The Secret of the Glowing Collar

Ten-year-old Zayan lived in a peaceful village tucked between rolling green hills and thick shadowy woods. His days were mostly simple—school, helping his parents, and playing cricket with his friends. But one ordinary afternoon turned into something magical.

As Zayan stacked firewood behind his house, he heard a soft whimper. Curious, he crept closer—and gasped.

There, hidden between the logs, lay a scruffy dog. Its fur was matted, its ribs poked through its muddy coat, and its eyes—sharp and wild—glowed with something strange. Around its neck was a thick leather collar, etched with glowing symbols Zayan couldn’t recognize.

“Hey, buddy,” Zayan whispered, crouching low. “Are you okay?”

The dog flinched but didn’t flee. It sniffed his hand, then licked it gently.

Zayan smiled. “You’re coming with me.”

He named the dog Shadow—because of how silently it moved. Over the next few days, Zayan kept Shadow a secret, hiding him in the garden shed. He fed him scraps, brought him water, and cleaned his fur, careful not to get caught.

One evening, while brushing Shadow’s tangled coat, Zayan felt something hard tucked beneath the collar. Curious, he dug deeper—and found a tiny scroll of paper.

He unrolled it carefully. It was a map, and not just any map—it was covered in symbols that matched those on Shadow’s collar. At the center was a big red X, deep in the forest just beyond the village.

Zayan’s heart pounded. “Treasure?” he whispered.

The next morning, with a backpack full of snacks, a flashlight, and rope, Zayan and Shadow slipped into the woods. The air was cool and quiet. Birds chirped in the distance. The map led them past a twisted tree, over a crumbling bridge, and through a clearing shaped like a heart.

Finally, they reached a mossy hill. At its base: a small, stone cave.

Shadow barked and darted ahead. Zayan followed, heart pounding.

Inside, the air was cool and damp. Strange carvings covered the walls, glowing softly like the collar. Deep within the cave, buried in dirt and stone, they found it—a heavy stone box.

Zayan pried it open.

Inside sparkled gold coins, jewels, and—at the center—a glowing crystal orb, the color of lightning and ocean.

Before he could speak, a chilling voice echoed through the cave.

“Step away from the box.”

Zayan spun around. A tall man in a black coat stepped from the shadows, a long scar slashing across his cheek. Two others followed, holding ropes and flashlights.

“You led us right to it, kid,” the scarred man growled. “That dog belongs to us.”

Shadow growled low, teeth bared.

Zayan stood tall. “He’s not yours!”

With a flash, Shadow lunged at one of the men, knocking him down. Zayan grabbed the orb and ran deeper into the cave, dodging jagged rocks and ducking through tunnels.

His legs burned. His chest ached. But still, he ran.

Until—

A dead end.

The scarred man approached, grinning. “Nowhere left to go.”

Suddenly, from above, Shadow pounced, landing on the man’s back. Zayan didn’t think. He hurled the orb at the wall.

CRACK!

A blinding light burst from the crystal. The cave rumbled. A hidden door slid open behind him. Zayan and Shadow dashed through it and out into the forest.

They didn’t stop until they saw the first rooftops of their village.

That night, back in his room, Zayan examined the broken shard of the crystal orb. It no longer glowed—but it felt warm in his hand.

He looked at Shadow and smiled.

“The treasure was cool,” he whispered, “but the real treasure is you.”

Shadow thumped his tail happily.

Zayan grinned. “Adventure number one: complete. Ready for the next one?”

Shadow gave a soft bark.

And deep in the forest, unseen by anyone, the ancient carvings pulsed faintly—waiting.