Chapter 1 - Beginning the Trip with Worries
The morning air in Germiston was already thick with the promise of a hot day , but inside Cassian's living room, things were heating up in a different way—the frantic kind. Suitcases lay open like wide, hungry mouths , with half-packed clothes falling onto the floor.
Before joining the chaos, Arhan caught his reflection in the hallway mirror. He saw cinnamon brown eyes, framed by black hair that was always messy and never seemed to stay flat. He was tall, a good two inches over six feet, the kind of height that often made him duck under low doorways. A quick flex of his arm showed that his hours at the gym had not been wasted. With his olive skin still slightly wet from a quick wash, he looked a little out of place amidst the mess, like a slightly untidy prince.
Arhan! Did you grab my travel adapter? Tell me you did!" Seraphina yelled, her voice muffled because her head was deep in her full bag.
Arhan was struggling with the zipper of his own suitcase, which was stubbornly full, and he grunted in response. "I swear, I put it on the counter with the enchanted compass! Did anyone see the enchanted compass?!"
"Relax, I've got them!" Isolde called out. She walked in with a pleased smile, shaking a small bag in her hand. "And don't worry, Seraphina, I packed two. I'm always ready."
Cassian, already looking annoyed, clapped his hands loudly. "Alright, team, listen up! We are officially running out of time! Isolde, stop showing off. Seraphina, stop worrying. Arhan, just push it all in, we can pack again at the hotel. Come on, everyone! We are going to be late for our flight if we don't leave in five minutes! Let's go, London is waiting!"
The Old Man's Warning
The drive to O.R. Tambo International Airport felt like a confusing rush of excitement and final checks. Once they were inside the busy terminal, the huge size of their adventure started to become real.
They went through the check-in lines, dropped off their bags, and now, with their boarding passes held tightly, the trip to London was undeniable.
"Okay, first things first! Food, then the gate, then amazing British adventures!" Cassian announced. He was already walking toward a fast-food place, with Isolde and Seraphina right behind him, arguing about different coffee shops.
Arhan was walking slightly behind them, pulling his backpack higher onto his shoulders. He wasn't watching where he was going. He rounded a corner quickly and ran into someone. Papers and small, fancy items scattered across the shiny floor.
"Oh! Oh, my apologies, dear boy! I am so clumsy." A thin voice gasped.
Arhan looked down and saw an old man, very old and weak. He had a wispy white halo of hair and eyes that looked like they held a thousand stories. He was bent over, trying to pick up his scattered things.
"No, no, it's my fault, sir! I wasn't looking." Arhan quickly knelt to help the man gather the items. These included a dull astrolabe, a folded, yellowed parchment map, and a smooth, dark stone that felt strangely warm when he touched it.
He handed the last piece to the old man, and their fingers brushed.
The Unsettling Stone
The old man's gaze fixed on Arhan. His eyes, which had been cloudy before, suddenly became sharp with an unnerving intensity. He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a low, rough whisper.
"Don't go to London, dear boy. It's not safe. Not for you." He added, "Some doors... once opened, can never be closed."
"Arhan! Come on, we're getting burgers!" Cassian's voice boomed from far across the terminal.
Arhan looked back at his friends, then turned to speak to the old man. "I'm coming, guys!" He looked back at the old man, planning to ask what he meant.
But the spot where the man had been was empty. No trace. No one else seemed to have even noticed him. The scattered papers, the fancy items, the old man himself—all gone. It was as if he had simply melted into the airport's endless flow of travelers.
A shiver, not from the air conditioning, ran down Arhan's spine. He stood there for a moment, confused , before shaking his head and walking toward his friends, the old man's words repeating uneasily in his mind. Don't go to London. It's not safe.
Departure Unsettled
He settled into his window seat. The low sound of the engines was a strange background noise to the old man's warning. Don't go to London. It's not safe. He kept playing the words over, the thin voice, the strange focus in those old eyes. Was it just a confused old man? Or something more?
He rubbed his fingers. A faint, warm feeling stayed where he had touched the smooth, dark stone. He hadn't meant to keep it, but in the confusing moment, it had ended up in his palm. Now, it was tucked deep in his pocket, a quiet, unsettling weight.
Across the aisle, Cassian was already reading a guide book, quietly talking about historical pubs. Seraphina was excitedly showing Isolde photos of their planned trip on her phone—a rush of famous places and busy markets. Their laughter and bright chatter felt far away, as if Arhan were trapped alone with his growing worry.
He tried to ignore it, to watch the movie on the screen in front of him , but the old man's face kept flashing behind his eyelids.
London Awaits
He fell in and out of a restless sleep. Quick looks at old, stone streets and dark alleyways blurred with the plane's steady noise. Each time he woke up suddenly, a cold feeling settled on his skin. It was a feeling that London, far from being just a vacation, held something very specific and very old, waiting for him.
The landing into London was a sparkle of light under a bruised, late-night sky. Heathrow Airport loomed, a huge monster of glass and steel, swallowing them whole.
Tiredness clung to Arhan as they walked through the complex airport , got their bags, and finally stepped into the cool, wet air of the British capital. The taxi ride through the city was a quick rush of famous sights —Big Ben lit up against the dark , the Thames River reflecting strings of lights , old buildings standing like silent guards.
They spoke little, exhaustion finally hitting even the most energetic of them. Their hotel, a charming but slightly creaking place near Westminster , welcomed them with soft lamplight. After a quick, quiet check-in, they went to their rooms. The promise of sleep was stronger than any desire to explore right away.
Arhan collapsed onto the bed. The old man's warning was still a faint echo in his mind before sleep finally took him.
