It was a typical late autumn afternoon, and the park was bathed in the warm, golden light of the setting sun. Amy sat on a park bench, her nose buried in a novel, the world around her fading into the background as she got lost in the story. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of fallen leaves and distant laughter of children playing. Her light brown hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, and she wore a cozy, oversized sweater that shielded her from the chill in the air.

Beside her, a man sat quietly, absorbed in his own book. He had been there for some time, though Amy hadn't really taken notice of him until he shifted slightly and spoke.

"Do you have a moment?" the stranger asked, his voice breaking the comfortable silence that had settled around them.

Startled, Amy looked up, her green eyes meeting his. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, with dark hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and warm brown eyes that seemed to hold a mix of curiosity and a hint of urgency. He wore a dark coat and a scarf, suggesting he was just as prepared for the cool weather as she was.

"Uh, sure," Amy replied, closing her book but keeping a finger between the pages to mark her place. "What's up?"

The man hesitated for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. "I know this might sound strange, but I need your help with something."

Intrigued, Amy nodded. "Okay, go ahead."

He took a deep breath and held out a book. "It's about this book I'm reading. Or, more precisely, it's about something I found inside it."

Amy took the book from him and examined it. It was an old, worn-out hardcover, its title barely legible. She opened it to the page he indicated and found a small, folded piece of paper tucked between the pages. Unfolding it, she saw a note written in neat, looping script:

"Meet me at the old oak tree at sunset. It's a matter of life and death. — J"

Her heart skipped a beat. The note had an air of urgency, and she could understand why the stranger was concerned. "This is quite mysterious," she said, handing the note back to him. "Do you know who 'J' might be?"

He shook his head. "I have no idea. I just bought this book from a secondhand store a few days ago. I haven't even had the chance to read much of it yet."

"Do you know where this old oak tree is?" Amy asked, glancing around the park, which was dotted with various trees but none that stood out as particularly old or significant.

"That's the thing," he said. "I don't know. I've been coming to this park for years, and I've never seen an oak tree here."

They both sat in silence for a moment, contemplating the note. The sun was inching closer to the horizon, casting long shadows across the ground.

"Maybe it's a different park," Amy suggested. "Or perhaps the oak tree is in a more secluded part of this one."

He nodded slowly. "It's possible. Do you think we should try to find it?"

Amy glanced at her watch. Sunset was less than an hour away. "I think we should," she said, feeling a sense of adventure bubbling up inside her. "It could be nothing, but what if it's something important?"

The man smiled, relief and gratitude evident in his expression. "Thank you. I really appreciate your willingness to help."

As they stood up and began walking through the park, the man introduced himself as Michael. He worked as a software developer and had a penchant for collecting old books, which is how he had come across the one with the mysterious note.

"I'm Amy," she said, returning his introduction with a smile. "I work in marketing, but reading is my true passion."

As they ventured deeper into the park, the trees grew thicker, and the paths less defined. They walked in comfortable silence for a while, occasionally exchanging thoughts on where the oak tree might be. The sun dipped lower in the sky, painting the landscape in warm hues of orange and pink.