Ups and Downs
Being married for fifteen years, one was bound to have some ups and downs. But after their son had gone missing, the tiny cracks in their marriage had grown to the size of a crater.
Never had he considered that his own wife might have involvement with their son going missing. But fourteen long years later, he would be confronted with the truth as he dug in how own backyard.
Supposed Innocence
Shawn Shansey never expected his wife to go quite this far. When they’d first met, Rebecca had been the epitome of innocence and grace.
His wife could not only make him smile and laugh but made him picture a future for them. He could have never expected her to bring him to tears decades later.
Family Man
For him, having a family had always been a dream. He’d made sure to work hard throughout his life so that he could make it happen and ensure that his family never wanted for anything.
He had a great job and had made plans to make enough money to buy a house that might fit his whole family. But although it was the ultimate dream back then, there was one thing that had always bothered him.
No Ladies Man
Shawn had always struggle to find a date, and not because he was particularly a bad guy; but because he always fumbled when he was in the vicinity of a girl. He could sometimes barely get a sentence out.
The problem got so extreme that he contemplated the possibility of him growing old alone. But as he thought things were at their worst, Rebecca came waltzing in.
Love At First Sight
At that stage, Shawn was 28 years old. He had gone fishing with a few of his buddies at Anderson Lake in Lewis County, Washington. He saw her walking towards them, looking like she was on a mission.
Introducing herself as Rebecca Howard, 25-year-old bank teller from town, Shawn knew he had fallen in love. Apparently, she was picking up her dad, who was trout-fishing just a ways off from them. He needed to see her again, or he might lose his mind.
Unattainable
According to him, a woman like Rebecca very rarely approached guys like him and his friends. She looked like a model, like a woman who belonged on a magazine cover. Her hair, eyes, and perky features made her unattainable to them.
However, he could immediately tell that she was far more easy-going than she seemed. Her smile lit up the entire lakeside, and as she departed with her dad in tow, Shawn promised himself he would pursue her. He had no idea what awaited him.
Courage
The most challenging thing Shawn had ever done was to find the courage to walk into the bank where she worked and ask for a loan. He owned a plumbing business and needed money for a new van.
Using that as a way to encourage himself, Shawn walked right into the bank—covered in sweat and slightly nervous.
The First Talk
To his surprise, she gave him that same amazing smile, and even better, she remembered him from their first encounter at the lake.
For the first time in his life, he spoke to a woman without fumbling and stuttering. Rebecca had good humor and was extremely intelligent, and he enjoyed talking to her so much. As the conversation drifted off, Shawn decided it was time for him to ask her on a date.
Date To Altar
Rebecca gracefully accepted his invitation, and only two years later, they were married. Shawn felt like he could relax now; he had the woman of his dreams with whom he could build the family of his dreams.
However, the family he so desperately wanted would end up causing him the most pain.
Baby Boy
Life was perfect for the couple. They moved to Morton, Lewis County, right into a quiet little neighborhood. And during their first year as a married couple, they welcomed their first son, Kevin.
Little Kevin was the perfect mixture of both his parents in the best way. He had his father’s dark hair and his mother’s icy blue eyes. Kevin had Shawn’s love for hard work and his mother’s kind-hearted nature. He was their entire world. Until disaster struck.
Missing
One day, Kevin had gone to school as he usually did but didn’t return home. They searched every street and alley, and all around the neighborhood.
The 7-year-old boy never came home late, and his school wasn’t too far away, so he couldn’t have gotten lost. If Shawn had known then what he knew now, he’d have checked his backyard.
Gone
However, it never crossed his mind to check the backyard for his beloved boy. He never stopped to think that maybe his wife might be involved, or knew where he was.
Kevin and his mother had always been close, closer than even Shawn and his son was. And although Shawn never admitted it, he’d always wished that his son would bond with him as he did with his mother. But now he would never get the chance, and all he could do was grieve his son and think about a future he’d never have.
Marriage Is Hard
Their relationship took a turn for the worse after that, and while they had always had ups and downs, this was different. Marriage had its challenges, but none like this.
Kevin’s disappearance had caused a rift between them, at a time when they should have come together in their grief. They stayed apart as if they were strangers, the home they had built together now full of empty space. However, fifteen years later, the truth would finally be revealed.
Misunderstanding
Fourteen years of life passed in a blur for Shawn, and one day, in his late forties, Shawn decided to mow the lawn.
There wasn’t a day where he didn’t mourn for his son, and though they never talked about it, he could see the pain in Rebecca’s eyes. She missed her son just as much as he did. However, he’d discover that he had completely misread the situation.
Burial
Rebecca had insisted on professional help for the backyard for the last fifteen years, and it had started before Kevin’s disappearance.
Shawn had had a life-threatening accident at that time, and although he survived, his back could no longer work as it used to. He couldn’t do physical labor as much, and so Rebecca insisted they hire a professional to help. He thought she was looking out for his health, but little did he know about the secret hidden deep underneath the soil.
Took It Upon Himself
Rebecca was at work when he decided to finally take care of his backyard. The professional was supposed to have been there that week but called to inform them he would come in the following week.
Rebecca didn’t seem to mind, but Shawn couldn’t bring it over himself to leave his lawn looking that ugly. Hoping he could avoid a fight later that night, he thought to tell her he did the job himself. If only he knew what he’d stumble upon.
Gorgeous Day
As soon as his wife left for work, Shawn got to work himself. He put on a fishing cap and stepped out into the sun.
The radio was on and playing loudly, making Shawn glad that he was strong enough now to mow the lawn himself. It had been a decade since he was able to, and he relished in it. Though halfway through the task, he hit something with the mower.
Peculiar
At first, he thought it was a rock, but the lawnmower growled as its blades struck the object. He turned the machine off, and went nearer.
“What could that be?” He knew his garden didn’t have any rocks or stones, as it was mowed every single week. But the shock and truth of his wife’s secret would have him sobbing. How could she?
Nary A Stone Or Rock
Thousands of thoughts raced in his head. It wasn’t a rock, so what was it? He hadn’t looked after the yeard since his son’s disappearance, now that he thought about it.
Shawn didn’t have the motivation for it, and he was thankful for his wife calling a gardener to help them do it. But when he thought about it some more, he gathered he should be the one to do it. It was his lawn after all. But he had no idea what waited for him.
Unknown Object
Shawn turned the machine off, trying to examine what it was that he’d hit. The tangled knots of the grass had grown over whatever it was that was hidden.
Shawn needed something sharp to cut through the grass. Heading for the shed, he found a pair of shears that would make quick work of it.
Cutting Through
Shawn cut through the tough grass that had intertwined with the object, revealing it inch by inch.
After a few minutes, it was finally revealed. He had no idea what it had to do with anything, especially not with his son and his wife’s lies. But he would, soon.
Metal
The object was a sharp piece of metal that protruded from the dirt. Rust had covered it, turning it into dull brown and flaky.
Shawn stared at it in confusion, noting the strange energy it seemed to omit. He felt it calling, and decided to look even deeper. But the strange metal would only bring him absolute horror.
Salt In The Wound
He wiped his hands on his shirt and got ready to pull. But fearing a cut from the dirty metal, he grabbed a pair of gloves first. He prepared himself for whatever he was about to find.
What he didn’t know was that this object would rub salt into his already open wounds, and he wouldn’t be able to function for days to come. Shawn found a metal box at the end of his search.
Small Metal Box
Curious, Shawn moved it around for a few moments, trying to figure out what it was. At first, he thought it was the corner of a small metal box.
It was the most peculiar thing, although he had heard of people finding treasures in their backyards. However, the thing hidden in his backyard was no treasure but rather a cruel joke played by fate.
Horror
Moving more of the soil around the box, his curiosity overcame him. What was hiding here, right under his nose, all these years?
The more he studied it, the more he was convinced that it was much bigger than what it appeared to be. He flicked the metal, hoping he could dig it out.
Help Of Tools
The first part was easy enough because he had his shears. But he now needed digging tools. He hadn’t engaged in any rough physical activities for more than a decade, so he didn’t have any of the equipment he needed.
His shears had barely been functional enough, but he knew where he could find some proper tools. He just hoped he was allowed to.
Mr. Hawkins
Fortunately, Shawn found himself in a stroke of luck as his nearby neighbor, Mr. Hawkins, possessed precisely the tools he required. Without hesitation, Shawn hurried to Mr. Hawkins' residence to borrow them.
Having established a longstanding friendship with Mr. Hawkins, they shared a mutual respect cultivated over the years. Peering over the fence, Shawn called out to him, unaware of what was coming.
Call 911
The conversation with Mr. Hawkins was brief and straightforward. Shawn requested a shovel, a hoe, and a trowel – basic hand-digging implements that would help him in his task.
Upon inspecting his tool shed, Mr. Hawkins gathered all the necessary tools Shawn needed. However, had he been aware of Shawn's intended excavation, he would have called the police.
Helping
Mr. Hawkins helped in fetching the tools, thinking that whatever lay concealed in Shawn's backyard needed to be discovered. He felt a sense of anticipation at the thought of uncovering something secretly hidden.
They started digging together, slowly revealing the box. Yet, both men should have realized that certain things are best left undisturbed in their burial.
Chest
Shawn began his task with determination. He dug at the area surrounding the protruding metal, steadily clearing away piles of dirt. With each shovelful removed, he got closer to unveiling the secrets buried beneath the ground.
By the end of the first hour, he had dug a substantial amount of soil, and it was then that he fully understood what lay before him. His thoughts became consumed with memories of his missing son.
Thinking Of Kevin
At first, he thought it was a pirate chest. He recalled how much Kevin loved pirates, even dressing as one for three Halloweens straight.
The memory had him tearing up. He started imagining his son with him having fun digging the chest up. But he had no idea that he wasn’t that far off. What he'd find inside the chest would more than shatter him.
What Is It?
The more Shawn continued digging, the more he realized that the chest had something more to it than it appeared on the outisde. It looked more like a coffin than something a pirate would leave treasure in.
The more he dug it out, the more he felt a screaming in his mind telling him to stop. Something wasn’t right and his gut feeling was to rebury it and forget he’d ever seen it.
Sorrow
His mood was about to change dramatically and take a turn for the worse. He went from fondly remembering his son to having dread creep over every ounce of his body.
The sorrow that he had felt after seeing the chest returned. But it came with a crippling sense of fear as a different thought hit him.
Right Under His Nose
He had an itching feeling like bugs scratching at the back of his mind. What was really going on? It was absurd - he couldn’t help but feel his paternal intuition kicking in.
What if someone did something terrible to his son and hid him here, right under his nose? This would be the last place he'd check.
Was His Wife In On It?
Immediately, he remembered how adamant his wife was against him mowing the backyard. She didn't even allow him to spend most of his days there unless she was with him.
It all seemed to fall into place now. His crackpot theory felt strange enough to be true. The father’s grief would be at an all time high. Had she been trying to hide something dark from him?
Time Heals All Wounds
Neither Rebecca nor Shawn ever healed after losing their only child. The topic was too painful for either of them to bring up, and for fourteen years, each of them let time try to heal their wounds.
When a parent loses a child, they never recover from it. Shawn had tried his hardest to put his best foot forward. But what was in the box would have his whole world crumbling down.
Dark Possibility
The more that Shawn considered what the truth could be, the more he fixated on it. It was becoming a dark obsession for the man and he wouldn’t give up until he found the truth.
But thinking about everything now and considering the dark possibility that Rebecca might have had something to do with Kevin's disappearance, Shawn almost screamed.
She Can’t Do Such A Thing
With tears streaming down his face, he continued digging, frantically throwing dirt over his shoulders with his shovel. He wanted to believe that whatever he was thinking was wrong.
He felt his body start to shake as grief was pouring into his heart all over again. It was like an old wound tearing open again. He didn’t want to believe what his mind told him.
Wife
Although things between him and Rebecca had been challenging over the last decade, Shawn couldn't see her in such a dangerous light.
She was the woman he had married and loved and Kevin was also her son after all. There was no way she'd do such a thing to their only child. Or was there? His mind was jumbled with all the grief.
No Hope
They say love is blind. Sometimes, the love we feel for someone can overshadow logic, blinding us to their vices no matter how big.
The grieving father was going crazy because of what his mind was telling him was the truth. He dropped the shovel and started digging with his hands as tears streamed from his eyes. What’s in the box?
Given Up Too Easily?
It seemed convenient that she had given up too easily. Shawn thought as his fingernails tore through the soil, clogging them with substrate.
Shawn didn't know if he was in this same boat. All he knew was that Rebecca was torn after they lost Kevin and was pessimistic about seeing their boy nearly immediately. Was it really possible it was the truth?
Dread
But he’d also noticed she refused to be hopeful that they'd ever see him again. Shawn couldn't help but wonder why this was so.
But his concerns would have to wait. He finally managed to get the majority of the dirt off of the chest and it would soon be time to get it open for better or for worse. He just hoped that it wasn’t the truth.
Face It Here And Now
He dragged the massive chest out of the ground. Rust had eaten most of its dirty surface. Shawn noted that the trunk could be large enough to hide a child. He felt sick but refused to accept that his dear wife would do something like this.
With one thrust of his shovel, he broke the chest's padlock. He couldn't wait any longer and would face this terror here and now.
A Treasure Hunt
The chest creaked open, and a teary Shawn fell to his knees. Inside the chest wasn't the remains of his beloved child but one of the fondest memories that charred every inch of his heart.
Staring back at him were an assortment of treasure: fake gold coins, geodes, an ancient sword hilt, and a diary Shawn and Rebecca had spent years writing.
A Birthday Present
This was supposed to be a birthday present for Kevin on the month he went missing – a treasure hunt for him to root out. But Shawn had never been able to bury it because of his sick back.
He couldn't believe Rebecca had gone ahead and buried it without him. But as he sat back, relief washing over him, he saw something that made him jump back up.
Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.