Mary and Majd trembled, as if trapped in a place beyond time and space.
Mary reached out to hold Majd's hand, but he gently pulled away.
She whispered,
"I'm scared… If I hold your hand, maybe I'll feel a little braver..."
But Majd looked around, his eyes full of the same fear and wonder. Still, he couldn't bring himself to hold her hand.
Mary slowly understood… maybe he simply couldn't.
So she grabbed his shirt instead, smiled gently, and said:
"Let's take our first step… and see what this place is hiding for us."
With their second step… everything changed.
A village, full of life.
Children. Schools. Green fields. Laughter.
Mary:
"Oh my God… where are we?!"
Majd:
"I think… we've entered the village before it was destroyed!"
Mary:
"Okay, let's think. What's our first move? How do we uncover the mystery?"
Majd:
"Wasn't the old man's name Rami? Let's try to find him."
Mary:
"And what do we say? 'Hi, we're from the future'?"
Majd {grinning}:
"Let's pretend we're journalists. That's the safest cover!"
They walk through the village streets.
The smell of fresh bread floats in the air.
An old woman bakes over a traditional oven, her face half-hidden by smoke, but her smile shines.
Mary {taking a deep breath}:
"Wow… that smell!"
Old woman [smiling kindly]:
"You two are strangers, aren't you? First time I see you here."
Mary [in a journalistic tone]:
"We're here to do a report about the village. We're looking for someone named Rami."
Old woman:
"Go left… you'll find the grocer.
And take this bread. I heard you talking about the smell."
She laughs warmly and hands Mary a loaf.
Mary smiles, takes the bread, and splits it in two, giving half to Majd.
The taste? Pure magic.
Mary {eyes sparkling}:
"See? It's different than store-bought bread, right?"
Majd {with an innocent smile}:
"Yeah… handmade is always better."
They reach an old house.
Majd knocks on the door.
A small child opens it.
"Yami! Yami! There are people asking for you!"
Mary and Majd burst into laughter.
The accent… the tone… just the same.
Rami appears , a young man, just at the start of his youth.
Rami {with a puzzled look}:
"Who are you two?"
Majd:
"Journalists. We're writing about the village ...a tourist guide, you could say. About the factories and culture. They told us you could help."
Rami smiles, pleased.
He invites them inside.
The house is decorated with hanging grapevines,
fresh basil,
and the scent of a bygone time.
Rami calls out to his mother, asking her to prepare sour grape juice with sugar ....
a beloved local drink.
They sip the husrum ...
a sharp tang softened with sweetness.
Majd [softly, in awe]:
"This taste… we'll never forget it."
Mary smiles, watching him.
"Even the air, the nature… this whole atmosphere ....it'll stay with us forever."
⋯⋯
They ask Rami about the village.
He takes them on a long walk ..hours pass through the fields and factories.
Everything seems… normal.
Mary [whispering, disheartened]:
"Where's the mystery? Everything looks fine…"
Majd turns to Rami.
"Is there any place you haven't told us about yet?"
Rami hesitates.
"Well… there is someone. An inventor. Lives alone. Bit of an odd one."
Mary {eyes lighting up}:
"Perfect! Take us to him!"
Rami walks ahead, his steps uncertain.
This inventor rarely accepts visitors,
hardly speaks to anyone in the village.
But still…
Rami hopes today, he'll welcome them ...kindly.
They walk toward his house.
He opens the door ....
Bald.
Wearing clear glasses.
A pencil tucked behind his ear.
The walls inside are covered with numbers, machines, and strange boxes.
Rami:
"How are you? We've got visitors ....journalists. They'd like to interview you. Can we come in?"
The inventor adjusts his glasses with one finger.
"It would be my pleasure. Welcome, come in!"
Majd lights up inside.
His eyes wander like a child in a magical garden.
Inventor:
"Please, make yourselves comfortable!"
Mary was just about to speak, but Majd jumped in, eager ....like he couldn't wait to ask.
Majd:
"What do you do?"
Inventor:
"I built a device that absorbs pollution from factory smoke…
It refreshes the environment and provides clean energy…
But there's a flaw. The smell..."
Majd sniffs the air ...a sharp, suffocating chemical scent.
Inventor {worried}:
"If the leak continues… the whole village could explode."
Mary {firm}:
"We have to stop it!"
Inventor:
"But if you touch it the wrong way… it could kill everyone."
Majd leans in, observing closely.
"The blue pipe… we need to replace the top valve."
Majd:
"Mary, open the cover. I'll guide you step by step!"
Mary:
"Let's do this."
The inventor watches, holding his breath beside Majd.
Their breathing grows fast.
Hssssss ... smoke rises.
Majd:
"Stop! Left side… don't loosen it completely!"
A red light flashes.
Inventor {screaming}:
"You've got one minute ....NOOOOO!"
Mary {trembling}:
"What do I do?!"
Majd {calmly}:
"Turn the valve… counter-clockwise… slowly…"
Majd:
"Now! Stop!"
Silence.
The purple light turns green.
The device… breathes. Whirring gently.
The inventor stares at Majd, amazed.
"You saved us."
Mary throws her arms around Majd, full of joy.
"You did it! I never could've done it without you!"
Majd {grumbling}:
"Back off… you're choking me!"
Rami (laughing):
"This is going to be the biggest scoop ever… and a blessing for our village!"
A news report was published:
"Rami ... the hero who saved the village.
Home of warm bread, sour grape juice, and noble hearts."
Visitors began flocking to the village.
Suddenly, everything changed…
The old man appeared, smiling.
He handed Mary a black card , blank.
Mary:
"Majd deserves the card more than me!"
Old Man:
"Thank you, both of you. Your report made Rami a hero.
You saved my people, and the people of this village."
Mary:
"But I didn't do anything. It was Majd , he's the smart one who fixed the device and stopped the leak."
Old Man:
"But you wrote. You documented. You made memory."
He placed the card gently in her hand… and vanished.
Mary:
"What's this card even for? It's blank ....no name, no mark…"
Majd {looking around}:
"I think… it's like a reward. For completing the mission!"
He pauses.
"Wait… how many days have passed?
Is it still night?!"
Mary:
"You're right… everyone's still asleep. Could it really be?"
They look at each other.
Mary:
"What do we do with the card?"
Majd:
"Hide it well. I have a feeling… it's important.
And it wouldn't be good if someone saw it."
The game is over.
This adventure has ended…
But it still holds more secrets to come.