"Have you seen the news?" Ahmed asked, his voice shaking. "About what?" replied Abdallah, his curiosity piqued. "The animals have started to attack people on site!" exclaimed Ahmed, with his eyes widened by fear. "All animals or just th-" "Yes, all animals, people are dying everywhere. Pick up Suwaidan, and we will meet in the mall. Be careful and quick." Ahmed quickly said before hanging up.
Abdallah's heart pounded loudly; he rushed to get dressed and pick up Suwaidan. Just as he was about to leave, his phone lights up due to a notification. He reads the words with a sinking feeling: "We are sending killer robots to deal with this madness; they will kill anything that is identified as dangerous; stay clear of those robots."
Abdallah navigated the once vibrant city, now a macabre tableau of death and despair; a wave of guilt washed over him. He saw people sprawled on the side walks, their lifeless eyes staring up in the sky. A small child, his face streaked with tears, waves frantically at Abdallah, pleading for help. But the fear gnawing at him held him back. He couldn't risk his life no matter how much it pained him. The sight of bloodshed compelled him to accelerate, desperate to avoid the same fate. As Abdallah arrived at Suwaidan's house, he honked loudly and rolled down the window.
"Suwaidan! Come out quickly." Abdallah shouted frantically; almost immediately he hears Suwaidan screaming back at him, "One moment, let me grab my shit." Once Suwaidan and his father, Mohammad, stumbled into the car, their breaths ragged. Abdallah hits the gas pedal as hard as he could, the tires screeched against the pavement. The mall loomed ahead, a beacon of hope in the chaos of the city. "Let us hope Ahmed has a good plan." Abdallah muttered his voice barely audible over the roaring engine.
The group meets up with Ahmed and his brother, Khalifa, in the silent, deserted mall. The once bustling halls were eerily silent; the only sounds were the echos of the group's chat. Ahmed takes a deep breath and starts explaining the plan. "Abdallah and I will go to Carrefour and get some basic stuff like water and food. Khalifa and Mohammad will go get survival kits, and Suwaidan, go get us a van; you know cars the best." "I will meet you back in one hour." Suwaidan stated as he slowly walked away while slowly scanning the empty corridors, "If anything happens, call me." Abdallah said before tapping Ahmed's shoulder. The weight of the mission set in as they turned to leave; the silence mall amplified their sense of isolation. The echoes reverberating through the empty space with each step. Abdallah's eyes widened with worry. His gut was telling him that they are not as isolated from humanity as they thought they were.