"This can't be happening!"
As lightning illuminated the sky, a violent storm erupted, thrashing everything in its path with fierce gusts and pounding rain.
Yet, amidst the chaos and destruction, there was something else lurking in the sky, a looming threat poised to unleash havoc upon the earth below.
The ground shook beneath the feet as the first asteroid hit, sending shockwaves through the air.
Arun stumbled and fell to the ground, his eyes wide with fear as she watched more asteroids rain down from the sky.
The air was filled with a deafening roar as the asteroids hit, one after another, sending up clouds of dust and debris.
He pushed the car to its limit, racing down the empty highway as if his life depended on it.
He could feel the ground shake beneath him, the roar of the asteroids growing louder with each passing moment.
He stole a glance at the sky and saw multiple pieces of the asteroid hurtling toward him like fiery missiles.
With a surge of adrenaline, he swerved around a corner, the car's tires screeching in protest. He pressed his foot down on the accelerator, willing the car to go faster.
He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, the sweat on his palms making the steering wheel slippery.
The impact of the asteroids was getting closer, but he refused to give up.
"Common,
"Faster"
"Fasterrrrr…., Goddamit"
He knew that one wrong move could be the end of him. He gritted his teeth and focused on the road ahead, his eyes scanning for any obstacles or debris.
Finally, he saw the outskirts of the city looming in the distance, and he felt a surge of hope. He knew that he was almost there, almost safe.
He pushed the car even harder, the wind whipping past him like a hurricane.
Whatever was chasing him was being reduced to dust, but he knew he couldn't outrun the asteroid forever.
He would meet the same cruel fate as whatever was behind him in just a few seconds.
The road was disintegrating under the intense heat, the asphalt melting and cracking with each passing moment.
His car bounced and swerved, barely holding on to the crumbling track. He could feel the force of the asteroid's impact growing stronger, like a giant hammer slamming into the earth.
The impact was almost upon him now, a wall of fire and debris that threatened to swallow him whole.
He took a deep breath and braced for the worst, praying that somehow he would make it out alive.
"It has to be a dream….."
"It has to be a dream...….."
"Please God, don't let me die"
As he neared the edge of the city, he could feel a sense of relief wash over him. He had made it through the worst of the impact and was almost free.
---- *BOOM*
But then, without warning, a massive rock slammed into his car, sending him careening off the road.
The impact was like nothing he had ever felt before, a bone-jarring explosion rattling his teeth and leaving him gasping for air.
The darkness was all-encompassing, a vast expanse that swallowed up everything in its path. There was no light, no sound, no sense of reality beyond the void that stretched out in every direction.
A sense of peace, of calmness washed over him like a gentle wave. It was a feeling he had never experienced before, a sensation of being held in the arms of a loving mother.
"So this what feels like being dead"
"I wish I had died long ago"
"Thank you, God…."
"Wait, What?"
"Where Am I?"
The existence of time had vanished completely, leaving him adrift in a timeless void. He could no longer feel his own body or hear the beating of his own heart.
It was like being lost in a dream, a strange and surreal world where nothing was as it seemed.
He wondered if he would ever wake up if he would ever be able to escape the grasp of the darkness that had consumed him.
He tried to take a step forward, but there was nothing there to support him. He was suspended in the darkness, weightless and alone.
It was like being at the edge of the world, staring out into the vast unknown.
"Helloooo....!"
"Can anyone hear me?"
His voice traveled into the infinite void and never turned back.
"What is that?"
A flicker of hope sparked as he caught sight of a bright light in the distance, breaking through the endless darkness like a beacon of salvation.
As the light drew closer, the light grew brighter and more intense, illuminating the path ahead and banishing the shadows that had plagued him for so long.
And then, from out of nowhere, a voice echoed through the darkness, filling the air with its soothing timbre. It was a voice he had never heard before, yet it felt somehow familiar and comforting.
"What's with this guy?"
"Is he drunk?"
"Hey, mister!"
"I think he is dead?"
Arun's eyes fluttered open, but the world around him was a hazy blur. He struggled to focus, his head pounding with a fierce, pounding ache that refused to subside.
He tried to sit up, but his body was heavy and unresponsive. It was like he was swimming through a thick, viscous fog, his movements sluggish and uncoordinated.
As his vision slowly cleared, he realized that he was lying on a sweaty, soft surface, surrounded by unfamiliar shapes and shadows.
The air was thick with a strange, metallic scent, and there was a low, steady hum in the distance that he couldn't quite place.
He tried to call out, but his voice was weak and raspy. It was like he had been asleep for days, his body drained of all its strength and vitality.
But even as he lay there, struggling to regain his bearings, he felt a flicker of hope. He was alive and conscious.
"Where am I?" he croaked, his voice hoarse and weak.
As his vision slowly came into focus, he saw three children standing in front of him, staring at him with wide-eyed curiosity.
They looked like they were no more than ten years old, with tousled hair, dirty faces, and ragged clothing.
He tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his head, forcing him back down onto the hard, cold ground.
"Who are you?" he asked, his words slurring slightly as he struggled to regain his bearings.
The children exchanged a quick glance, then one of them stepped forward. She was a small, wiry girl with a mischievous gleam in her eye.
"We found you," she said simply. "You were lying here, all alone. We thought you might need some help."
He stared at her in confusion. "But how did I get here? Am I alive?"
The girl shrugged. "We don't know. We were just playing in the woods, and we stumbled upon you. You were out cold."
He frowned, trying to piece together the events that had led him here. But his memories were hazy, disjointed, like a jumbled puzzle that refused to come together.
He fumbled around blindly, his hand groping for the source of the sound until he finally located his phone and answered it.
"Hello?" he mumbled, his voice rough and scratchy.
"Where were you, sir?" came the urgent voice of his partner, Amit. "We've been trying to reach you for hours.
He groaned inwardly, feeling a surge of panic and guilt wash over him. He had lost track of time, lost track of everything, as he wandered aimlessly through the unfamiliar terrain.
"I'm on my way," he replied, trying to sound calm and collected. "Just give me a few minutes to gather my things."
Frantically searching for his car, he scanned the area with growing unease, but the vehicle was nowhere to be found. Frustrated and bewildered, he turned to the group of kids nearby and called out to them.
"Hey kids, have any of you seen my car around here?"
Their eyes darted toward each other for a moment, then one of them spoke up hesitantly.
"Yes, we have," he said.
Relief flooded through him as he eagerly asked, "Where is it?"
"It's right behind you," the boy replied, pointing a finger toward the direction of the car.
"Oh, sh*t!"
"Thanks, kids. I owe you one."