Chapter 1: What!
Date: 25/12/2024, Evening
Location: IIT Guwahati, Canteen Area
Ravi, a third-year B.Tech student, glanced at the student sitting beside him and asked, "Hey, bro, why didn't you go home this Christmas? I get why Suraj is staying—he's working on that Li-ion battery efficiency project and has to prepare the presentation—but you? I don't understand why you're still here."
Udhav, who was nibbling on a pizza slice while casually glancing at a group of girls a few tables away, sighed and replied, "Ravi, how many times do I have to tell you?" He swallowed the bite of pizza. "I don't want to talk about it. And by the way, Akriti looks stunning today."
Suraj, who was sitting across from them, smirked. "Yeah, you've been staring at her for the last two and a half years. And now she's dating a junior. You should be ashamed of yourself. Every time you go near her, you just act like a fool."
He shifted his gaze to Ravi. "Anyway, about not going home for the holidays—what about your roommate? What's his name again?"
"Rajib," Ravi answered.
Suraj raised an eyebrow. "Is he staying too? I mean, he's a second-year student, right? He's not involved in any projects either. So why's he still here?"
Just as Ravi was about to answer, he fell silent. He had noticed Rajib walking toward them. The canteen was nearly empty, with most students having left for the holidays, and the group of girls, including Akriti, had already finished their dinner and left. Rajib, overhearing Suraj's question, answered in a somber tone as he reached the table.
"I'm an orphan," Rajib said flatly. "My parents and sister died two years ago in a car accident while coming to visit me at my school."
The group fell silent, shocked by the sudden revelation. Rajib quickly added, "But I didn't come here to talk about that. Can I sit here?" He pointed to the empty chair at the table.
Udhav, noticing the sudden shift in mood, immediately apologized. "Yeah, of course. Please sit. Sorry, we shouldn't have brought that up."
Suraj also apologized. "I'm really sorry, man. We didn't know."
Rajib shook his head. "It's fine. Don't feel sorry. It's just... I don't want to go home. Not after everything that's happened. I'm the reason they're gone."
There was a brief pause before Rajib continued, his voice quieter. "I just... want to drink tonight."
Ravi, who had been listening quietly, frowned. "No. You've never drunk before, and you're only 20. I'm not buying alcohol for you."
Udhav, ever the mediator, jumped in. "Hey, Ravi, don't get worked up. No one's asking you to buy anything. And Rajib, we get it. You want to let off some steam. Look, if you want to drink, I'll take you out. You've been through a lot, and you deserve to unwind."
Suraj, raising an eyebrow, added, "Well, if we're going to drink, I know a good place. It's on the south side, but it's already 7 PM. I don't think we'll be able to catch a bus now."
Udhav, with a grin, replied, "Why worry about the bus? We'll use Rapido. It won't be expensive, and if you're still worried about the cost, I'll pay for all of us. Let's go and enjoy the night."
Rajib, still somewhat downcast but clearly comforted by the group's support, gave a small nod. "Alright. I'm in."
Ravi, though hesitant, shrugged. "Fine. If everyone's going, I'll join. But we have to be back by 11, okay?"
Udhav, taking charge, flashed a thumbs-up. "Alright, we'll meet at the gate in 10 minutes. I'll book the rides now."
After finishing their food, the four friends headed to their rooms to get ready.
Three Hours Later…
Near the Jalukbari-Khanapara stretch, the four Rapido bikes were cruising towards the Saraighat Bridge. The four friends—Ravi, Udhav, Suraj, and Rajib—were returning from the pub, the cold night air thick with pollution and fog. The visibility on the road was poor.
As they neared the bridge, one of the bikes suddenly stalled. Rajib's bike had broken down, and because of the fog, the others didn't notice and continued ahead.
Rajib, now stranded, asked the Rapido rider, "Why did the bike stop?"
The rider looked frustrated. "I don't know, sir. The engine just shut down, and the tank is full—I just filled it an hour ago."
Rajib, sensing the situation would take a while to resolve, said, "Can you just drop me here? I'll find another ride. If I can't, I'll walk. It's only an hour's walk, anyway."
The rider, seeing Rajib wasn't complaining much, called someone—likely from a repair shop—before reluctantly agreeing to leave Rajib behind.
Rajib started walking toward the other side of the bridge, hoping to catch another ride. As he walked, the fog thickened, and visibility worsened. He had a sudden feeling of unease and turned around, just in time to see headlights bearing down on him.
Boom!
In an instant, Rajib was struck by a truck. He didn't even have time to scream. The last thought that crossed his mind before everything went dark was simply, "What?!"
The truck driver, unable to see Rajib due to the heavy fog, only realized what had happened after the collision. Panicking, he stopped the truck and rushed out, only to confirm the worst—Rajib was dead. Terrified of being charged with murder, the driver quickly got back into his truck and fled the scene.