Where the Sunrise Waited - The Curiosity That Walks Ahead - Part 9

The Curiosity That Walks Ahead 

The walk back from the waterfall was quieter than the journey up.

Not because anyone said it should be.

But because something had changed.

The forest felt the same…
the path was the same…
the sunlight still slipped gently through the trees…

And yet—

No one was walking exactly the same way anymore.

Kabir, however, refused to let silence win.

“This is too quiet,” he whispered loudly. “I don’t trust peaceful moments. They always lead to plot twists.”

Dev replied instantly,
“The only plot twist here is how you’re still talking.”

Riya laughed under her breath.

But even she was glancing around more than before.

Especially toward the direction they had just left.

The waterfall.

The symbol.

Meanwhile, ahead of them—

Aarav walked steadily, his pace unchanged.

But his hand brushed against his bag again.

Checking.

Reassuring.

Behind him, Meera walked at a similar distance.

Not close.

Not far.

Just… there.

Her eyes moved between the trail and the trees.

Observing.

Thinking.

Not about Aarav.

Not really.

But about the feeling she couldn’t explain.

Kabir suddenly slowed down.

Riya noticed.

Dev noticed.

“Don’t,” Dev said immediately.

Kabir smiled.

“Too late.”

Riya leaned closer.

“What’s the plan?”

Kabir whispered,

“We need to go back.”

Dev stopped walking.

“No.”

Kabir turned dramatically.

“Yes.”

Riya raised an eyebrow.

“You mean now?”

Kabir nodded.

“Now.”

Dev folded his arms.

“Let me guess… this is about the symbol.”

Kabir pointed at him.

“Smart man. Wrong decision-making, but smart.”

Riya smirked.

“I’m in.”

Dev looked at both of them.

“I am surrounded by chaos.”

Kabir clapped his hands softly.

“Perfect. Team formed.”

Without making it obvious, the three of them slowed their pace even more.

Letting Aarav and Meera walk ahead with Raghav.

Then—

At a slight bend in the trail—

Kabir whispered,

“Now.”

And just like that…

They slipped off the path.

Quietly.

Carefully.

Back toward the waterfall.

—

A few minutes later…

The main trail ahead.

Raghav suddenly stopped walking.

Aarav noticed.

“What happened?” he asked.

Raghav didn’t answer immediately.

He simply turned his head slightly.

Looking back.

His eyes scanned the trail.

Meera noticed too.

“Someone is missing,” she said softly.

Aarav turned.

Kabir.

Riya.

Dev.

Gone.

A brief silence.

Then—

Aarav sighed.

Raghav closed his eyes for a second.

Not surprised.

Just… disappointed.

Meera spoke again,

“They went back, didn’t they?”

Raghav nodded slowly.

“Yes.”

Aarav muttered under his breath,

“Of course.”

Meera didn’t react outwardly.

But something inside her tightened.

Not fear.

Not worry.

Just a quiet certainty.

Meanwhile—

Back at the waterfall—

Kabir stood proudly near the carved symbol.

“Welcome back,” he said dramatically. “To the place of bad decisions.”

Dev pointed at the rock.

“This is exactly how horror stories begin.”

Riya crouched near the symbol again.

“This is definitely not normal,” she said.

Up close… it looked clearer now.

The circle.

The broken path inside.

And something else.

A faint marking below it.

Almost like… writing.

Kabir leaned down.

“Can you read that?”

Riya shook her head.

“It’s too faded.”

Dev stepped closer reluctantly.

“Maybe it’s just erosion—”

Before he could finish—

Kabir touched the symbol.

Dev froze.

“I told you not to touch anything!”

Kabir shrugged.

“What’s the worst that could happen?”

At that exact moment—

A strong gust of wind rushed through the area.

The mist around the waterfall thickened suddenly.

The sound of water grew louder.

Heavier.

For a brief second—

All three of them went silent.

Kabir slowly removed his hand.

“…okay,” he said quietly, “that felt personal.”

Riya stood up.

“We should go.”

Dev nodded immediately.

“Finally, a good idea.”

But just as they turned—

Riya paused.

“Wait.”

Kabir looked at her.

“What now?”

Riya pointed toward the rock again.

The faint writing…

It looked slightly clearer now.

Not fully readable.

But one line stood out.

“Not all paths return.”

Kabir blinked.

“…I officially don’t like this place anymore.”

Dev grabbed his arm.

“Congratulations. Let’s leave.”

—

Back on the main trail—

Raghav had already started walking again.

Slowly.

Silently.

Aarav followed.

Meera hesitated for a moment.

Then walked too.

But something felt off now.

Not because of the missing group.

But because of something else.

Something deeper.

She didn’t know why…

But she suddenly felt like—

This wasn’t the first time she had been here.

—

A few minutes later—

Kabir, Riya, and Dev rushed back onto the trail.

Trying to act normal.

Failing completely.

Kabir spoke first.

“Good news,” he said. “We are alive.”

Dev added,

“Bad news… he touched the symbol.”

Raghav stopped walking.

Slowly turned.

His expression unreadable.

“You did what?”

Kabir smiled nervously.

“In my defense… curiosity.”

Raghav looked at him for a long second.

Then said quietly—

“Curiosity is not the problem.”

Kabir swallowed.

“Then what is?”

Raghav replied,

“Not knowing when to stop.”

Silence fell again.

Even Kabir didn’t joke this time.

And somewhere in the forest…

The wind moved again.

As if something had just been disturbed.