The truth? Shail didn't believe a djinn really lived in the caves outside of their village. Such a thing wouldn't make sense in their small world deep in the desert sands, living off a small oasis that gave them water. Long ago, a great sea might have covered the land, leaving canyons and strange outcroppings of rocks normally buried under layers of sand. But toward the east, where legend forbid all to go, lay a series of winding caves cut out by that long gone sea and brushed over with sand.

Shail tightened the cloth over his mouth despite the slight breeze that stirred very little sand into the air. He kept his mouth tightly shut, ignoring the chatter around him.

"Hey, it's just past this hill I think!" one boy exclaimed and another snickered.

"Man, those old goats probably mistook a mirage for some magical being. They can't see shit anyway!" Three more boys burst out in open laughter.

"No way, there's something there, I tell you!" the youngest of their group exclaimed, catching up to the older boys with a bouncing step. "There was smoke and everything! A-and, it was awful! The thing stole my sandal"

Finally, their leader, Fairuz, silenced them all with a hand. They'd come to the top of the hill, Shail keeping up the tail with his slow and steady pace. Sometimes, he didn't know why he followed these boys, but there were something of friends to him. He found the game they played stupid and yet, the caves also made him curious just a bit. He got caught up in their enthusiasm and went along, all to terrorize the djinn that may or may not live in the forbidden caves. Because really, what could go wrong?

"There it is. My great uncle said it's the third cave over. Let's go, boys, because no one messes with any of us." He turned to face them all for a second. "I mean, unless you're too chicken!" Fairuz smirked before leading the charge down and Shail found himself in the middle of the mob of six boys doing the exact opposite of what their parents told them to.