The close he got, the more he couldn't believe his eyes. His grip tightened around the enigmatic key in his pocket. His stunned gaze widened.
It was now or never, so he put the key in the lock. He recoiled in shock at what had just occurred after hearing a faint "clink." However, the best was still to come.
Summer Project
Ted Louis, a renovator, spent the entire summer building a client's dream wine cellar in Vancouver.
When he discovered something strange, he was converting their basement into a lovely wine cellar. Ted had been in the construction industry for years, and he thought that he had seen it all. However, he stumbled upon something astonishing.
He Loved It
Ted enjoyed renovating basements. It was quite mesmerizing to see an empty space transformed into something interesting.
The wine cellar was to have an antique and rustic appearance per the client's request. But this method was about to provide him with much more than just the desired appearance.
Almost Done
Ted ordered the necessary supplies to start the project, such as sandstone and reclaimed brick. The cellar didn't take long to start taking shape.
The project was nearing completion after a few months of hard work. Ted cherished dealing with the old bricks because he loved learning about the unique histories and various buildings that each brick had once been a part of. But he could never have anticipated what was going to happen.
Moving On
When Ted was getting ready for another day of bricklaying, he first observed the odd partial mark on one of the recycled bricks.
He initially didn't think much of it, but as he got closer, his head tilted to the side. Anything like this has never before been seen by him. He set it aside, though, because he still had work to do.
They Were Related
However, he then discovered another block with a somewhat similar incomplete mark. They appeared to be related. In order to study the brick more closely, he took it and set it next to the other one.
Ted pondered its meaning. He arranged the bricks in various configurations to see if he could make it readable. But then a remarkable event took place.
Hidden Inside
One of the bricks burst open when it slid out of his grasp. When he saw what it revealed, his initial fear of it slipping out of his hold was replaced by pure awe.
There along the crack, someone had inserted a key. He imagined the enigmatic object was a long-forgotten key belonging to a destitute bricklayer. However, it wasn't the case.
Doing Research
He abruptly ended his day and hurried home to look for clarification after becoming engrossed in the mystery. He had to comprehend the meaning of the symbols in order to begin cracking this puzzle.
“I did some research to find out where and when these bricks came from,'' Ted shared. He learned that the Vancouver brick firm that produced the bricks went down in 1938. Not only that, though.
Going There
He made the decision to take a drive there to make sure his new piece of information was accurate because the location of the former company was very accessible to him.
The previous factory structure was in ruins when he got there. Along the factory grounds, a battered fence was present. He pulled into a spot outside and approached the door.
Investigation
He approached the door holding the key. It seemed utterly deserted. He was shocked to find the door unlocked, though, and he quickly stepped inside.
He didn't know exactly what he was looking for—possibly additional bricks with odd markings or an old ledger so he could give the key back to someone connected to the plant. But what he actually discovered was well beyond what he had anticipated.
Brick Wall
It wasn’t long before Ted stumbled into a decapitated red brick wall, the exact same as the bricks he was using for the wine cellar.
He strode towards it, hoping that he’d find a brick with the strange stamps on it. But as he got closer, he saw something completely bewildering. His hand clasped around the key in his pocket in disbelief.
Strange Lock
On the wall was a strange lock. It looked completely out of place. Ted took out the key from his pocket and looked at it with suspicion.
With nothing to lose, he put the key in the lock and turned it. He heard a slight clink and stood in disbelief at what had just happened. But the best was yet to come.
A Hidden Room
He pushed the mysterious wall, and it gave way. It was a door that led to an empty dark room. A hidden room in the factory halls.
He scratched his head, stood back, and wondered what on earth just happened. Quickly, he got out his phone and started recording. Then he posted his bizarre story online.
Skepticism And Disbelief
His story was met with a lot of skepticism. Many people didn’t believe that this actually happened. Some commented, “This is a very cool story, but it’s just too unbelievable. How does something like this even happen?”.
But others thought differently. “That’s insaaaane!” one user wrote, while another wrote. “Wait, where's the treasure?”. What was in the room?
Waiting For An Update
However, Ted remained silent for a few days after his post. People were wondering whether it was all a make-believe story and starting to lose hope about any further updates.
However, after one week, when everyone assumed that the game was over, Ted posted again; and the story he had to tell left all his followers absolutely bamboozled.
Baffling
Apparently, Ted’s adventure was far from over. However, the way it unfolded left people absolutely baffled: it all sounded like an elaborate hoax or some sort of marketing campaign for a movie.
However, Ted swore up and down that he was telling the truth. However, his whole post sounded like something straight from a movie.
The Authorities Got Involved
“Hey guys,” his post started. “There’s been thousands of you asking about what was in the room. I’ve been wondering whether I should tell you about it or not.”
“The last few days have been quite hectic. I’m still coming to terms with what has happened here, and still can’t fully believe it myself. To put it shortly, the authorities have gotten involved.”
Top Secret
“Yeah, I know it sounds crazy. As I’ve said, I’m still having a hard time believing it myself. Just a few days ago, I thought I was discovering just some piece of memorabilia.”
“But apparently, I just came across something way bigger and more unnerving. I’ve asked law enforcement if I can tell you guys about this, and they gave me the OK. However, I’ll have to leave out some details.”
FBI Investigation
“It’s not like I know a whole lot about it either; right now, the FBI is in charge of the investigation, and they are the only ones with access to the room and what was inside it.”
“However, I was the one who discovered it and told them about it, so at least I can tell you about the essentials. So this is what happened.”
A Treasure?
“You may have thought that there was a treasure or something along those lines hiding in that secret room in the factory.”
“If not, then why would anyone take the trouble to take the key and hide it in a brick? Why would anyone want to conceal that room so secretly from people’s eyes? Well, that’s what I thought.”
A Metal Box
“And at first, it looked like I was right on the money. The room seemed to be completely empty except for a sturdy metal box. So obviously, the question was: what is inside?”
“But it was locked. However, I was feeling lucky, so I tried to open it with the same key I had used to open the door.”
It Didn’t Fit In
“The key didn’t fit in. Can’t say I was surprised. But right then, my excitement grew even more. You would think that if someone goes so far trying to hide something, it must be because it’s something valuable.”
“And if you wanna look at it like that, I was somewhat right. But not in the way I thought, not by a long shot.”
What Now?
“So I couldn’t open the box with my key. So obviously, I started wondering: where could the key to this box be? I was really excited and had to sit down to ponder my options and where to start my search.”
“And suddenly, as I stared at the walls of that completely empty room that no one had set their foot into in years, I noticed something.”
A Similar Brick
“There was a brick in one of the walls with the same exact inscription as the one keeping the key that led me there! So obviously, one possibility crossed my mind.”
“What if there was another key hiding inside that one? It may have been a crazy idea. After all, what were the odds? But I had a gut feeling that I was onto something.”
Calling For Help
“So I called a construction worker friend of mine and asked him if he could help me get that brick out of the wall without having to tear up the whole thing.”
“Told him the whole story, and he was more than happy to participate. He arrived at the factory in about an hour. Guys, I swear to you, my heart was galloping as I waited for this guy.”
Getting To The Bottom Of The Issue
“So he arrives there, and we go to work on the wall. It takes us a couple of hours, but we finally manage to get that one single brick out without damaging the rest of the wall.”
“So now, there was the moment of truth. I grab the hammer, hit the brick as hard as I can, it tears apart, and bingo.”
There’s A Key
“We find that there’s a key there. My hands are literally shaking as I brush off all the brick pieces and pick up the key from the floor. My guy is standing there with his mouth wide open, and we feel like Indiana Jones.”
“So I walk towards the box, put the key inside the lock, and it fits perfectly. And now is when things get weird.”
Videotapes
“I open the box, thinking I’m gonna find a treasure from the 1920s inside. But I find something very different. I find some videotapes, VHS.”
“My buddy still has a VHS player in his house, so we rush over there and start playing one. And that’s pretty much all I can tell you guys for now.”
Calling The Police
“We paused the videotape just 10 seconds in and immediately called the police. Believe me guys, it wasn’t something you would wanna see. I’m still shocked by it myself, and I only saw a few seconds.”
“I’m not authorized by the police to tell anything about what I saw. But believe me, it’s not the type of thing that you would even want to know about. I wish I could forget it myself.”
Confidential
“So yeah, right now the FBI is investigating the issue, but it’s gonna remain strictly confidential for the time being. I don’t know if they’ll release some more information to the public. I’m pretty much just as clueless as the rest of you guys.”
“So whatever the case, all I can do for now is hope that the authorities’ investigations come to fruition.”
In order 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 or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.