The sun dipped low, casting an amber glow 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 in the center. His arms trembled as one of the bullies shoved him forward again.
"You really thought telling the principal was a smart move?" the tallest one snarled.
The boy whimpered but didn't answer. He had already learned his lesson the hard way: he had spoken up once, and now he was paying for it. Up here, on this empty rooftop, there was no teacher, no friend, no one to save him. Only rage.
Fists flew. Kicks landed.
Blood soaked his white shirt.
The boy slumped forward, motionless.
One of the bullies stepped back, breathing hard. "Dude... he's not moving."
"You scared already?" another snapped, cracking his knuckles.
"I'm not scared," the first muttered, but his voice trembled with doubt.
Suddenly — crack!
The boy jerked upright.
His eyes, once pleading and terrified, now burned with a manic, unnatural rage. A low growl escaped his throat as he lunged forward with a strength that made no sense. His movements were jerky, animalistic — as if something else had taken control.
For a moment, the bullies stumbled back, shocked.
But adrenaline surged through them. They grabbed him again, pinning him down, fists smashing into his face and ribs. Blow after blow.
Until his body finally gave out.
A sickening crack echoed as his limp body slid toward the rooftop edge, then fell.
He spiraled down into the evening air.
Silence followed.
Only the crows cried.
The Next Morning
A gentle breeze drifted into Class 11-B through an open window. Ayush sat by the glass, one earbud in, his head tilted slightly as his favorite song played. Outside, the world looked calm — too calm for the storm of thoughts swirling inside his mind.
He wasn't the most outgoing guy. In fact, he preferred staying in his own head. Yet somehow, he had real friends. Friends who made the world a little less heavy.
Kartik, Shivam, Suraj, Lucky, Ananya, Sanaa, Ayesha, Riya, Tanya. Each with their own quirks. Each a part of the quiet chaos that was his life.
But today, his eyes kept drifting toward her.
Ananya.
Her laughter, the way her hair bounced when she walked. She wasn't just another girl in class. She was something else. Something different. Maybe that was why Ayush couldn't stop watching her.
"What are you staring at, Romeo?" Kartik laughed, flopping down in the seat beside Ayush and nudging his arm.
Ayush blinked and forced a faint smile. "Nothing. Just looking around."
"What do you mean 'just looking around'? Bro, just confess to her already. Do you want me to talk to her for you?"
"No!" Ayush hissed, flustered. "Don't even think about it. I... I just don't know if I'm ready."
Kartik snorted and patted his shoulder. "If you wait too long, someone else might take your chance. Speak your heart, man."
Ayush nodded weakly but stayed silent.
Deep inside, a strange unease gnawed at him. It wasn't just fear of rejection.
It was something else.
That Evening — At Home
Ayush's living room echoed with the sounds of gunfire and explosions from the TV. On the couch, he and Suraj sat cross-legged, fingers flying over their PS5 controllers. Suraj had snuck the console into Ayush's house without telling his parents.
"Headshot!" Suraj shouted triumphantly.
Ayush laughed. "That was pure luck!"
Suddenly, Ayush's phone buzzed.
Then it buzzed again.
And again.
Ayush frowned. 89 missed calls? All from Discord?
He opened the app, his eyes widening. The B.S.A server was flooded with frantic messages.
[Uncrowned King]: "It has started. Confirmed outbreak. Classified breach from Delhi Bioresearch Zone."
Ayush let out a shaky laugh. "Must be some new horror game promo or a prank."
Just as he was about to close the app, his phone started ringing — a voice call from Uncrowned King, the leader of the B.S.A group.
He hesitated, then answered.
"Joel," the voice said — using Ayush's online alias. "This is real. We've lost contact with Sector-5. Contamination is active in isolated zones."
Ayush frowned. "Bro, it's May. You're way too late for an April Fool's joke."
"Turn on the news," Uncrowned King ordered.
Ayush did.
Nothing unusual. The same old political debates and commercials. No emergency.
"I don't see anything," Ayush said slowly.
"Exactly," the voice replied sharply. "They're suppressing it."
Then came the chilling words:
"Leon, Ethan, and Drake are on their way to Uttarakhand for extraction. But before that — we're coming for you. Stay ready. Ayush — this is not a drill."
Ayush's fingers went cold.
Even Suraj, noticing his change in expression, fell silent.
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, swinging her bag playfully.
"Deal," Ayush said with a smirk.
Stone... paper... scissors!
Ananya lost.
"You cheated!" she shrieked.
"Nope!" Ayush laughed and dashed down the stairs before she could catch him. "See you at school!"
Moments later, Ananya stepped out of the elevator on the ground floor, arms crossed, glaring at him.
Ayush knew she would be there. He tried to tiptoe past, but she pounced.
Their chase continued into the street, both laughing loudly. Finally, at the school gate, Ananya swung his bag down and sprinted ahead.
"I win!" she yelled across the crosswalk.
Ayush caught up, breathless. "Cheater!"
"You're already at school," she said, sticking her tongue out. "So... game over."
They crossed the street together, giggling and out of breath.
But behind their smiles, unseen and silent, darkness had already begun to rise.