The sun dipped low, casting an amber hue across the city skyline. On the rooftop of St. Ravencroft High School, three boys stood in a tight circle—eyes dark, fists clenched. The cold wind whipped around them, but the heat in their gaze was far more unsettling.
A lone, frail boy knelt at the center. His arms trembled as one of the bullies shoved him again.
"You think complaining to the principal was a smart move?" the tallest one growled.
The boy whimpered but didn't respond. He'd made that mistake once—he'd reported them. And for that, he'd nearly paid with his life. Now, dragged to the rooftop, there was no one to intervene. No teacher. No witness. Just rage.
Fists flew. Kicks landed.
Blood stained his white shirt.
The boy slumped over, unmoving.
One of the bullies hesitated. "Bro... he's not moving."
"You scared already?" another snapped, cracking his knuckles.
"I'm not scared," the first one muttered, but his voice was thin. Uncertain.
Suddenly—snap!
The boy jerked upright.
His eyes, once pleading, now glared with manic rage. A low growl escaped his throat as he lunged at them with a strength that didn't make sense. He moved like something else had taken over—his teeth clenched, his body trembling with unspent fury.
For a moment, the bullies stumbled back, startled.
But adrenaline rushed through them. Together, they grabbed him, wrestled him down, and with merciless brutality, beat him again. Blow after blow.
Until his body gave out.
A sickening crack echoed—and his body fell from the rooftop edge, spiraling through the evening air.
Then... silence.
Only the crows cried.
Next Morning
A soft breeze flowed through the open window of Class 11-B. Ayush sat by the glass, earbud in one ear, head slightly tilted as his favorite song played. The world outside seemed peaceful—too peaceful for the uneasy thoughts swirling in his mind.
He wasn't the most outgoing guy. In fact, Ayush preferred to stay in his head. But somehow, he had friends. Real ones.
Kartik, Shivam, Suraj, Lucky, Ananya, Sanaa, Ayesha, Riya, Tanya. Each with their quirks. Each a part of the quiet chaos in his life.
But today, his eyes kept drifting—towards her.
Ananya.
Her laughter. The way her hair bounced when she walked. She wasn't just another girl in class. She was... something else. Maybe that's why Ayush couldn't take his eyes off her.
"What are you staring at, Romeo?" Kartik chuckled as he flopped onto the seat beside Ayush and gave him a teasing nudge.
Ayush blinked and smiled faintly. "Just like that.""
"What do you mean 'just like that'?" Bhai, propose kar de usse. Want me to talk to her for you?"
"No, man!" Ayush hissed, flustered. "Don't do it. I just... I don't know. I'm scared, okay?"
Kartik laughed. "Bro, don't be too late. You should speak your heart."
Ayush nodded slowly but didn't reply.
Deep inside, something gnawed at him—a feeling he couldn't explain. Not fear of rejection.
Something else.
That Evening - At Home
Ayush's living room echoed with gunfire and virtual explosions. On the couch, he and Suraj sat cross-legged, fingers flying over the PS5 controllers. Suraj had sneaked the console to Ayush's house without even telling his parents.
"Headshot!" Suraj shouted.
Ayush grinned. "There was luck."
But his phone suddenly buzzed.
Then buzzed again.
And again.
Ayush frowned. 89 missed calls from Discord? What the hell?
He opened the app, and his eyes widened. The B.S.A server was flooded with messages.
[Uncrowned King]: "It's begun. Confirmed outbreak. Classified breach from Delhi Bioresearch Zone."
Ayush laughed nervously. "Must be a new movie promo or something."
But just as he was about to close the app, his phone rang again—this time, a voice call from Uncrowned King, the leader of the B.S.A. group.
He answered.
"Joel," the voice said—referring to Ayush's alias. "This isn't a joke. It's real. We've lost contact with Sector-5 and contamination's already active in isolated zones."
Ayush frowned. "Bro... it's May. You're late for April Fool's."
"Turn on the news."
He did.
Nothing. Just the same old political nonsense. No breaking news. No emergency.
"I don't see anything," Ayush said slowly.
"Exactly," Uncrowned's voice deepened. "They're suppressing it."
Then came the chilling words:
"Leon. Ethan. Drake. We're moving toward Uttarakhand extraction. But first—we're picking you up. Stay ready. And Ayush—this is not a drill."
Ayush froze.
Even Suraj had gone quiet, sensing the shift.
The Next Morning – Stone, Paper, Scissors
In the narrow corridor of their apartment building, Ayush and Ananya stood outside their doors.
"Best of three?" Ananya challenged, bag slung over one shoulder.
"Deal," Ayush smirked.
Stone... paper... scissor!
Ananya lost.
"You cheated!" she shrieked.
"Nuh-uh," Ayush laughed and darted down the stairs before she could protest. "See ya!"
Moments later, she reached the bottom floor via elevator, arms crossed, waiting for him.
Ayush knew she'd be there. He grinned and tried to sneak past, but she pounced.
The chase resumed through the street, their laughter echoing in the morning air. Finally, near the school gate, Ananya slammed his bag down and ran ahead.
"I win!" she yelled across the zebra crossing.
Ayush caught up, panting. "Cheater!"
"You're already at school," she said smugly. "Game over."
They crossed together.
But behind their smiles, darkness had begun to rise.