Narrator: The land lay in ruins, the seas polluted beyond recognition, dead animals littered the ground, and demons roamed freely, with monstrous shadows lurking in the background. This was Earth now—desolate, uninhabitable, with almost no trace of human life. And all of it began because of a single 15-year-old kid... 50 years ago.

This is how it started.

[50 Years Ago]

Jilpa: Haaah... I'm so gonna fail these exams, bro.

Rivaan: You think I'm not?

Jilpa: Shut up, man. Don't give me that. I know you studied like crazy.

Rivaan: Just because I'm Indian doesn't mean I'm some nerd, dude.

Jilpa: Yeah, yeah, whatever. We'll see when the results come out.

Rivaan: Whatever, man. At least it's the last exam today.

Jilpa: And it's math!

Rivaan: You're screwed.

Jilpa: Don't remind me—

Teacher: Alright, boys, back to your seats! The exam's about to begin.

[The classroom falls silent as the teacher walks down the aisle, holding a stack of exam papers.]

Teacher: Alright, settle down. You have exactly two hours. No talking, no cheating. If I catch you trying anything funny, you'll regret it.

Jilpa slumped into his seat, a mix of dread and resignation on his face. He tapped his pencil against the desk nervously as the teacher approached, handing out the papers row by row.

Jilpa (whispering to himself): Alright, just... don't panic. Breathe. You've got this. Probably.

Rivaan, seated in the row next to him, leaned back and smirked.

Rivaan (whispering): Don't forget to carry the one, genius.

Jilpa (hissing): Bro, shut up!

The teacher glared at the two of them, silencing any further exchange. The exam paper landed on Jilpa's desk with an ominous thud.

Jilpa (thinking): Okay... how bad can it be?

He turned the first page. His eyes widened, and a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.

Jilpa (thinking): Oh no. It's bad. It's really, really bad.

Across the room, Rivaan had already started scribbling, his face calm and focused. Jilpa shot him a death glare before looking back at his own paper.

Jilpa (thinking): Alright, focus. Just do what you can. Even if it's wrong... it's better than nothing, right?

He gripped his pencil tightly and began writing, his mind racing against the clock.

[The classroom remained silent, except for the scratching of pencils on paper and the occasional cough. Jilpa stared at the question on his paper, his mind blank.]

Jilpa (thinking): Come on, come on... think! I know this... I studied this... I think?

He pressed the pencil harder against the paper, leaving faint indentations without writing anything. The room felt unusually warm, and his breathing quickened.

Then he heard it.

Whispering Voice 1: You'll never figure it out...

Jilpa's head shot up, his eyes scanning the room. Everyone else seemed engrossed in their exams, heads down, pencils moving.

Jilpa (thinking): Did someone just say that?

He shook his head and looked back at his paper, trying to focus. But the whispers grew louder.

Whispering Voice 2: Why even bother? You're going to fail anyway.

Whispering Voice 3: It's pointless... just give up.

Jilpa's grip on his pencil tightened, his heart pounding. He looked around again, his gaze darting to Rivaan, who was calmly working through the exam. The whispers were coming from nowhere... and everywhere.

Jilpa (thinking): No, no, no. What's happening? Am I hearing things?

The room began to blur, the walls twisting and pulsing as though alive. The whispers overlapped, growing louder and more sinister.

Whispering Voices (in unison): You're not good enough. You'll never be good enough.

Jilpa (whispering to himself): Stop it... stop it...

He slammed his hands over his ears, his pencil clattering onto the desk.

Teacher: Jilpa! Is there a problem?

The sharp voice jolted him back to reality. The room was still. The whispers had vanished. All eyes in the classroom were on him, including the teacher's piercing glare.

Jilpa (stammering): N-no, sir. Sorry... I'm fine.

Teacher (sternly): Then focus on your paper. No more distractions.

Jilpa nodded quickly, his hands trembling as he picked up his pencil. But as he stared at the exam, the questions seemed to shift and rearrange themselves into nonsensical symbols. His chest tightened, and he struggled to catch his breath.

Jilpa (thinking): What's happening to me?

And then, faintly, he heard one final whisper.

Whispering Voice 4: This is just the beginning...

[The final bell rang, signaling the end of the exam. The classroom erupted into quiet murmurs and shuffling as students packed up their belongings.]

Jilpa stared at his half-finished paper, his hands still trembling slightly. He had written down random numbers for the last few questions, hoping something—anything—might stick.

Teacher: Time's up! Hand in your papers at the desk on your way out.

Jilpa got up slowly, his legs feeling like lead. He avoided Rivaan's curious glance and joined the line of students handing in their papers.

Rivaan (nudging him): Bro, how'd it go?

Jilpa (forcing a laugh): Don't ask.

Rivaan: That bad, huh?

Jilpa didn't respond, keeping his head down as they left the classroom. The whispers were gone, but the weight of the exam—and whatever had happened during it—pressed heavily on his chest.

[Later, on the walk home]

The afternoon sun hung low, casting long shadows across the quiet streets. Jilpa walked slowly, dragging his feet along the cracked pavement. Rivaan had split off at his stop, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Jilpa (thinking): What the hell was that? I've never felt like that before. Those voices... was I just stressed?

He kicked a stray pebble, watching it bounce down the road. His mind replayed the exam over and over, dissecting every question he'd failed to answer, every moment of panic.

By the time he reached his house, his stomach was in knots. The faint smell of spices wafted from the kitchen as he opened the door.

Mom (calling out): Jilpa, is that you? How was the exam?

Jilpa (mumbling): It was fine.

He didn't wait for her to press further, heading straight to his room. He shut the door behind him and flopped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling.

Jilpa (thinking): Fine? Yeah, right. I'm doomed.

He closed his eyes, trying to push the thoughts away, but the whispers echoed faintly in the back of his mind.

Whispering Voice: You'll never escape us...

Jilpa shot upright, his breath caught in his throat.

Jilpa (thinking): No. No, no, no. They're not real. This isn't real.

He gripped his bedsheet tightly, his heart pounding once again. Whatever was happening, he couldn't ignore it anymore.

[That night, after hours of tossing and turning...]

Jilpa finally drifted into an uneasy sleep. The darkness behind his closed eyes felt heavier than usual, suffocating almost.

Suddenly, he was standing in a vast, shadowy void. The air was thick and cold, and an eerie crimson light pulsed faintly in the distance. He turned around, disoriented.

Jilpa: Hello? Anyone there?

A low growl echoed through the void, followed by sinister laughter that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. Jilpa froze as the crimson light grew brighter, revealing grotesque, demon-like figures emerging from the shadows.

Their bodies were twisted and misshapen, their eyes glowing with an unnatural intensity. Each seemed to radiate a different aura, and their voices slithered into his mind like poison.

Demon of Greed: Take it all! Wealth, power, everything you've ever desired. It's yours for the taking.

This creature had glimmering, sharp claws clutching at coins and jewels that bled black ichor.

Demon of Lust: Succumb to pleasure. There's no need to fight. Give in to the desires that burn within you.

Its voice was smooth and enticing, its form shifting and alluring, impossible to look away from.

Demon of Gluttony: Demon of Gluttony: Consume everything! Fill the emptiness inside you, no matter how much it takes. There is never enough.

This demon was grotesquely bloated, its mouth unhinging to reveal rows of jagged teeth.

Demon of Sloth: Why struggle? Why fight? Rest, give up, let it all fade away.

It slithered on the ground like a shadow, its form formless and lazy, pulling at Jilpa's legs with clawed hands.

Demon of Wrath: Destroy everything! Embrace your anger—it's the only real power you'll ever have!

This one was wreathed in flames, its claws dripping with molten metal, eyes blazing with fury.

Demon of Envy: Why should others have what you don't? Take what's rightfully yours!

It hissed, its form constantly shifting to resemble Rivaan, his teacher, and even his mother, mocking him.

The demons circled him, their voices blending into a cacophony of temptation and despair.

Jilpa (shouting): Stop it! Get away from me!

But they moved closer, their whispers turning into shouts.

Demon of Pride: You're weak.

Demon of Sloth: Why bother fighting?

Demon of Wrath: Submit or burn!

Jilpa fell to his knees, clutching his head. The weight of their words pressed down on him like a crushing boulder. His mind felt fractured, their promises pulling at his very soul.

Jilpa (thinking): No... this isn't real... it can't be real!

A faint light began to glow from within him, pushing back the suffocating darkness. The demons recoiled momentarily, hissing and snarling.

Jilpa (thinking): I won't give in... I won't let them control me!

The light flared brighter, and the demons screamed, retreating into the shadows. But before they disappeared entirely, one final voice echoed through the void.

Demon of Envy (whispering): You can't fight us forever. We'll always be here, waiting.

[Jilpa woke up with a start, drenched in sweat.]

His heart was racing, his body trembling. He glanced around his room, reassuring himself that it was just a dream.

Jilpa (whispering): What the hell is happening to me?

But as he looked at the window, he swore he saw a faint crimson glow in the distance, and the whispers still lingered faintly in his mind.

Ahh well it shouldn't matter much starting tomorrow it's summer vacation ill just go to sleep and shake it off.

[Day 1 of Summer Vacation]

Jilpa woke up feeling groggy, his dreams from the night before still fresh in his mind. As he splashed cold water on his face, he caught a glimpse of something in the mirror—a dark, shadowy figure with glowing eyes.

Jilpa (thinking): What the...

He spun around, but the bathroom was empty. His heart raced as he stared at his reflection, the figure gone.

Jilpa (thinking): Just my imagination. I'm still spooked from that dream.

[Day 2]

Jilpa was scrolling on his phone in the living room when he saw it again. A hunched, misshapen creature lingered in the corner of his vision for just a fraction of a second. He whipped his head toward it, but there was nothing there.

Jilpa (muttering): Okay... no way that's just in my head.

The image lingered in his mind longer this time—the glint of sharp teeth, the glimmer of red eyes.

[Day 5]

By now, it was happening more frequently. While walking to the store, Jilpa saw a grotesque figure reflected in a car window. It snarled silently, its jagged claws reaching toward him. This time, it didn't vanish immediately. It stayed just long enough—barely a second—for him to stumble backward in fear.

Jilpa (thinking): What is going on? Why do they keep appearing?

He hurried home, avoiding every reflective surface he passed, but the sensation of being watched lingered.

[Day 10]

Jilpa had stopped trying to convince himself it was his imagination. The figures were real. Each day, they stayed visible longer—half a second, then a full second, now over a second.

While eating breakfast, he saw one crouched outside his kitchen window. Its head tilted unnaturally, its body oozing with some dark, viscous substance. He froze, his spoon mid-air, as the creature stared directly at him for nearly two full seconds before fading into the air like smoke.

Jilpa (whispering): Why is this happening to me?

[Day 20]

The demons were no longer confined to the edges of his vision. They were bold now, appearing directly in front of him. One afternoon, as Jilpa sat in his room, trying to distract himself with a video game, a figure emerged from the shadows of his closet.

This one was different. It was massive, with horns curling upward and eyes that burned like fire. It stayed for almost five seconds, watching him silently, as if waiting for him to speak.

Jilpa (shouting): Leave me alone!

He threw his controller at it, and the figure dissolved into ash. But this time, it left behind a faint, sickly smell—proof that it had been there.

[Day 30]

By now, the appearances lasted nearly three full seconds. Jilpa could no longer convince himself they were fleeting hallucinations. Every time he blinked, he feared they would come back stronger, more real.

One night, while brushing his teeth, he stared into the mirror, his reflection seemingly normal. But as he leaned closer, a clawed hand emerged from the glass, gripping his shoulder.

He screamed and fell backward, but when he looked again, it was gone. The only evidence was the faint, ghostly impression of a hand on his shirt.

Jilpa (thinking): I have to figure out what's happening... before it's too late.

The countdown had begun, and Jilpa could feel the demons growing stronger each day. He didn't know how much longer he could endure.

THANKS FOR READING

TO BE CONTINUED