Episode 2

Rehan looked up the stairs and saw a middle-aged man standing there, gasping for breath. Sweat was dripping down his forehead, and with trembling hands he was signaling Rehan to run up quickly.

A sudden shock went through Rehan’s heart. He turned his head and saw dozens of creatures climbing the stairs, making terrifying noises. The heavy thump of their feet, the growls rising from their throats, and the sharp tick-tick of their nails made his heart tremble.

His legs started running on their own. His breath was heavy, but his steps didn’t stop. When he reached the fourth floor corridor, the sight in front of him froze him in place. The corridor was crowded with people. Some women were crying loudly, holding their children close. A few men were trying, and failing, to comfort each other.

But as soon as everyone heard the monsters’ sounds coming closer, the whole crowd drowned in terror.

“They’re coming! Look, they’re coming up!” a young man screamed in a shaking voice.

Someone pointed with a trembling hand at an apartment door.

“Quick! This door is open, everyone get inside!”

The moment they heard this, people started shoving and rushing in. The corridor shook with noise, screams, and the pounding of footsteps. In the middle of this chaos, Rehan’s eyes caught a faint green light on the wall — EXIT. He knew it was the fire exit. He had thought many times before that maybe one day this way would save him. Today felt like that day.

Still, he followed the crowd inside. The door shut behind them, and the room sank into darkness, filled only with the sound of heavy breathing.

Rehan’s heart was beating wildly. His mind kept repeating a single thought:

Rayan… Rayan is alone upstairs. What must he be going through? He’s brave… no… no, he’s just a six-year-old child.

His voice shook as he spoke,

“Please, let me go… my brother is upstairs, he’s all alone!”

A man from the crowd snapped in anger,

“Are you crazy? If you go, those things will come straight here! We’ll all die. Sit down and stay put!”

Rehan shouted,

“But he’s alone! What if something happens to him?”

Another man said coldly,

“All of our lives are at risk, and you only care about your brother? Look at our terrified faces! Just listen and sit quietly. Maybe he’s already dead.”

Hearing that, Rehan’s breath caught in his chest. Tears welled in his eyes. He grabbed the man’s collar in rage.

“Who are you to say that? I don’t care about the others, but I swear I’ll kill you!”

“Help! Somebody stop him, this guy’s insane!” the man screamed.

People pulled Rehan away and held him aside. His eyes were burning red with anger. Just then, the terrifying sounds of the creatures echoed from outside the door. Claws scraping on the walls, growling, and the occasional bone-chilling scream. The room fell silent, as if everyone’s breath had been stolen.

After a while, when the noise outside faded, Rehan checked his pocket __ empty. He remembered his knife had fallen downstairs. His heartbeat went out of control. He looked around the room like a madman until his eyes landed on the kitchen.

Moving quietly, he slipped inside. His hands shook as he pulled open drawers, until finally he found a large kitchen knife. He gripped it tightly, and for the first time, a little courage returned to his chest.

Meanwhile, people were whispering and arguing near the window, some peeking outside. Rehan saw his chance. Slowly, step by step, he went toward the door. Then, gathering all his strength, he flung it open and dashed out.

The others froze at the sight. None of them tried to stop him instead, they shut the door quickly, almost relieved to be rid of him.

The corridor was empty and silent, only the faint echo of monsters in the distance. Rehan’s legs carried him forward in a sprint. He ran straight to the fire exit and pulled at the chain. The rusty door creaked loudly as it opened.

He climbed the stairs as fast as he could, his heart and mind repeating only one name Rayan… Rayan.

At last, breathless and trembling, he reached the tenth floor. He banged three times on his apartment door. Silence. Then, slowly, the door opened.

Rayan stood there. His small body was shaking, his eyes full of tears, lips quivering.

“Brother… why did you leave me alone? I… I was so scared. Someone kept whispering, telling me to open the door… but I didn’t. Please, brother, don’t ever leave me alone again.”

Hearing this shattered Rehan inside. He knelt down and pulled Rayan into his arms.

Rayan clutched his shirt tightly, as if it was his last hope.

Rehan closed the door and dragged a heavy table in front of it. Then he took Rayan to the bedroom, laid him on the bed, wiped his tears, and slowly patted him until he fell asleep, sobbing. Rehan sat there for a moment, just watching his little brother.

Later, he pulled a chair by the window and dialed his mother’s number again and again, but the phone was always off. A hollow emptiness spread inside him.

He picked up a pen and paper from the table. Closing his eyes for a moment, he took a deep breath, and then his pen started to move.

“In two or three days the electricity will be gone…”

That thought struck him like lightning, and he kept writing:

“First, I need to set up the solar balance. If I can’t store the sun’s power, the nights will drown in darkness.”

Then he noted:

“Canned food… water bottles…”

His mind flashed to the empty store shelves, and he knew time was running out.

Another thought hit him:

“Walkie-talkies…” He knew loneliness was the deadliest poison. A radio, walkie-talkie, or pager could be the only thread between life and death.

The pen danced quickly across the page:

“Hard drives… USBs…”

Rehan wrote down every shadow of fear crowding his mind.

“As long as the internet is alive, I must download everything — survival techniques, machine secrets, weapon crafting, fighting styles… everything that might save me tomorrow, no matter how useless it looks today.”

The room was silent except for the faint hum of the fan and the scratch of the pen. But Rehan’s heart pounded fast.

It felt as if he was writing a contract with the future,

that he would not give up,

that he would not let the light go out.

He organized the food by days of supply, then tried calling again, but there was only silence. His heart sank, but he refused to stop.

The whole day passed like this. That night, Rehan stayed awake. Rayan would cry in his sleep, clutching his brother until he dozed off again. Rehan’s eyes did not close once.

At dawn, Rehan made his decision. He sat beside Rayan and said:

“Listen, Rayan. You must stay home. Don’t go outside. I’m going to get supplies.”

Tears filled Rayan’s eyes. He grabbed his brother’s hand and cried,

“No, brother… you’re leaving me again. I’m scared.”

Rehan stroked his hair gently.

“I’ll be back soon. Just stay here, and don’t open the door.”

Rayan cried and begged, but Rehan’s mind was set. He packed a small bag with a water bottle and half a loaf of bread, and gripped the big kitchen knife he had found on the fourth floor.

The corridor reeked of death. Flies buzzed over bodies on the stairs.

Instead of the main gate, Rehan chose the fire exit. He rushed down to the ground floor and pushed open the old rusty door. It groaned as it moved.

The moment Rehan stepped outside… his eyes widened in fear and shock.

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