CH.1 A Traveler

" Roaming the lands with no place to stay, A nomad works for his master without delay. With no real goal, he seeks adventure and thrill, until he discovers something that gives him a chill. It takes him to a time that no man has known, where he meets friends and foes, his fate unknown. This is the tale of a wandering soul, A nomad's journey, with stories untold."

A Traveler

As I made my way to my friend's family home, I walked through the vibrant and bustling streets of Hyderabad. The colorful market was filled with a diverse range of vendors selling everything from spices and textiles to handmade crafts and jewellery. Crowds of people were milling around, haggling with vendors, and browsing through the different wares on offer. The scents of aromatic spices, fresh fruits, and grilled meat filled the air, mingling with the sounds of vendors calling out their wares, the clatter of carts being pushed through the narrow alleys, and the buzz of conversation among shoppers.

I had been anticipating this get-together for weeks, excited to see old friends and eat some delectable food.

I could hear laughter and chatting coming from within the house as I got closer to it. I grinned to myself, content to be a member of this close-knit group of people who had always embraced me.

As the group sat and chatted about their recent life experiences, Rohan, a man with a long beard and fair skin, posed a question to the group. "Did you hear about the cave near the Defence Phase 2 area?"

"Yeh, I did," everyone agreed, except for Jack who looked genuinely intrigued.

"What happened?" he asked, leaning forward with curiosity.

"It's not like you'll believe it," a man joked in a light-hearted manner, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Just tell me," Jack urged, tapping his fingers on the table.

"Okay, fine," Faizal said as he delicately dipped his biscuit into his steaming hot tea and took a slow, deliberate bite. The biscuit crumbled slightly as he chewed.

"For the past few nights, people have reported seeing dogs howling near the cave. It's near the Defence Phase 2 area," Faizal explained, savoring the taste of the biscuit.

"Why were the dogs howling?" Jack asked, leaning even closer to the group.

"Well, I don't know. Maybe they saw a ghost or something," Faizal joked with a grin.

"Huh, real funny," Jack replied skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"Ghost don't exist. There's probably something else going on there," jack murmured with a shrug, taking another sip of his tea.

As the group conversed for several hours, a topic emerged that prompted Rohan to direct a question to Dr. Jack Sterling. "So, how is your research going, Dr? I mean, living in Pakistan for more than six years, it's very different from the west," Rohan inquired, his tone serious.

Jack took a sip of his tea and cleared his throat before responding. "Well, it's different, yes," he admitted, "but I'm starting to like this city and its people. The research has progressed near completion, so it's nearly done." Jack's voice was calm and confident, and he spoke with a reassuring smile that put his companions at ease.

As got out of the home, the question weighed heavily on Jack's mind. The image of innocent souls doomed in a massacre at the hands of his weapon lingered, haunting him with an overwhelming sense of guilt. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and the sweat trickling down his forehead was a testament to his inner turmoil.

As he got his keys out, Jack's face twisted with anguish, and his eyes darted back and forth as if searching for a way out. The weight of his conscience was almost too much to bear, and he couldn't help but wonder if he had made the right choice.

Despite the turmoil within, Jack couldn't deny the beauty of the world around him. The sun was setting, casting a warm golden light across the sky, and the birds sang sweetly in the trees. But even this beauty could not ease the pain that Jack felt.

With a heavy sigh, Jack placed the key in his bike and started the engine "duhhduhh"

Jack mounted on his bike and set off from Faizal's house, but after covering just a few hundred meters, he found himself stuck in traffic. The road was choked with honking cars and buses, jostling for space in the narrow street. Jack could feel the heat radiating from the engines and smell the acrid fumes rising from the exhaust pipes. The traffic seemed endless, and Jack felt a sense of frustration creeping over him as he tried to navigate through the snarl of vehicles. He glanced around at the other motorists, noting their expressions of irritation and impatience, which only added to his own growing anxiety.

As Jack finally made his way out of the traffic after 30 or so minutes, the sun had set, and the sky was now a dark shade of blue. The stars had started to appear, twinkling like little diamonds in the sky. The moon was also visible, casting a pale glow over the city.

Jack was about to make a turn towards GM road when he saw a sign saying that the road towards his house was blocked due to roadwork. He sighed, realizing he had to take the Defence Phase 2 way now.

Jack turned his bike around, and by this time, it was fully dark, and the sky was as dark as ink. He remembered the rumors about the cave that Rohan told him of and decided to check it out himself. Jack took the right turn towards a jungle area and rode uphill into the bushes where nothing could be seen due to the number of trees and bushes covering the path. He had his lights on, but it was still challenging to navigate through the dense vegetation.

As Jack neared the cave, he heard a dog bark. He stopped his bike, turned off the engine, and took his phone out to turn on the torch. "Why is this dog barking?" he said to himself. Jack proceeded to walk towards the cave with caution, trying not to make any noise. The dog's barking grew louder, and Jack's heart raced as he approached the cave's entrance.

He shone his torch into the cave and saw...