The city's restless hum filled the air, a symphony of life unaware of the apocalypse looming above. Neon lights flickered along crowded streets where people hurried to their destinations, lost in everyday worries—exams, deadlines, weekend plans. None could imagine the world's fate was being quietly sealed in the shadows.
Inside a modest dorm room cluttered with textbooks and empty coffee cups, Alex sat hunched over his laptop. The screen's cold blue glow illuminated his face, etched with exhaustion and determination. Strings of code scrolled down as he cross-referenced physics simulations with engineering schematics — desperate to find a solution.
Brad lounged nearby on a battered couch, tossing a stress ball up and down with a forced casualness that barely hid his anxiety.
"You know," Brad broke the silence, voice half-joking, "if this meteor really hits, you're going to be the guy history remembers. 'Alex, the savior of Earth.' Pretty epic, huh?"
Alex didn't laugh. His fingers paused above the keyboard. "It's not just any meteor," he said quietly. "It's a planet-killer. Bigger than anything we've seen in decades. If it hits, it's the end. Not just for us, but for everyone."
Brad dropped the stress ball with a soft thud, his grin fading. "So, what? We wait around for the end?"
"No," Alex whispered, eyes never leaving the screen. "I've been running simulations—trying to find a way to alter its course. But it's complicated. We'll need more help. And more resources."
Before Brad could respond, Alex's phone buzzed sharply on the desk. The screen lit up: a message from Gaurav.
Meet me at the observatory. We need to talk. It's urgent.
The university observatory sat atop a quiet hill, an aging sentinel watching the stars. Its rusted dome groaned as the wind swept through the campus below. Inside, the massive telescope pointed toward the heavens, its lenses catching the faint glow of the approaching disaster.
Gaurav was already there, standing rigidly beside the instrument. His eyes were fixed on the sky, but his expression was stormy and tense.
"You're late," he said without looking up when Alex and Brad entered.
Alex stepped forward, voice steady despite the urgency. "We don't have time for games, Gaurav. What did you find?"
Gaurav exhaled slowly. "The meteor isn't a typical asteroid. It's huge — far bigger than what they're telling the public. And its trajectory is deadly accurate. It's coming straight for Earth."
Brad crossed his arms, frowning. "So what? Build a spaceship and get outta here?"
Gaurav shook his head. "The government and the ultra-rich have already started evacuating — Mars colonization, underground bunkers, you name it. They're leaving the rest of us to die."
Alex's fists clenched. "And the public? They think it's all fine?"
"Exactly. They're lying. Tomorrow's official broadcast will say the threat is overblown. It's a lie to keep the masses calm."
Brad's jaw tightened. "We can't just sit by and watch them abandon everyone."
Alex took a cautious step closer to Gaurav, searching his eyes. "Look, I know you've hated us from the start. But this... this is bigger than all that. We need each other now."
Gaurav's eyes flickered with old wounds, but also something new — a hint of hope. "I've spent years fighting just to be seen, just to be taken seriously. Maybe... maybe this is the only way we stand a chance."
Brad smiled slightly. "Then let's do this — together."
For a long moment, the three stood shoulder to shoulder, gazing through the observatory's glass at the stars beyond. Above them, the meteor glowed ominously — a silent herald of destruction.
Meanwhile, the city carried on. Media broadcasts droned on with distractions: celebrity scandals, political debates, sports highlights. None spoke of the meteor.
But behind closed doors, the truth was being plotted in lavish boardrooms. Gaurav's father, a powerful politician, held secret meetings with wealthy elites and scientists, planning humanity's exodus to Mars.
The privileged would survive. The rest... were expendable.
As the trio left the observatory into the cool night, the weight of their knowledge settled heavily around them.
The world was fractured — divided between those who knew and those who didn't.
The countdown had begun.