They found a closed shop, somewhere inside an egyptian market. It had long been abandoned. Dust coated the shelves, old fabrics hung like ghosts from wooden beams, and the faint smell of spice still lived in the air, refusing to leave even after the merchants had.
Lenora slept near the door, her arm curled around her heavy books.
Kevin sat awake, back against the wall, watching the street through a crack in the wood.
Joyce whispered small calculations to herself, theories about portals, routes, distances — Maybe she was still wondering how the portal had landed them in Egypt.
And Cole….
Cole couldn't sleep.
Every time he closed his eyes, the desert wind howled louder inside his head.
How are we suppose to get home from Egypt?. He thought. They weren't bothered about any artifact, any blood — Just home.
Morning arrived slowly, painted in gold. Soon, the market woke with it.
Voices.
Footsteps.
Merchants pulling carts.
The world moving on, unaware that four teenagers were completely lost inside it.
Some Men, spoke in Egyptian Arabic, waking them up arrogantly.
"Guess they want us out of their shop" Kevin said, although they didn't understand what the men meant.
They stepped outside, trying not to look suspicious, though panic followed them like a shadow.
"We definitely need a miracle," Kevin muttered.
"Or a guide," Joyce added.
Lenora packed her books inside her backpack. "Or both."
"Well, let's just keep moving." Cole said "Hopefully, we might find a way to...." Then, he stopped. He couldn't really imagine just walking back to the U.S
They moved through the busy paths, eyes scanning faces, hoping something — anything — would make sense.
That was when Cole froze.
Up ahead, near a stack of baskets, a man laughed to himself, crouched on the ground, drawing strange circles in the sand with his finger. His hair was wild, clothes worn and stained with grease, eyes bright with a kind of madness that made people keep their distance.
Cole's heart skipped.
"I know him," he whispered. They all stopped.
"What?" Lenora asked.
"That's him. That's the man from the road. The one I gave money to when we were going for the picnic."
"Ohhhhh!" Kevin had flashbacks. " I remembered you gave money to some mad guy but the face....." He couldn't conclude yet.
Joyce blinked. "I have no idea of what you're talking about. Are you sure?"
"This face is pretty obvious."
"But then, even if you've seen this man, will it do us any good?." Lenora asked
"I mean, he's mentally ill. He definitely has nothing to offer for us to get back to the U.S" She added
"Well, I once saw him in U.S. Seeing him in Egypt now makes me curious.... Especially when he's mentally ill" Cole said
"Come on!. Be real!. We can't ask that dude for help" Joyce said
As if he had heard them, the man stopped drawing. Slowly, he looked up and turned his attention to them..... And he smiled — Not surprised, Like he had been expecting them. The teens approached carefully.
"Sir..." Lenora began, Unsure.
"You can't call a mad man 'Sir' " Kevin said but there was no response from the Man.
"Hmmmm. I know you. Do you remember me?" Cole tried to talk to him but he was just looking, smiling at them.
"That's what you get for not minding you business. Let's get our of here!" Kevin was never patient.
"Ok," Cole started "Straight to the point now, uh... We need help. We're trying to get back to the United States. Do you know any way — any way at all — that could be possible?"
The man stood.
"He stood.... There we go" Kevin was still amazed by the fact that they were asking a somewhat Mad-Man for help.
For someone who looked so lost a moment ago, he now seemed perfectly aware. Perfectly sane.
"Back home," he repeated, dusting his hands. "You finally want to go back." He talked, with edibleness.
A chill ran through Cole. "What do you mean finally?"
The man's eyes locked onto his.
"You were kind to me," He said softly. "Kindness is never wasted."
Joyce exchanged a nervous look with Lenora.
"Who are you?.... Aren't you mad or something?" she asked.
The man tilted his head, almost amused.
"Not mad," He corrected. "Never mad." His smile widened.
"Just hiding.... But you can say am mad though"
Suddenly, the wind shifted. The market noise seemed to fade, like the world itself had stepped away from what was about to happen.
Hair, slowly, began to crawl along the man's arms. His posture changed, eyes lightly glowed with a dangerous, ancient light.
Lenora gasped.
Kevin stepped back.
Cole felt his breath leave him.
"I am a traveler," The man said, voice deeper now, layered with something wild.
"A guardian of paths between places". His gaze sharpened.
"A werewolf." Cole gasped.
Silence. Heavy. Impossible.
Then he looked at Cole again.
"And because you've helped me," he continued, "I want to kindly return the favor."
Joyce swallowed. "You mean you can..... Can take us home?"
He nodded once. "Yes."
Hope sparked so suddenly it almost hurt.
"Gather close," he instructed.
"But understand this — journeys like this are never free." The teens hesitated — Not because they didn't trust him.... But because every miracle they had ever received came with a price.
Still…
Home. They stepped toward him.
The wind began to rise, circling them, lifting sand into the air like a forming storm. They could feel the force, pulling them, down into a void, where they would feel compressed, empty and weightless.
"Hey!... Hold on!.... I wanna...." And the last thing Cole saw before the world vanished — Was the Mad Man he once helped.... Staring at him.