"Above the street,below the silence-survival begins."
The summer morning draped itself over the hill like a warm sheet — pale orange sky, soft rustle of dry grass, and the hum of far-off traffic riding the breeze.
Kabir stood under a half-leafless peepal tree, wiping sweat off his neck with the edge of his t-shirt. "He's late. Again."
Naro, slouched nearby on a large rock, adjusted the rubber strap of his worn-out watch and said, "Seventeen minutes. He's getting worse."
Kabir cracked open a packet of Parle-G, tossed one biscuit in his mouth, and replied through the crunch, "We should start bringing extra food. Boy probably forgot breakfast."
Naro snorted. "He'll sprint here, mouth foaming, asking for protein and excuses."
They both grinned. Morning meetups on this hill above the school had become a ritual — one final escape before the world dragged them into classrooms and routine. But something about today felt... off.
[1]
Naro squinted up at the sky, shielding his eyes. "You been noticing anything weird lately?"
Kabir arched an eyebrow. "Define weird. Like 'Aarav still using that Nokia ringtone' weird, or 'government's-up-to-something' weird?"
"Second one," Naro said, voice low. "Saw three drones hovering over my building last night. Not the parcel kind. Bigger. Black. No ID markings."
Kabir paused mid-bite. "That's not normal."
"Nope. And one was there this morning too, just... staying in place. Like it was watching."
A breeze swept across the hill. The two fell silent, looking out at the city below. Heat shimmered on the roads, already crowded with traffic that didn't seem to be moving.
Cut to: Aarav
The electric whir of the ceiling fan stirred warm air in the room as Aarav Mishra bolted upright in bed, blinking at the clock.
6:22 AM.
"Crap."
He swung his legs over the edge, rubbed his eyes, and moved in a blur -brushing his teeth with one hand while chugging water with the other, then mixing a quick protein shake in a cracked shaker bottle.
The flat was quiet. His mother hadn't returned from her night shift at the hospital. A note on the fridge read:
"Don't forget your vitamins. See you tonight. – Ma"
He dressed in his grey tracksuit, shoved his phone into his pocket, and glanced at the screen: 4 unread messages.
Kabir: You better be running.
Naro: Sun's up. You're not. Clock's ticking.
Kabir: Bring biscuits.
Naro: You owe us a cold drink each.
He grabbed his bag and raced down the stairs two at a time.
The city was already alive — too alive. Horns blared. Bikes swerved through intersections. News tickers scrolled across LED panels on shopfronts. In front of an electronics store, a row of TVs flashed breaking news:
"Viral outbreak spreading across southern districts. Govt urges calm."
"Hospitals reaching capacity. Flights suspended in some regions."
"No official confirmation on cause. Investigations ongoing."
Aarav didn't stop. His feet pounded the pavement, music blaring in one earbud, sweat trailing down his back. His focus was on the hill, the meetup, and making it before Naro started roasting him in the group chat.
[2]
Back on the hill, Kabir shaded his eyes. "Speak of the devil."
Aarav crested the slope, panting, shirt clinging to his chest.
"You're dying," Naro observed flatly. "What happened? Wrestled your alarm clock?"
"Alarm clock lost," Aarav gasped. "Gave it a proper burial."
Kabir handed him a biscuit. "Revive with sugar, brother."
Aarav took it gratefully and dropped to the ground beside them. The city spread out beneath them like a restless machine — roads jammed with vehicles, honking rising in waves.
Naro pointed toward the traffic. "You guys seeing this? It's like everyone's trying to leave."
Kabir shrugged. "Maybe a festival rush?"
"In May?" Naro raised an eyebrow.
Aarav, still catching his breath, glanced at the view. "Could be some political rally. Or heat's messing with everyone."
"Or maybe," Naro said, tapping his phone, "no one wants to say what's actually happening."
Kabir leaned back on his elbows. "You and your conspiracy theories again."
"Hey, I'm just saying... too many coincidences lately. Drones, traffic, sudden news blackouts... doesn't smell right."
"Smells like overthinking," Kabir replied. "Come on. School gates open in ten."
The trio rose and started descending the hill. Their banter picked back up teasing about who'd fail the chemistry quiz, who'd sneak into the canteen early, and who'd finally tell Catherine that they liked her.
As they laughed their way down, the city behind them blinked and buzzed. A helicopter passed overhead, far too low. Somewhere in the noise, a siren wailed and then went silent.
None of them looked back.
Not yet.
————————STAY TUNED————————
[1] Naro and Kabir at the Hill.
[2] Aarav on the run to meeting spot.