The world had collapsed—and Rahul was still alive.
He didn't know if that was a blessing or a curse.
He had watched them.Every step.Every escape.Every victory.
From the cafeteria ceiling vent, he had seen Ayush and his team rush through the blood-soaked corridors with weapons and plans.
From the kitchen window, he had seen them push through the collapsing stairwell.From the roof of the storage unit behind the construction building, he had watched Ayush stab an infected in the eye like a soldier.
And Rahul?
Rahul had been hiding.
Alone. Dirty. Starving. Terrified.
His shirt was torn. His jeans soaked in dried blood—not just zombie blood. His own.
The infection hadn't touched him.
But the jealousy had.
Why him? Why not me?
He gritted his teeth as he crouched behind a rusted cabinet, listening to Ayush's group laugh softly over a shared chocolate bar they had found.
Ananya's voice.
Kartik's jokes.
Even Shivam was smiling.
Rahul hated it.
They were a team. He was nothing.
It happened on the second night.
He had slipped into a science lab for water—what was left of it—and that's when a lone infected girl crawled out from beneath a teacher's desk.
She lunged before he could even scream.
Teeth sank into his forearm.
He beat her to death with a fire extinguisher.
Blood poured down his wrist.
He stared at the bite for hours.
No fever.No twitching.No screaming madness.
Just… silence.
He waited to turn.
Waited for death.
It never came.
The next morning, Rahul walked out into a hallway filled with infected.
They turned toward him—sniffed.
Then walked away.
His heart froze.
One zombie even brushed past him, its eyes dead and wild, its mouth gaping.
But it didn't attack.
He felt like a ghost.Invisible.Untouchable.
Later, he accidentally cut his palm on a jagged locker—deep.
The bleeding stopped in under two minutes.
The skin began stitching itself closed.
He flexed his fingers.
They responded faster. Stronger.
He found a steel pole. Bent it with both hands.
What the hell is happening to me?
From the third-floor science wing, Rahul watched Ayush's group again—this time on the rooftop of the construction building.
He saw them fight off a horde.
He saw Drake's arrival.
He saw them embrace like brothers.
And then—he saw Ayush shoot Drake in the neck.
That moment twisted something deep inside Rahul.
You killed your own people… and they still follow you?
He followed them when they escaped through the city. Watched Ayush kill three infected in less than ten seconds.Watched them find shelter.Watched them eat, plan, argue… together.
Rahul sat alone in a broken apartment above a toy store. Half of the ceiling was gone. Rain dripped onto his legs.
He chewed on raw oats he had scavenged. His stomach growled.
Down below, he could hear Ayush's voice.
Confident. Respected.
Leader.
Everything Rahul never was.
They used to fear me in school. I had control. I ruled the halls. I was the king.
Now I'm just a freak in the dark, watching the guy I used to shove into lockers become a goddamn hero?
He punched the wall.
Cracks spidered out.
He found them—an old man and his granddaughter hiding behind a street vendor's stall.
They were afraid when they saw him.
"Don't come closer," the man had warned.
Rahul didn't move.
But when the man threw a metal pan that struck Rahul's shoulder—
He snapped.
The old man died with his spine broken.
The girl fled. Rahul let her go.
And then he sat there, breathing hard, staring at his bloodstained hands.
They fear me now… just like before.
Meanwhile, Ayush's group moved through tight alleys.
The city was dying, but they had purpose.
Ayush led them with a stolen street map in hand, eyes locked on the next goal—the metro station.
"This way," he said. "Only ten minutes more."
Shivam nodded.
Suraj double-checked their six.
Kartik walked beside Ayush, quiet but supportive.
And Ananya—always close.
Together.
Rahul moved like a shadow across rooftops and alleys.
He had begun tracking them two nights ago.
Never getting close enough to be seen.
Always watching.
But today—he wanted more than watching.
Ayush…
You took my fear. You took my power. Now you take my future?
I'll take it all back.
Shivam moved ahead to scout an underground parking entrance.
He heard something behind a pillar.
A low breath.
He turned.
Rahul stood there.
Still.
Silent.
His clothes were torn, but his body was clean. Eyes alert. Not infected. Not feral.
Just… off.
"Who are you?" Shivam asked, stepping back.
Rahul smiled slowly.
"You don't remember me? I used to walk these halls like a god."
Shivam's eyes widened.
"Rahul…?"
"Where's your leader now?"
Shivam ran.
Rahul didn't chase.
He just whispered:
"Tell Ayush... I'm coming."