me with what seemed like the ultimate disappointment: a dusty old apiary. Who would abandon their grandchild in an insect-infested shack?
I assumed it was a cruel prank until I looked inside the beehives.
It was a typical morning when Aunt Daphne, staring over her spectacles at the mess on my bed, ordered me to pack for school. I was texting and ignoring my friend Chloe, but she remained firm, reminding me that Grandpa had hoped for me to be strong and independent, and that the beehives would not tend themselves.
I recalled the good days with Grandpa, the honey, and the bees, but my thoughts were on the forthcoming school dance and my crush Scott, so I agreed to inspect the hives “maybe tomorrow.”
Aunt Daphne cautioned me that tomorrow never comes and requested I take care of Grandpa’s apiary, but I shouted at her, claiming I had better things to do than tend to bees, which made her unhappy, but I rushed off to catch the bus, irritated by the burden.
The next day, Aunt Daphne chastised me for skipping my responsibilities and grounded me for avoiding my responsibility with the bees. I grumbled about being afraid of being stung, but she assured me that I’d wear protective gear and that a little fear was normal but couldn’t deter me.
I reluctantly went to the apiary, and despite a bee sting on my hand that made me want to give up,
I persevered, determined to prove Aunt Daphne incorrect. While extracting honey, I came across a weathered plastic bag inside a hive carrying a fading, unusual map that appeared to be a treasure map left by Grandpa.
Excited, I took the map and pedaled home, leaving the half-filled honey jar on the counter before sneaking out to follow the chart into the woods. As I roamed the old forest, Grandpa’s stories about legendary animals like the White Walker and grumpy little gnomes played on my mind, infusing me with bittersweet memories.
At a clearing, I discovered the old gamekeeper’s house Grandpa had often told us about, which appeared to have been forgotten by time. Near the porch, I discovered a hidden key and opened the cabin, entering inside to a dusty, musty world with a carved metal box on a table. Inside was a note from Grandpa addressed to me, stating that the box contained a rare treasure that could not be opened until the completion of my voyage.
I was frantic to open it, but I accepted his wishes and pressed on, only to realize I was lost and fear set in, tears flowing down my cheeks. Remembering Grandpa’s instruction to be cool, I steady myself despite creepy sounds in the forest and continued on, hoping to discover the bridge Grandpa always mentioned.
Exhausted, the sun had set, and the woods were dark and threatening, I sank against a tree, longing for Aunt Daphne’s kitchen, with only stale cracker crumbs for food.
Drawing on Grandpa’s advice, I healed my wounds with heal-all leaves and continued on, until reaching a rushing river. Despite the danger, I scrambled down the bank seeking water, only to slip and fall into the frigid torrent, screaming as the weight of my bag dragged me down.
Thinking of Grandpa, I found the fortitude to drop my backpack but clung to his metal box, fighting the river until a log rescued me and dumped me on the muddy shore, battered but alive. I hung my wet clothing to dry and, unable to wait any longer, opened Grandpa’s package, which contained merely a jar of honey and a photograph of us together.
I recognized then that the ultimate prize was the virtue of hard work and perseverance, which Grandpa had always instilled in me. Tearful and humbled, I erected a makeshift shelter for the night and, the next morning, continued through the woods, feeling Grandpa’s presence in memories of fishing and humming his favorite songs.
When I finally saw the bridge, hope rose, but the woodland quickly turned into a confused maze, leaving me terrified and weary, collapsing into a clearing where a dog discovered me just as rescuers arrived.
Aunt Daphne consoled me while I was in the hospital, telling me of Grandpa’s love for me even when I was angry or didn’t understand his ways. She brought me a brightly wrapped box—the Xbox I’d wanted—and said that Grandpa had left it for me to learn patience, hard work, and responsibility. I pledged to be good, and as I offered Aunt Daphne some honey from the jar, I noticed the sweetness in both her grin and mine own.
Years later, now 28, and far from that disgruntled adolescent, I run my own apiary and have two adorable honey-loving children, and every time I see their joy, I thank Grandpa for teaching me what is truly important.
