The weekend arrived faster than expected, and we were finally ready for our little adventure. Equipped with flashlights, backpacks, and an overload of excitement, we set out for the abandoned textile mill. The drive was filled with casual jokes and loud music, masking the nervous anticipation building inside us.

As we approached the site, the towering, crumbling structure of the mill loomed over us, covered in vines and rust. The place felt eerily quiet, as if it had been frozen in time. We parked the car a safe distance away and made our way inside cautiously. Dust and debris littered the floors, and the air carried a faint smell of dampness and decay.

"Alright, guys," Kabir said, adjusting his flashlight. "Stick together. We don’t want to end up in one of those horror movie clichés."

We laughed, but deep down, we knew he wasn’t entirely joking.

As we explored deeper, moving past old machinery and shattered windows, Rohan, with his usual confidence, led the way. But just as he was bragging about his agility, his foot caught on a loose floorboard, and he tumbled to the ground with an awkward thud.

"Whoa, the great athletic genius trips over his own feet?" Kabir grinned. "Should we call an ambulance or just laugh for the next five minutes?"

Arjun chuckled. "Maybe you should start with baby steps, Rohan."

Rohan groaned, brushing dust off his jacket. "Laugh it up, guys. At least I’m leading. You nerds would still be outside overthinking."

Trying to shift attention away from himself, Rohan's eyes darted around the room. "Hey, what’s that?" he said, pointing towards a partially hidden door covered in dust and grime.

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Intrigued, we made our way over, and with a bit of effort, Rohan pushed it open. What lay beyond was nothing short of breathtaking.

A massive tree stood at the center of the space, its roots sprawling across the ground and walls as if the building had been constructed around it. The dim light filtering through the cracks above gave it an almost otherworldly feel.

"Whoa," Arjun whispered, stepping closer. "This... this isn’t just any tree. Look at this." He pointed to a rune symbol etched into the bark, his face lit up with excitement. "This symbol... I think I’ve seen it before."

Kabir frowned. "Don’t tell me this is in one of your archaeology books?"

"Actually, yeah," Arjun muttered, running his fingers over it. There was something oddly familiar about the rune. Acting on instinct, he gently re-positioned the symbol, aligning it in what he believed to be the correct orientation.

The ground suddenly trembled beneath us, and with a loud creak, a hidden panel at the base of the tree slid open, revealing a passage leading underground.

"What did you do?!" Kabir and Rohan exclaimed in unison.

Arjun raised his hands defensively. "I... I just corrected the rune. It was off by a few degrees, and well... this happened."

Rohan grinned, adrenaline kicking in. "Well, there's no turning back now. Let's go all the way!"

Despite Kabir’s protests, curiosity got the best of us, and we carefully descended into the bunker-like space. The air grew cooler, and the dim light of our flashlights illuminated shelves filled with old artifacts, documents, and items that seemed smuggled from all over the world.

Arjun’s eyes widened as he examined the relics. "This... this is incredible. Some of these items belong to different eras and regions. This place was definitely used for smuggling historical treasures."

As he sifted through the items, his hand froze over a small wooden box. The carvings on it were unmistakable. He swallowed hard.

"This… this is from the Indus Valley Civilization," he whispered, his voice trembling. "I’m working on the same civilization for my thesis!"

Kabir frowned. "Dude, are you serious? That’s insane!"

Arjun’s mind raced with possibilities. Reporting this find would mean getting authorities involved, and their parents would definitely question why they were here in the first place. After a moment of hesitation, he made a decision—he carefully tucked the box into his backpack. "I can't leave this here. I need to study it."

"You sure about this?" Rohan asked, his tone more serious now.

Arjun nodded. "We don't tell anyone. Not yet. Just until I figure out what’s inside."

With unspoken agreement, we climbed back out, sealing the entrance behind us. The drive home was filled with casual jokes and laughter, but beneath the surface, we all knew something big had happened.

For Arjun, this was more than an adventure—it could change everything.