January 28, 3070
Vinay grips my hand tightly as Karan cautiously opens the door a crack, his eyes scanning the hallway with sharp focus. The corridor beyond is eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos we've just escaped. After a quick survey, Karan gestures for me to follow, his posture radiating readiness and vigilance. It's reassuring to have him leading the way, his protective instinct palpable.
We move swiftly, our footsteps muffled against the cold, sterile floors. When we reach the elevator, I press the button, but it remains stubbornly unlit, a red light blinking ominously above. The elevators are out of commission. My irritation flares.
"Of course," I mutter, frustration edging my voice..
Dr. Rajbhar.
The puppeteer of this nightmarish labyrinth. Her machinations are relentless and whatever her words were from a week ago just don't matter. Especially when she deliberately puts me in situations like these.
I will kill this woman before she becomes the death of me.
A guttural growl reverberates through the corridor and I sigh before turning around. Horrid, decayed figures with taut, pale skin stretched over skeletal frames and eyes glowing an eerie, unnatural blue.
A sight for monday morning.
And I am not even kidding. It's literally eleven fifteen.
There's no time to wallow though, only fight.
Karan is already in motion. The hairpin flash as he slashes at the nearest necrogen with quick, deadly precision. His strikes are fluid and efficient; he moves with a practiced grace that seems almost effortless. A necrogen lunges at him, but he sidesteps and drives the scissors into its throat, the creature collapsing with a gurgling death rattle.
I follow suit, my hand steady despite the chaos. With Vinay securely held in my arms, I wield the scissor with careful aim. As a necrogen approaches, its grotesque mouth snapping hungrily, I twist my body to avoid its attack. My free hand pushes Vinay's small frame against my chest, shielding him. I drive the scissor into the necrogen's eye, the metal piercing through the soft tissue and brain. It drops to the ground, lifeless.
"Nice aim," Karan comments, his voice a mix of adrenaline and dark amusement. "Not bad for a first date."
I don't even dignify that with a response, instead turning to Vinay. "Corner of the wall."
The kid listens and presses himself against the wall, eyes closed and hands covering his ears. Smart kid. No questions or stuttering.
And because of that, ain't no flesh-hanging-meat-eating creature getting to him.
Another necrogen barrels toward us, its claws slashing through the air. I duck, avoiding its swipe and it crashes against the wall behind me. Karan is at my side in an instant, his weapon slashing through the necrogen's neck with brutal efficiency. It falls, its body crumpling to the floor.
"Let's move," I whisper urgently to Vinay, picking him in my arms as I sprint down the hallway. He clings to me, his small body shaking against mine. Karan takes the lead, his head whipping back and forth as he scans for threats.
"We need to get to the experimental lab," I say, my voice cutting through the chaos as we round the corner and find no threat. "I need the laptop."
Dark eyes widen in disbelief. I purse my lips and interrupt him even before he speaks. "I'll go alone. Just take Vinay with you."
Karan's jaw tightens, his face a mask of offended disbelief. "You're insane," he mutters, his voice low and edged with a deep frustration. "But if you're going, I'm not letting you do it alone."
Of course he would say that. But right now, I don't have the luxury to dwell on it.
As we turn the corner, a scene of impending doom unfolds before us: a mass of necrogens surging down the hallway, their grotesque forms moving with chilling purpose. The sheer number of them transforms the hallway into a lethal bottleneck. We're about to be overwhelmed.
"Change of plans!" Karan hisses, grabbing my arm and pulling me sharply in the opposite direction. "The cafeteria. We'll figure it out from there."
I don't argue and was turning away from the scene already. I jerk my hand from his hold and hold Vinay tightly. He has his face buried in my neck, his breathes in pants and occasional shivers wrecking up his body. He'll be fine.
Our feet slap against the cold tile as we sprint towards the cafeteria, pushing past frenzied students and dodging stray necrogens. The sight of the cafeteria doors coming into view brings a fleeting sense of hope.
We burst through the doors, slamming them shut behind us. But it's of no use.
The cafeteria is a maelstrom of panic.
Students scatter in every direction, some desperately trying to flee, while others stand frozen, paralyzed by terror. Necrogens are breaking in through another entrance, adding to the chaos. The mingling stench of blood, sweat, and decay is almost suffocating, clinging to my throat like a physical presence.
Karan's eyes meet mine for a brief moment, a silent agreement passing between us.
Destroy.
No matter what.
Instinct takes over. I shove a few students out of my way with one arm, holding Vinay tightly with the other. His small body trembles against mine, but I can't afford to be distracted.
I have to keep moving.
I have to survive.
The scissor in my hand feels like a fragile lifeline, but it's sharp and deadly in the right hands. Karan is already ahead, his movements a blur of lethal efficiency. Each strike of the hairpin is precise and purposeful, his technique almost surgical. There's no wasted effort, no hesitation.
I shift Vinay to my right side, securing him against my chest with one arm. It's not an ideal fighting position, but there's no time to find a safer spot for him. My left hand remains free, scissor poised for the next attack. And as necrogens lunges at us, I bring my weapon up in vicious arcs. The sharp tip plunges deep into the their throats in record time but the wet, gurgling noise as they collapses to the floor is just not my vibe.
And somehow, amidst all of this, Karan is at my side, dispatching another necrogen with a brutal slash to the neck. "That was hot," he quips, his voice rough yet flirtatious.
I roll my eyes again. Vinay's grip tightens around my neck, his face buried in my shoulder. I can feel his small hands trembling, his fear palpable. I tighten my hold on him, ducking under another swipe from claws.
I can't let them get to us.
I won't let them get to us.
I spot a nearby table and drag it with my foot in front of us, kicking it forcefully against the approaching necrogens. They drop down and I get out of there but of course, the plot needs drama.
One of them grab my foot and without thinking, without even looking, I plunge the scissor in what I suppose is his throat. Awful gurgles, splendid satisfaction.
Is this ASMR?
I laugh at my own thoughts. Sometimes, the old me, my sense of humor, surfaces.
And before I know it, I am in front of the vision panel of the kitchen door — a narrow window revealing the chaos inside. Students and staff huddle together, some with makeshift weapons, others paralyzed with fear. The scene is a jumbled mess of terror and desperation, everyone hoping for a miracle that isn't coming.
I bang on the door with my foot, hard enough to jolt them out of their stupor. "It's Iris!" I shout, my voice cutting through the muffled cries inside.
The students inside startle, wide-eyed and unsure, but then one of the staff members rushes to open the door, despite a few objections from others.
Fuck everyone. The kitchen staff loves me.
We slip inside — I don't have to look behind to know if Karan followed, his loud breathing is enough of a statement —, and the door slams shut behind us. The relative quiet of the kitchen is a sharp contrast to the chaos outside. The metallic clatter of pots and pans, the hum of the freezer — sounds that would've been mundane before — now seem jarringly out of place in this nightmare.
Karan moves to the sink, turning on the tap and methodically washing my hairpin. His obsession with it is puzzling, but he must have his reasons. He'd done the same when we first entered Dr. Rajbhar's office.
I scan the room, my gaze searching for a familiar face.
Zuri and Elsa spot me first. Relief floods their expressions as they rush over. Elsa throws her arms around me, pulling me into a desperate, almost clumsy hug. I stand stiffly, my arms still cradling Vinay. Her embrace feels foreign, awkward, like it belongs to someone else's life.
She pulls away, wiping away a few tears. Zuri, usually so composed, looks visibly shaken. Her eyes dart around the room, as if anticipating the next wave of horror. She steps forward, her gaze questioning. "Iris… what do we do now?"
I turn my eyes away from her, my detachment a shield against the onslaught of emotions. "We survive," I say flatly, my voice devoid of sentiment. There's no time for reassurances or comfort. The only priority is reaching the experiment lab and getting a laptop.
I scan the room again, my chest tightening when I don't see Nara. She's the only one who could have helped me with what's coming next. The absence of her sharp, tech-savvy mind is a loss I can't afford, but there's no time to dwell on it. I push the thought aside, compartmentalizing it with all the other emotions I can't afford to feel.
I carefully set Vinay down, my movements deliberate and steady. "Stay here," I instruct him, my voice firm. "You'll be safe with them." He nods, his eyes wide and trusting. For a brief moment, it hits me how young he really is, how much he relies on us.
I turn to the woman who opened the door for us. "Take care of him," I implore. "I'll be back for him."
She nods and approaches Vinay, running a comforting hand through his hair — a motherly gesture.
I turn away quickly. There's no time for any second thoughts. I grab a few knives from the counter, tucking them into the waistband of my pants. Karan watches me with an unreadable expression but doesn't say anything.
"Where are you going?" Elsa asks, her voice trembling.
"Lab," I reply, already moving toward the door. "I need a laptop."
"Back out there?" Zuri's incredulity is palpable, fear lacing her words.
I pause and meet her gaze squarely. "I need a laptop," I repeat, my tone leaving no room for debate.
The lab is near the library, on the other side of the hallway — a significant stretch of space that feels overwhelmingly distant amidst the current chaos. The flickering fluorescent lights cast erratic shadows along the walls, creating an eerie, almost hallucinogenic effect.
I'm still surging with adrenaline, the kind that makes every heartbeat feel like a drumbeat of its own. My training has prepared me for this kind of high-stakes, high-energy combat, so I know this adrenaline isn't going to fade anytime soon. It's fueling my movements, sharpening my senses, and keeping me alert. The edge of urgency and heightened awareness is my constant companion, and it's clear that this rush is as relentless as the fight itself.
Karan is already by my side, ready to follow me into the fray once again. I glance at him, already knowing what he's about to do, and I can't help but feel a surge of frustration.
"Karan, stay here," I say, my voice firm as I try to push him back towards Vinay. "He needs someone to protect him."
Karan's eyes flash with defiance and something else — a fierce determination. He steps closer, blocking any chance of retreat. His expression is resolute, his voice unwavering. "You really think I'm staying here while you go off into danger alone?"
"Karan—" I begin, but he cuts me off with a shake of his head, his gaze turning intense.
"I'm here for you, Iris. Not for anyone else," he declares, his voice unwavering, a serious edge to his tone. But then a mischievous glint sparks in his eyes. He leans in slightly, his voice dropping to a more intimate, flirtatious murmur. "And honestly, I can't stay away. Someone's got to match your crazy."
My eyes narrow. "Fine," I say in a clipped tone. "But know that I'd sacrifice you in a heartbeat if it came to that."
"So, my value to you is just a heartbeat away," he replies smoothly, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
"From sacrifice."
"Heartbeat away."
I sigh.
I hope it comes to that.