They stumbled into the dry, warm air of 336 BC, coughing and squinting. The ground felt rough under their sneakers, and the scent of dust and smoke hung heavy in the air.
Maria was the first to break the silence. "Holy crap… we're really here."
Einstein looked around, his eyes wide. "We did it," he whispered, almost to himself.
Vinci started pacing in small, frantic circles. "Okay, okay. We need to blend in. Fast. Before anyone notices we're dressed like… tourists from Mars."Eliza glanced down at her bright hoodie and almost shrieked. "Oh my gosh. We look ridiculous!"
They burst out laughing, even though each laugh was sharp with nerves.
Maria suddenly pointed to a clothesline nearby. Old robes and tunics swayed in the night breeze. "There! Clothes!"Without thinking twice, they ran over, trying to stay low. Vinci grabbed a long tunic and flung it over his head, struggling to find the arm holes. Hawkings nearly fell over trying to tie a loose cloth around his waist.
Maria got tangled in a giant sheet and nearly face-planted. "Help! I look like a ghost!" she yelled, making everyone snort and double over.
Eliza finally managed to pull a simple dress over her hoodie, panting. "Wow… okay… we look less weird now… sort of."Einstein tried to fix his robe but it ended up twisted backward. Vinci helped him, still laughing. "You look like a lost old monk!" Vinci teased.
They kept giggling, bumping into each other as they struggled to finish. But behind all the jokes, there was a tight knot of fear in each of their chests. One wrong move here and they'd be caught.Once they were finally dressed, they stood together, breathing hard.
"Okay," Einstein said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "We stick together. We don't talk too much, and we act normal. Whatever 'normal' means here."
Maria nodded, wiping her eyes from laughing so hard. "Let's just pray no one asks us to wrestle or ride a horse or something."Hawkings pointed ahead, his face turning serious. "Look. The city lights. That's where Alexander might be."
They all exchanged one last nervous look.
Then, without another word, they stepped forward into the night — awkwardly dressed, adrenaline still buzzing in their veins, hearts pounding with fear and excitement.
They moved carefully through the dark, kicking up little clouds of dust with every step. The night air pressed close against their borrowed robes, carrying the sounds of crackling fires and distant voices.
Hawkings kept glancing over his shoulder, gripping the return device like his life depended on it. Vinci fussed with his belt nonstop, grumbling, "If this thing falls off, I'm flashing all of ancient Greece."
Maria tried so hard not to laugh that her shoulders shook. Every time she looked at Vinci's crooked belt or Einstein's backward robe, she almost burst. "Don't look at me!" she gasped in a strangled whisper. "I'm seriously going to explode!"
Eliza snorted, pushing her hair under her rough hood again. "Focus, Maria. We're not here to start a stand-up show." But even she couldn't hide the smile tugging at her lips.
They crept between tents and carts, ducking every time a guard or servant passed by. The torchlight flickered across their faces, making their wide eyes glow in the dark.
At one point, Vinci tripped over a rope tied to a donkey and nearly faceplanted into a basket of vegetables. The donkey let out a loud bray, echoing across the camp."Don't. Move." Hawkings mouthed, eyes as wide as plates.
They froze, hearts thudding in their ears. The donkey eventually calmed down, and Vinci tiptoed back, his face bright red. "We almost got caught… by a donkey," he hissed, and Maria nearly choked trying not to laugh.
They pushed on, edging closer to the biggest tent in the center of the camp. Huge banners swayed above it, and guards stood like statues, spears shining in the firelight.
"That has to be Alexander's," Einstein whispered, his voice tight with excitement.
Maria clutched her camera to her chest, hands trembling. "He's really in there… Alexander the Great… right there."Eliza took a deep breath. "Remember, we're here to watch, not mess with history. One small mistake could change everything."
Everyone nodded, the reminder heavy but necessary.
From behind a stack of crates, they watched soldiers come and go. Now and then, they heard Alexander's laugh — bold, strong, so alive it almost vibrated in the air.
Their hearts pounded, each beat screaming for them to move closer, to see more, to do more. But they stayed hidden, waiting, breathing hard.
It was dangerous, thrilling, almost unreal ;like stepping straight into a living dream.
And as they crouched there, eyes glued to the glowing entrance, they realized this was it: the real beginning.History wasn't some old story anymore. It was alive. Right there. And they were part of it.
They held their breath, the night wrapping around them like a giant secret, the stars above seeming to watch, waiting to see what these young intruders would dare to do next.
They crouched lower behind the crates, eyes glued to the entrance of Alexander's tent. The warm torchlight danced across the fabric, shadows of soldiers moving like ghosts. Every small sound — a guard's footsteps, a horse snorting nearby — made their hearts leap into their throats.
Maria clutched her camera so tightly her knuckles turned white. Vinci shifted from foot to foot, trying to stay quiet. Hawkings wiped sweat from his forehead, whispering, "Just stay still… stay calm…"
Then, suddenly, a voice sliced through the quiet.
"Hey! Children! Why are you here at this time of night?"
They froze. Every single one of them turned sharply, eyes wide, breath caught in their chests.
Standing just a few steps away was an older man in a simple robe, holding a basket of herbs. His brow furrowed as he peered at them, tilting his head in confusion.
Eliza opened her mouth but no sound came out. Vinci's jaw worked up and down, completely speechless.
Maria squeaked, "Uh… we… we were just… um…"
The man squinted harder, shifting his basket to his other arm. "You're not from around here, are you? You look… strange."
Einstein took a step forward, forcing a shaky smile. "We got lost. We were looking for… a place to stay. We're travelers."
The old man looked at each of them carefully, then glanced toward Alexander's tent and back at them. His expression softened a little.
"Hmph. Well, you shouldn't be wandering around here at night. Dangerous place, especially for children."
They all nodded frantically, relief flooding through their bodies.
Maria managed a small, nervous laugh. "Yes… we'll just… find somewhere else to go. Thank you!"
The old man gave them a final suspicious glance, then sighed. "Go on, then. And stay out of trouble." He turned and started walking away, muttering to himself.
They all exhaled at the same time, nearly collapsing in a pile.
Vinci punched Hawkings lightly on the arm. "Nice save, Einstein," he whispered.
Einstein gave a tight smile, but his hands were still shaking. "Let's get farther from here before someone else spots us."
Maria pressed her hand to her chest, her heart pounding like a drum. "That was too close… I thought we were done for."
Eliza snorted softly, pulling her hood lower over her head. "I guess our acting skills need some serious work."
They exchanged quick, shaky smiles ;a mix of terror and relief washing over them.
Then, gathering their courage, they started moving again, slipping into the deeper shadows beyond the crates.
The night air felt colder now, sharper against their skin. Every step reminded them just how fragile their mission was — and how alive they all felt in that moment.
Their adventure had only just begun. And now, they knew for sure: this world wasn't going to let them slip by unnoticed.