I didn't sleep much after that. Every time I closed my eyes, I felt like someone was standing close, watching me. The sound of that breath on my ear replayed again and again in my head. But somehow, between fear and exhaustion, I drifted into a restless sleep.
When I opened my eyes, the sunlight was already pouring through the window. For a moment, the room felt normal again. The warmth of the morning sun touched the wooden floor, and the chirping of birds filled the air. It was almost hard to believe last night even happened.
Almost.
I sat up slowly, rubbing my tired eyes. My body felt heavy, like I hadn't rested at all. I glanced around the room. Everything was where it should be—the chair, the sketchbook on the table, the curtains swaying gently. No sign of anything strange.
Still, I couldn't shake the memory. That breathing… it felt too real.
I walked into the kitchen, half-expecting to see something out of place, but everything was the same. The knife was back in its drawer. The back door was locked. Only the empty garden outside greeted me when I looked through the window again.
Trying to calm my nerves, I made myself a quick breakfast—just bread and tea. As I sat down to eat, my thoughts returned to Chakshu's call. The treasure hunt. The Mayor's involvement. Could what I experienced last night have something to do with it? Or was my mind just playing tricks because I was too excited?
Before I could think further, a knock came at the front door.
This time, it was not slow or creepy. It was fast, familiar.
I opened the door and there stood Chakshu, looking energetic as always, his hair messy like he had rushed over.
"Magic!" he said, catching his breath. "You won't believe what I just found out!"
I raised an eyebrow, part of me still shaken from last night. "What now?"
He grinned wide. "The Mayor posted the official notice. The treasure hunt isn't just some small town game—it's going to be huge. People from outside towns are coming too!"
For a moment, I forgot all about the fear from last night. My curiosity lit up again.
Maybe this was just the beginning.
Chakshu stepped into my house without even waiting for me to invite him. He always did that. He looked around and then sat down on the wooden chair near my sketchbook.
"Man, you should've seen the notice board near the town hall!" he said, excitement in his voice. "It's official now—the treasure hunt is going to start next month. And guess what? There's a reward."
"A reward?" I asked, taking a sip of my tea.
"Yes," he leaned closer, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret. "The Mayor announced that whoever wins the hunt will receive a chest filled with gold coins and… something special."
"Something special?" I raised an eyebrow.
"That's what the paper said. They didn't explain what it is, but people are already talking. Some say it's an ancient relic. Others think it's just a fancy prize to attract more people."
I leaned back in my chair, my thoughts racing. Gold coins sounded nice, but it was that "something special" that caught my attention. I couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with what I experienced last night—the shadow, the breathing, that strange feeling like something wanted me to know a secret.
Chakshu noticed my silence. "Hey, you're not excited? I thought you'd jump out of your seat."
"Oh, I'm excited," I said quickly, forcing a small smile. "I just didn't expect the Mayor to be part of this too."
Chakshu laughed. "Yeah, imagine racing against our own Mayor for treasure. He's not young anymore, but I bet he has tricks up his sleeve."
We both chuckled, but my mind was still elsewhere.
After finishing breakfast, I decided to walk with Chakshu to town. The streets were lively with people talking about the treasure hunt. Some kids ran past us, shouting about becoming rich. Shopkeepers leaned over their stalls, sharing rumors with customers. Even old folks sitting on benches seemed curious.
It felt like the whole town had woken up with new energy.
But for me, every smiling face was shadowed by what I saw the night before. The figure by the fence, the breath on my ear… it didn't feel like excitement. It felt like a warning.
As we reached the notice board, a small crowd had gathered. The paper was pinned right in the center, stamped with the Mayor's seal. The words were bold and clear:
"The Great Treasure Hunt – Organized by the Town Hall. All citizens may join. The winner will receive gold coins and an ancient artifact."
Artifact. That word made my stomach tighten.
Could it be connected to the strange dream I had? The glowing keys? The whispers of my name?
I didn't know yet. But deep down, I felt that this treasure hunt was more than just a game.
And somehow… I was meant to be part of it.
The crowd around the notice board was buzzing like a hive. People argued over teams, strategies, and guesses about the artifact. Some even joked about how they would spend the gold coins, while others whispered about the Mayor's true reason for holding this event.
Chakshu's eyes sparkled as he read the paper for the third time. "Magic, this is it! We have to join. Think about it—treasure, gold, and maybe even fame. Don't tell me you're not tempted."
I looked at him, trying to hide the storm inside my head. "Of course I am. But it sounds like the whole town wants in. It's not going to be easy."
"That's the fun of it," he said, patting my shoulder. "Besides, when have we ever backed out of a challenge?"
I smiled faintly, but my gaze lingered on the word artifact. My chest felt heavy. It was as if the word itself was pulling me closer, whispering the same way that unseen breath had done last night.
While Chakshu kept talking with a few neighbors, I drifted away for a moment, scanning the crowd. That's when I noticed him.
A man in a long dark coat stood across the street, leaning against a lamp post. He wasn't looking at the notice board like everyone else. He was looking straight at me.
I blinked, and for a second, I thought I imagined it. But no—his eyes didn't move away. Cold. Steady. Watching.
My stomach twisted.
I turned to call Chakshu, but when I looked back—the man was gone. The spot by the lamp post was empty, as if he had never been there.
I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to convince myself it was nothing. Just a tired mind playing tricks again. But deep down, I knew better.
"Hey, you okay?" Chakshu asked, noticing my pale face.
"Yeah… just a bit tired," I replied quickly. "Didn't sleep well."
"Well, you better rest up tonight. Tomorrow morning, I'm coming over early. We need to prepare for this hunt."
I nodded, forcing a smile, though my thoughts were far from calm.
As we walked back home, the streets still filled with chatter and laughter, I couldn't shake the feeling that the treasure hunt wasn't going to be just another town event. Something bigger was waiting for us—something hidden in the shadows.
And for reasons I couldn't explain...
That night, I tried to sleep early, but it wasn't easy. Every creak of the wooden floor, every whisper of the wind outside kept me awake. I couldn't stop replaying the moment at the notice board—the man in the dark coat staring at me.
Still, exhaustion finally won, and I drifted into uneasy sleep.
When the morning light filled my room, I woke to the sound of knocking on my front door.
"Magic! Open up!" Chakshu's voice echoed through the walls.
I dragged myself out of bed and opened the door. Chakshu stood there, carrying a small bag slung over his shoulder. His messy hair was even worse than yesterday, and his eyes were filled with excitement.
"You're ready, right?" he asked.
"Ready for what?" I mumbled, still half-asleep.
"For training, obviously!" He pushed past me into the house. "You didn't think we'd just walk into this treasure hunt without preparing, did you?"
I sighed. "Chakshu, the hunt is still weeks away."
"All the more reason to start now," he grinned. "Come on, let's go outside."
Reluctantly, I followed him to the garden behind my house. The morning air was fresh, the sky clear, and the grass still wet with dew. Chakshu dropped his bag and pulled out two wooden sticks.
"We'll practice with these," he said, tossing one to me. "Think of them as swords."
I caught it clumsily. "You're serious about this?"
"Dead serious. If the Mayor's joining, this won't be some kids' game. We need to be strong, fast, and smart."
He swung his stick with surprising speed, almost hitting my shoulder. I jumped back just in time.
"Hey! Careful!" I shouted.
Chakshu laughed. "That's the point! Defend yourself!"
For the next hour, we sparred in the garden. At first, I felt awkward, but slowly I got into it. Each clash of the sticks echoed in the quiet morning, mixing with our laughter and shouts. For a while, I even forgot about the fear that haunted me.
But as we paused to catch our breath, something strange caught my eye.
On the far end of the garden, by the fence, the grass was bent—as if someone had been standing there recently. The shape was faint, but clear enough to notice.
I stared at it, my chest tightening.
"Magic? You okay?" Chakshu asked, wiping sweat from his forehead as he saw the man.
He didn't disappear. Instead, the man stepped off the pavement and walked toward us, his long dark coat whispering with each step. Up close, I could see he was thin and his face was pale under a shadow of stubble. His eyes were calm and a little too still, like someone who had watched too many things and said too little.
When he reached the gate, he stopped and looked at our wooden sticks. "You guys practicing?" he asked in a soft voice that somehow fit the wind.
Chakshu straightened up, clutching his stick like a shield. "Uh—yeah. Why do you ask?" he said, forcing a smile. His voice had a little edge of challenge—Chakshu never liked strangers watching him.
The man smiled back—small, not warm. "It's good to see young people training. The hunt will need more than luck." He tipped his head toward the notice board across the street. "Are you both joining?"
I felt my stomach flip. I wanted to answer before Chakshu, but the words stuck. "Yes," I said finally. "We plan to." My voice sounded smaller than I wanted.
The man's eyes flicked to my sketchbook on the table, where my mountain drawing still lay open. He glanced at the lines I had drawn, then looked straight at me. "You draw mountains," he said simply. "Do your pictures ever tell you things?"
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Some pictures do," he said, as if this was the most natural thing. He reached inside his coat and touched something near his chest. When he moved back, I noticed a small pin on his lapel—a tiny shape like a key. The light caught it and made the metal blink once. My breath caught.
Chakshu noticed too. "Hey, that's a nice pin. Where did you get it?" he asked, a little too loudly.
The man's smile stayed. "A long time ago," he said. "Listen—if you join the hunt, look not only with your eyes. Listen with your hands. Some things are hidden where eyes refuse to go." He leaned forward like he was sharing a secret, but his voice stayed calm. "Be careful what you follow."
With that, he straightened, turned, and walked away down the street. He did not hurry. He moved like someone who had time to never be seen again.
We watched him go until the corner swallowed him. Then Chakshu let out a long breath and laughed nervously. "Weird guy," he said. "That was—random."
I kept looking at the small key pin in my mind. The shape felt familiar, like a memory folded into metal. My hand found the sketchbook and rested on the mountain drawing as if to ask it a question.
For the first time since the notice was posted, the treasure hunt felt like more than a game. Someone else knew things about it. And somehow, I had the strange feeling that the man's words were meant for me.
Chakshu and I practiced for a little while longer, though my mind wasn't really in it. Every swing of the wooden stick felt lighter, distracted by the stranger's words. Still, we laughed and joked, turning the practice into something less serious. For a moment, it felt normal again.
Eventually, the sun climbed higher, and we decided to take a break. We walked toward the street where some of our neighbors were watering their gardens and chatting over fences.
"Morning, Mrs. Sharma," Chakshu called out to the old lady next door. She smiled warmly and waved back.
We stopped by another neighbor, Mr. Patel, who was trimming his hedges. "Morning," I greeted. "How's your day going?"
"Busy as always," he said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "This town feels different now, doesn't it? Everyone's talking about that treasure hunt."
"Yeah," Chakshu chuckled. "Are you joining, Mr. Patel?"
The man laughed, shaking his head. "I'm too old for running around after gold. But my son's forming a group with his friends. They're all excited. You boys thinking about joining too?"
"Of course," Chakshu said proudly. "We've already started practicing."
I nodded, but then—without thinking—I added, "Yeah, even that black coat guy said training would help."
The moment the words left my mouth, both Mr. Patel and Mrs. Sharma froze. Their smiles faded, and they looked at each other, eyes wide.
"Black coat… guy?" Mrs. Sharma whispered.
"Yes," I said slowly, suddenly uneasy. "Tall, pale, wearing a dark coat. He came to our gate just a little while ago."
Mr. Patel's trimmer slipped from his hand and landed on the grass. "That's not possible," he muttered. "You must be mistaken."
"No, I'm sure," I said quickly. "He spoke to us. He even had a pin shaped like a key."
The old lady's hands trembled as she clutched the edge of her shawl. "Child… that man left our town years ago. Seven years, to be exact. People said he never returned."
My mouth went dry. "Seven years ago? Are you sure?"
"I remember it clearly," she said. "He used to live near the church. One morning, he was gone. No goodbyes. No trace. Everyone thought he moved away… or worse."
Chakshu and I exchanged a look. His confident smile was gone now, replaced by the same unease swirling in my chest.
For a moment, no one spoke. The sound of the wind through the trees was the only thing filling the silence. Mrs. Sharma's face had gone pale, and Mr. Patel looked like he was trying to remember something he didn't want to.
Finally, Mrs. Sharma lowered her voice. "That man… his name was Arjun. People in town called him the Seeker."
"The Seeker?" Chakshu repeated, confused.
"Yes," she said, nodding. "Seven years ago, he was obsessed with finding… something. He believed our town was hiding a secret, something ancient. He used to spend hours walking near the hills, drawing strange maps, writing in notebooks. People thought he was crazy."
Mr. Patel picked up his trimmer, his hands still unsteady. "But he wasn't a bad man. Just… different. He kept talking about 'keys' and 'doors between places.' No one understood him. And then, one day, he was simply gone. No one saw him leave, no one saw him return. Until now, apparently."
I felt a chill run through me. Keys. Doors. The words matched the dreams I had last night—the glowing keys, the endless corridors, the whispers of my name.
"What happened to his house?" I asked.
"Empty," Mr. Patel said. "It's been locked for years. Some kids say it's haunted, but I think it's just abandoned." He looked at me carefully. "You're certain you saw him?"
"Yes," I said firmly. "He spoke to us. He warned us. He told us to 'listen with our hands.' And he had a pin shaped like a key."
At this, Mrs. Sharma crossed herself nervously. "That pin… he always wore it. Said it was a gift, something passed down in his family."
The air felt colder despite the morning sun. Chakshu glanced at me, his playful grin completely gone.
Suddenly, Chakshu's phone rang, it was our another friend 'Palash'.
'Hello!? I need help, come fast!' Palash said.
We thanked the neighbors quickly and took off down the road. Palash's voice over the phone had sounded urgent, almost shaking, and that was enough to push us forward. His house was far—about 3.5 kilometers—and without a cycle or horse, it felt like a journey across mountains.
The road twisted through trees and fields, the morning sun climbing higher, burning against our backs as we ran. Our breaths turned heavy, sharp gasps filling the silence. Sweat trickled down my forehead, my legs burned, but we kept pushing. Every few minutes, Chakshu muttered, "Almost there… almost there…" like he was forcing his body not to stop.
After what felt like forever—nearly an hour—we stumbled into Palash's front yard, half-breathless, our shirts sticking to us. His door was wide open, and he stood there, pale and restless.
"What happened?" I called out, still panting.
Palash motioned us inside quickly. His eyes darted like he was making sure no one else was watching. "You guys… you need to see this," he said, his voice low but urgent.
We followed him down the narrow wooden stairs into his basement. The air grew cooler with each step, carrying a faint smell of damp earth. The single hanging bulb above flickered weakly, shadows moving across the walls.
And then I saw it.
Right in the middle of the basement floor was a hole—about ten inches wide. Perfectly round, the edges too smooth to be natural. It didn't look dug with a shovel, it looked like something had… burned or carved straight through the ground.
I crouched beside it, my heart pounding. The hole wasn't deep enough to see what was inside—just pitch-black darkness, as if it swallowed the light itself. I leaned closer and felt it: a faint breeze rising from below, carrying with it a sound.
A whisper.
It wasn't words, not at first—just a low hum, like voices too far away to understand.
Chakshu knelt beside me, frowning. "This… this isn't normal, is it?"
Palash rubbed his hands together nervously. "I swear it wasn't here yesterday. I came down to get some old tools, and then I saw it. I thought maybe it was an animal burrow… but nothing makes something this perfect."
I placed my hand on the ground near the hole. It felt cold, colder than the rest of the basement. My chest tightened with the same feeling I'd had last night by the window—like something was close, watching, waiting.
"Do you hear that?" I asked.
Both of them froze and listened. The whispering sound seemed to grow clearer for just a second—like three voices tangled together, speaking from far below. Then, silence.
Palash's face went pale. "You heard it too?"
I nodded slowly.
Chakshu looked at both of us, his usual joking gone, his voice serious. "Whatever this is, it's not just some hole and I don't think it showed up here by accident."