Before we could say anything more, a calm voice spoke from behind us.
"Hello again."
All three of us turned around at once.
Standing at the bottom of the basement stairs, half in shadow, was Arjun—the man in the black coat. His face looked calm, almost too calm, like he hadn't just appeared out of nowhere. The dim light flickered across his sharp features, and the same small key-shaped pin glimmered on his coat.
"Y–You!" Chakshu stammered, taking a step back. "How—how did you even get in here?"
Arjun smiled faintly, resting one hand on the stair rail. "The door was open," he said softly. "I didn't mean to frighten you. I heard my name earlier… figured I should explain myself."
My heart pounded. "Explain what?"
"That I never really disappeared," he said. His eyes moved to the hole in the ground. "I left the town… for research. There are things buried beneath these lands—things connected to old maps, to stories people stopped believing." He crouched near the hole, his expression serious now. "Looks like the ground has started speaking again."
Palash swallowed hard. "You know what this is?"
Arjun nodded slowly. "Not completely. But I've seen one before."
We stared at him, confused. "Before?" I asked.
"Yes," he said quietly. "Seven years ago, just before I left. A hole like this appeared near the northern woods. Everyone ignored it until… well, strange things began happening. Lights, sounds, people dreaming the same dreams." He looked straight at me when he said that, and my stomach twisted.
"You said you left for research," Chakshu said, trying to sound steady. "Research about what?"
Arjun stood up and brushed dust off his coat. "About doors. Not the ones you open with your hands, but the ones that open on their own."
A shiver ran through me. "You mean… to another world?"
He gave a small nod. "Something like that. These holes are signs. They appear where the space between places grows thin. Once, I thought I could find what was beyond them. But I was wrong to go alone." His voice dropped lower. "This time, it's waking again. And it seems you three are already part of it."
Palash looked scared but tried to stay calm. "Part of it? What do you mean?"
Arjun's eyes softened. "You've all felt it, haven't you? The whispers, the dreams, the feeling of being watched. The keys are calling again." He turned toward me. "You… especially."
I froze, not sure how to respond. "Why me?"
Arjun didn't answer. He only looked back at the hole, the shadows dancing across his face. "Because it chose you first," he murmured. Then, as suddenly as he came, he began walking up the stairs.
"Wait!" I called out. "Where are you going?"
He stopped at the top step and looked over his shoulder. "To prepare," he said softly. "You'll understand soon. Just… don't go near the hole at night."
The door creaked open, letting in a streak of daylight—
"Wait, Arjun!" I called before he could leave through the basement door.
He stopped mid-step and looked back at me. His face stayed calm, but something in his eyes softened, like he understood why I stopped him.
"Don't go yet," I said, walking closer. "Stay with us… at least for a while. We've already seen too much, and this thing—whatever it is—it's not normal."
Arjun hesitated for a moment, then gave a small nod. "Alright," he said quietly. "I'll stay. But only for tonight."
We all went upstairs to the living room. The three of us sat on the worn-out sofa, and Arjun took the wooden chair near the window. The afternoon light fell across his coat, and for the first time, he didn't look mysterious—he looked… tired. Like a man who had been running from something for years.
I leaned forward. "Arjun, that night… was it you?"
He looked at me, a bit puzzled. "Which night?"
"The night before yesterday," I said slowly. "I saw someone outside my window. It looked like you, but I wasn't sure. When I went outside to check, no one was there. Was that you… or was it something else?"
For a long moment, Arjun didn't answer. The only sound was the faint ticking of the wall clock.
Finally, he spoke, his voice low. "I was near your house that night… yes. But I wasn't alone."
Chakshu frowned. "Not alone? What do you mean?"
Arjun sighed and rubbed his temple. "When I came back to town, I didn't return empty-handed. I've been followed—by something that doesn't belong here."
A chill ran down my spine. "Followed? You mean… a person?"
He shook his head slowly. "No. Not a person. It's something that wakes when these holes appear. It moves through shadows, drawn to people who can sense the other side. That night, it wasn't watching your house—it was watching you."
The room fell silent.
Palash swallowed hard. "So… you're saying something from that hole… followed you here?"
Arjun nodded faintly. "It's not from the hole, but it's connected. It seeks the ones who can open them." He looked straight at me again. "And you, Magic… it's already marked you once."
My heart pounded. "Marked me? What are you talking about?"
Arjun leaned back in the chair. "You'll understand soon enough. But for now, we must stay together. Night will fall soon, and that's when it moves most freely."
Outside, the sky was already turning orange and grey, the sun sinking behind the trees. I glanced toward the window where the shadows had started to stretch.
For the first time, I wasn't just scared of the dark—I was scared of what might be standing inside it.
For hours, we sat together in the living room, talking. The sun went down slowly, and the orange light faded into soft darkness. At first, the air felt heavy, but as time passed, it became lighter. Arjun told us about his travels, the towns he visited, and how he had been studying strange signs all over the region.
He didn't act like the mysterious man we first saw in the black coat. When he laughed softly at one of Chakshu's silly jokes, he looked… human. Tired, but kind.
"So, where are you staying now?" Palash asked after a while.
Arjun looked down at the cup of tea in his hands. "Nowhere, really," he said. "I don't have a proper home anymore. I left mine years ago, and the place I used to live here is gone now. I travel from town to town and sleep wherever I find shelter."
The room went quiet for a moment. Then I spoke. "You can stay with us."
Arjun looked up, surprised. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," I said. "You helped us today, and besides, I don't want you wandering alone with… whatever that thing is still following you."
Chakshu nodded. "Yeah, man. My house is too small anyway, and Magic's got the best one here."
Palash chuckled. "Agreed. Plus, it'll be safer if we stick together."
For the first time, Arjun smiled—a real, gentle smile. "Thank you," he said. "Then we'll stay together. It's better that way."
We spent the rest of the evening making plans. Since my house was in the middle of town, we decided all of us would stay there for now. Chakshu and Palash would bring some of their things the next morning.
By the time we finished talking, it was already late. The wind outside had grown stronger, making the windows rattle softly. The streets were quiet, almost too quiet.
Arjun stood up and looked outside for a moment. "Lock the doors and keep the lights on in the hallway," he said calmly. "Just in case."
We nodded.
That night, we set up blankets and pillows in my living room. For a while, we just lay there, staring at the ceiling, too tired to talk but too awake to sleep. The house felt both safe and strange at the same time.
As my eyes began to close, I saw Arjun sitting by the window again, his eyes fixed on the dark streets outside. The small key-shaped pin on his coat glimmered faintly under the dim light.
And even though the room was quiet, I couldn't help but feel… we weren't the only ones awake.
After talking for a while, we decided it would be better to stay in Palash's house for the night. The hole in his basement still made us uneasy, but we didn't want to leave it unguarded either. Arjun agreed that we should all stay close together, at least until morning.
We made some quick plans—tomorrow, we'd move to my house in town where it was safer and easier to watch for anything strange. For now, Palash's living room would have to do.
By the time we finished setting up our sleeping spots, it was already past 11. The air felt heavy and cold, even with the windows shut. Outside, the wind had quieted down, leaving only the sound of dry leaves brushing against the walls.
Chakshu laid out a few blankets on the floor while I checked the locks on the doors and windows. Arjun stayed near the basement door, his eyes sharp and focused, like he was listening for something deep below.
"Arjun," I said quietly, "are you sure it's safe to stay here?"
He looked up at me and nodded slowly. "Safe? Maybe not," he said. "But safer than being apart. Whatever comes from that hole won't attack if it knows we're aware of it."
That didn't make me feel much better, but I didn't say anything.
We finally lay down on our blankets. The lamp in the corner cast a soft yellow glow, and for a moment, everything felt peaceful. Chakshu mumbled something about his legs hurting from all the running, and Palash laughed weakly.
Arjun stayed awake longer than any of us, sitting near the window again. His face looked calm, but his eyes stayed alert, moving from shadow to shadow outside.
I closed my eyes, trying to rest. The faint hum from the basement still echoed through the floor, like a quiet heartbeat deep in the earth.
Somewhere in the middle of the night, I woke up. The lamp was still on, but the light felt dimmer now. I could hear soft whispering again—like before—but this time, it wasn't coming from the basement.
It was coming from outside the window.
I slowly turned my head and saw Arjun still sitting there, staring into the dark. His face looked calm, but his hand was tight around the key-shaped pin on his coat.
"It's close again," he whispered, not looking at me. "Go back to sleep. Morning is almost here."
I wanted to ask him what he meant, but my voice didn't come out. My eyes felt heavy again, and before I knew it, I drifted off.
Morning sunlight filled the room, warm and golden. Birds were chirping outside, and for a moment, everything felt peaceful again. I stretched and sat up, rubbing my eyes. Chakshu was still snoring softly, and Palash was half-asleep, his blanket twisted around his legs.
But something felt off.
I looked toward the window—Arjun's chair was empty. The coat he'd been wearing was gone too. Only his key-shaped pin lay on the window sill, catching the morning light.
"Guys," I said, shaking Chakshu awake. "Arjun's gone."
"What?" he mumbled, blinking. "Gone where?"
Palash sat up too, yawning. "Maybe he went outside to check the basement?"
We quickly got up and went downstairs, but the basement door was closed, and everything looked just like last night. The hole was still there—dark and silent.
"Maybe he left," Chakshu said quietly. "He did say he's used to traveling alone."
I sighed, feeling a bit disappointed. "Yeah, maybe…"
Just then, the front door creaked open. Arjun stepped inside, his coat fluttering slightly in the morning breeze. He looked calm, but his hair was a little messy, and there was dust on his shoes.
"Where were you?" I asked quickly. "We thought you left for good!"
He smiled faintly. "I didn't leave," he said. "I just went outside to check the air… and to make sure nothing followed us through the night."
Chakshu frowned. "You could've told us before disappearing like that!"
Arjun nodded slowly. "You're right. I'm sorry. I didn't want to wake you. But there's something I needed to confirm." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small object wrapped in cloth.
"What's that?" Palash asked.
Arjun carefully unwrapped it—it was a small stone, round and smooth, glowing faintly with a silver light. "I found this near the well outside," he said. "The same kind of light I saw years ago, near the first hole."
We leaned closer. The glow shimmered softly, almost alive.
"This stone," Arjun continued, "is a sign that the space is getting weaker. The more these appear, the closer the connection becomes. Soon, the holes won't just whisper—they'll start showing what's on the other side."
I felt a chill even in the bright morning air. "So… what do we do now?"
Arjun looked up, his expression serious. "We move. Today. To your house, Magic. The one in town. It's safer there, surrounded by people. Whatever is waking up here—it doesn't like crowds."
We all nodded silently. None of us wanted to stay near that hole any longer.
As we began packing our things, I noticed something strange—the key pin on the window sill had started to glow faintly too, just like the stone.
I picked it up and turned to Arjun. "It's glowing. Just like that stone."
Arjun's eyes narrowed. "Then it's already begun," he said softly.
As we packed our bags, I kept glancing at the small key-shaped pin resting in my hand. Its glow had faded a little, but it still gave off a strange warmth, like it was alive.
"Arjun," I said finally, holding it up. "What's this pin really for? Why does it glow like that?"
He looked at it for a long moment, his eyes distant, like he was remembering something old. Then he stepped closer and took it gently from my hand.
"This," he said quietly, "is not just a pin. It's the first key."
"The first key?" Chakshu repeated. "To what?"
Arjun turned the pin slowly in his fingers, the morning light shining off its smooth surface. "To the Door," he said. "The one that connects this world to the other side."
Palash frowned. "You mean the door you talked about before? The one that opens on its own?"
"Yes," Arjun said. "There are many of them—hidden, sealed, forgotten. Each one was locked long ago using special keys. This pin is one of them. The first key that was ever made. That's why I always keep it safe and close to me."
I stared at the small object in his hand. It didn't look powerful—it just looked like an old piece of metal. But the way Arjun spoke made it feel like something far greater.
"So the holes…" I began slowly, "they're trying to open that door?"
Arjun nodded. "Exactly. These holes are signs that the walls between worlds are weakening. And if the main door opens completely, everything that exists on the other side will find a way here."
Chakshu rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "And I'm guessing whatever's on that side… isn't friendly?"
Arjun's expression grew serious. "No. Not at all. Some things were sealed away for a reason."
For a while, none of us spoke. The only sound was the wind outside brushing against the windows.
I finally said, "So, this key… it's the only one?"
"There are more," Arjun replied softly. "Seven in total. Scattered across different places, hidden long ago by those who wanted to protect this world. The first one was always with me. The rest…" He looked out the window. "The rest are waiting to be found."
Palash took a deep breath. "And you think those holes appearing everywhere are… connected to the keys?"
"Yes," Arjun said. "Every time a key gets disturbed—or discovered—another hole appears. The world reacts."
I looked down at the pin again, my heart pounding. "So… this treasure hunt that's going to happen in town…"
Arjun looked at me, his eyes calm but cold. "It's not a game, Magic."
The road to town was long but peaceful that morning. The sun hung high in the sky, and the sound of our footsteps echoed down the empty lane. Each of us carried a small bag—some clothes, tools, and a few things from Palash's house. Arjun walked a few steps ahead, his coat moving with the wind, the faint shine of the key pin glinting at his chest.
It took us almost an hour to reach the main street. As soon as we stepped into town, people began to notice. Some stopped what they were doing. Others whispered quietly to each other.
"Is that… Arjun?" one man said, his voice uncertain."It can't be," another replied. "He left years ago. Everyone thought he was gone for good."
I could feel the tension around us. Arjun didn't react; he simply kept walking, his eyes calm but distant. Chakshu leaned closer to me and whispered, "Guess the rumors were real. They really thought he vanished."
Palash nodded softly. "Seven years is a long time. No wonder they're shocked."
As we reached the corner near the town's fountain, an older woman stepped forward. I remembered her—it was Mrs. D'Souza, who owned the small bakery. She looked at Arjun with wide eyes.
"Arjun?" she said in disbelief. "Is it really you?"
He stopped and gave her a small nod. "It's me, Mrs. D'Souza. I'm back."
Her hands trembled slightly. "But… how? You were gone for so long. People said you disappeared in the forest. Some said you were—" she stopped herself, lowering her voice, "—dead."
"I went away for research," Arjun said gently. "And now I've returned. But please… don't worry. I mean no harm."
Mrs. D'Souza looked like she wanted to ask more, but she just nodded slowly. "Well… it's good to see you again," she said quietly before turning back toward her shop.
As we walked away, I could still feel the eyes of the townspeople following us. Some looked curious, others afraid. The kind of fear that comes from old stories people never forgot.
Finally, we reached my house at the end of the lane—a simple two-story building with red tiles and wooden windows. It wasn't big, but it felt warm and safe.
"Here we are," I said, unlocking the door. "Home."
We stepped inside. Dust hung in the air, dancing in the sunlight coming through the curtains. I opened the windows to let the fresh air in while Chakshu dropped his bag near the couch.
Palash walked around, looking at the old photos on the wall. "Feels nice," he said. "Peaceful."
Arjun stood near the window, looking outside at the quiet street. "Yes," he said softly. "Peaceful for now."
We spent the next hour setting up our things—blankets in the guest room, our supplies in the kitchen, and a small table near the window where Arjun placed his glowing stone and the key pin.
When we were done, we all sat down, tired but content. For the first time since the hole appeared, we felt safe.
As evening came, the warm orange light filled the house. I made some tea, and we talked a little about normal things—our old school memories, the upcoming treasure hunt, and how strange the last few days had been.
But through it all, I noticed something—Arjun's eyes kept drifting toward the horizon, where the forest met the edge of town. He didn't say a word, but his expression said enough.
We all sat around the table that evening, cups of tea steaming in front of us. The soft ticking of the wall clock was the only sound in the room for a while. Finally, Chakshu broke the silence.
"So," he said, leaning forward, "the treasure event. We should start planning if we really want to win."
Palash nodded. "Yeah. If the Mayor is part of it, it's going to be big. There might be puzzles, clues, or even traps. We need a strategy."
I looked at Arjun. He was sitting quietly, staring at the faint glow of the evening sky outside. "What do you think, Arjun?" I asked. "You said you've studied things like this before."
He turned his head slowly toward us, his voice calm. "I'll help. But there's something you should know first."
We all went quiet. Arjun placed his small glowing rock and the key-shaped pin on the table. I noticed how dull they looked now—no light, no energy.
"I agreed to come to your house, Magic," he continued, "because it's… different. Your home sits on a spot that's naturally protected from energy waves. That's why these," he pointed at the rock and the pin, "lost their charm as soon as I entered."
I blinked in surprise. "Protected? You mean… from what?"
"From any kind of supernatural energy," Arjun said, his tone serious. "It's like an invisible barrier around this house. No curse, no spirit, no dark energy can reach inside here. That's why I felt safe enough to return."
Chakshu leaned closer, his curiosity growing. "But why is your stone and pin like this now? They were glowing before."
Arjun nodded. "Exactly. These items react to energy sources. When they stop glowing, it means the area is sealed or shielded. And right now, this house is doing just that."
Palash rubbed the back of his neck. "So basically… this place is a safe zone?"
"Yes," Arjun replied. "A rare one...."