It started like a joke. Nate spotted the safe under a folding table, price tag taped on crooked, ten bucks in red marker. The seller shrugged, said it came from a storage unit, probably empty, take it or leave it. Ten dollars for a mystery felt like a steal. Nate grinned, lifted with both hands, and felt the surprising weight. What happened next will shock you.

Back home, he slid the safe onto his garage workbench and stared at the dial. He tried the obvious numbers, birthdays, 0-0-0, no click. He put his ear against the cold metal and spun slowly, listening for a whisper of tumblers. Nothing, just his own breathing and the hum of the fridge in the corner. He grabbed a cheap stethoscope from a toolbox and tried again, heart thumping harder with each silent turn. The truth was stranger than anyone expected.