Ayush felt his entire existence unravel as he was dragged into the gaping maw of the wormhole. It wasn't just a sensation of being pulled; it was as if every molecule of his being was simultaneously collapsing inward and exploding outward. His breath caught in his throat, though he wasn't sure he still had a throat. Colors he had no names for spiraled and coalesced in patterns that defied logic, searing into his mind like living fire. The force around him wasn't physical—it was metaphysical, gripping his essence, tugging at the threads of his soul.
What's happening to me? His thoughts were scattered, fragmented like shards of a broken mirror. 'Am I dying? Is this death?'
His stomach lurched, though he could no longer tell which way was up or down. It felt as though he were falling into himself, a black hole at his core pulling him inward, while an unseen force tried to stretch him across eternity. He tried to scream, but his voice dissolved before it could form.
Focus, Ayush! Focus! he commanded himself, but his mind swirled with a cacophony of sensations: the taste of static electricity, the sound of colors shifting like whispers, and the faint but constant pressure of something immense watching him. He felt both trapped and untethered, like a leaf caught in an endless storm, helpless against forces far beyond his comprehension. Memories of his childhood flickered in his mind—his mother's voice, the smell of rain-soaked earth, the warmth of sunlight on his face—but they felt distant, like echoes in a void.
Then, in an instant, everything stilled. The chaos evaporated, leaving behind a void—silent, oppressive, and infinite. Ayush's thoughts, fragmented and fraying, dissolved into the emptiness. His senses dulled, his grip on reality slipping like grains of sand through his fingers. He seemed to hover at the edge of awareness, a flickering ember in an ocean of nothingness, before the darkness finally claimed him.
The scene shifted abruptly to the jam-packed highway leading out of Kota. Cars stretched in an unbroken line, their headlights and brake lights blinking like fireflies in the dusky haze. The air was thick with tension as families clung to their vehicles, some crammed with hastily packed belongings. Horns blared intermittently, the frustration of the drivers seeping into the atmosphere. Some people stood outside their cars, fanning themselves or peering ahead to see what was causing the snail's pace.
The government's announcement had spread like wildfire: an asteroid would strike Kota. The mere mention of an impact had triggered a mass exodus, and the highway had become a chaotic artery of desperate humanity. Children cried in the back seats, their faces pressed against foggy windows, while parents exchanged nervous glances. Elderly passengers sat stoically, their hands folded tightly in their laps, their faces betraying a quiet resignation. Vendors had set up makeshift stalls along the sides of the road, selling water bottles, snacks, and even phone chargers to the stranded travelers.
But for every car crawling outward, there were murmurs of confusion as a convoy of black SUVs moved purposefully in the opposite direction, heading into the city. The sleek vehicles, their tinted windows reflecting the fading sunlight, seemed out of place amidst the chaos.
"Why would anyone go back to Kota now?" a man muttered to his wife as they watched the SUVs glide past. She shrugged nervously, her hands clutching their young child closer. "Maybe they're emergency responders? Government officials?"
Another man, leaning on his dusty hatchback, shook his head. "I don't know… something about this feels off. People don't head into danger unless they have a damn good reason."
Inside one of the SUVs, a young woman sat stiffly, her fingers clenching her hand tightly. Her expression was tense, her gaze fixed on the blurred cityscape outside the window as the convoy sped toward Kota. The faint hum of the engine was the only sound in the cabin until the man sitting across from her spoke.
"We're cutting it close," he said, his voice measured but carrying an edge of unease. He was dressed sharply, his demeanor radiating authority. "The last report says the majority of the population has evacuated. There's minimal resistance left."
The woman's lips tightened. "Minimal isn't good enough. If even a handful of people see what's really happening here…" She didn't finish the sentence, her voice trailing off into uncertainty. Her other hand fiddled with a silver pendant around her neck, a nervous habit she couldn't quite shake.
The man glanced at her. "They won't. The asteroid narrative is holding strong. By now, everyone assumes Kota is as good as gone."
"And if it doesn't hold?" she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper.
The man's expression darkened. "If it doesn't, we make sure it does. One way or another."
Her eyes widened slightly. "You'd really go that far? Destroy an entire city just to sell the story?"
He leaned back, his face unreadable. "Sometimes, collateral damage is necessary for the greater good. You know that as well as I do."
She didn't reply, but her knuckles whitened as she clenched her hand tightly. Silence settled between them, thick with unspoken fears and doubts. Outside, the city loomed closer, its empty streets eerily quiet. The convoy pressed on, its purpose shrouded in mystery, leaving behind a highway teeming with confused and anxious onlookers.
She didn't reply, her knuckles whitening as she clenched her hand tightly. Silence settled between them, thick with unspoken fears and doubts. Outside, the city loomed closer, its empty streets eerily quiet. The convoy pressed on, its purpose shrouded in mystery, leaving behind a highway teeming with confused and anxious onlookers.
The man's gaze didn't waver. "Doubt is a luxury we can't afford. Focus on the mission." She looked away, her thoughts racing. The city, once vibrant and full of life, now appeared ghostly in the growing twilight. Shadows stretched across the streets, and the occasional abandoned vehicle stood as a stark reminder of the panic that had gripped its residents. Somewhere in the distance, a stray dog barked, its voice echoing eerily through the empty avenues.