Boy Finds Hatch in Backyard, Then His Father Sees Where It Goes

I’m coming up

Encouraged by Cody’s confirmation, Ben gripped the ladder tightly, his flashlight clamped between his teeth. Step by step, he ascended, the rungs creaking under his weight. “I’m almost there,” he called into the Walkie-Talkie, the light above growing brighter with each climb. At the top, he pressed his palms against the cold metal lid and gave it a shove. It resisted at first but finally gave way, revealing sunlight—and Cody’s smiling face—above.