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Thomas remembered that his mother loved snow and would talk about mountains and snow-capped peaks. So, he told Mary about it and they decided to check it out after the customers left. A man wearing a long coat entered the bookshop. He looked at Mary and Thomas and, without saying anything, searched for some books.

Mary felt uneasy but approached him and asked for the name of the book he was searching for. He was wearing a hat and she couldn't see his face clearly. He did not answer loudly, and she told him to repeat what he said. He almost shoved her. Thomas was watching this and he became very angry. He went to the man and asked him to apologize. The man looked at Thomas and suddenly looked startled. He tried to grab Thomas, but Mary was quick to pull him back. She hit the alarm bell, and the man realized he would be caught. So, he ran out of the bookshop before the security arrived. George, the security guard for the street shops, was a friendly man who had gone off to drink a coffee in the morning. He was fond of Mary and Thomas. He took notes after asking them about the incident and decided to report to the local policeman.

Mary and Thomas then decided to pull the shutter down and went in search of books that have snow-capped mountains. They got a comic book and decided to step in. Mary had taken out sweaters and caps, and they both wore it before going in.

The minute they stepped in, they felt the cold. They decided to visit for a short while, as there could be a storm. Thomas had installed an app to predict the weather. They stood at the base of a mountain that seemed small when compared to the tall mountains nearby. They could see many climbers going up. Strange silence everywhere, and they could also see sherpas and animals carrying loads. Perhaps they were near Mount Everest.

Thomas and Mary felt excited despite the chill. They decided to look around and walk a bit. A sherpa approached them and asked why a small child was accompanying Mary. Mary did not reply, and they walked away. They walked quickly and came upon a turning. There seemed to be a light coming from a tent, and they peeped in. It was empty. It had a small cot and table. Thomas ran inside and searched the table. On it lay a newspaper, and it had the picture of Mr. and Mrs. Paul and a report under it. He did not stop to read it but tucked it inside his coat, and they both ran out of the tent and hid behind a pole. Just then, the man who had come into the bookshop appeared, and he was talking angrily to the sherpa in a foreign language. The sherpa looked anxious and scared and kept quiet. The sherpa saw them hiding but signalled them to go behind the tent. They waved to him and walked behind the tent, and then they saw the door. They quickly walked out of it and into the bookshop.

Mary and Thomas brushed off the snow and took off the heavy sweaters. Thomas showed the newspaper to Mary. She read it quickly and told him that it was a report about the couple who were magical folks that were respected by many all over the world, but they had to go into hiding as they were hiding from the alien sorcerer who could use technology more powerful than magic and enter anywhere he wished. The couple had discovered a potion that could cure any illness, and the sorcerer wanted it for himself. The whereabouts of the couple were unknown, and the child of the couple was nowhere to be found, as per the report.

Mary realized that the man had looked startled when he saw Thomas. She was sure that Thomas's life was in danger. So, she told him that they should leave the bookshop for a while and stay elsewhere. Quickly, they packed some books and clothes and left a note for the security. They boarded a bus for a distant village where Mary's grandmother lived alone.

To be continued....

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Earlier parts are linked in the post below.
Searching for Mr. and Mrs. Paul ( The bookshop adventure story 3)