The Dead City

The world shifted again.

Kiran and Lila found themselves standing in the middle of a city street. The sky was painted orange by the setting sun, yet not a single human voice echoed through the vast rows of buildings. Some windows glowed with faint light, but the city itself was silent—too silent. It felt like walking into an empty room where life had been ripped away.

Kiran glanced at Lila. She hadn't spoken since they arrived, her mind still trapped in the memory of her father's final sacrifice. Behind them, he noticed a convenience store. The sign above the door was written in a strange language, but somehow, he could read it as clearly as his own.

Then the voice of God returned, echoing in their ears.

"To make this simple, I'll borrow concepts from your world's stories. Listen carefully, for this will decide whether you survive or not."

Kiran stepped into the store while the voice spoke. Shelves were overturned, packages torn open, and most of the products looted. Scattered food and broken bottles littered the ground—evidence of chaos, of people who had fled in panic. A strange unease crept up his spine. Something was terribly wrong. He decided not to linger and turned back toward Lila.

"In this world," God continued, "a bacteria has infected humanity. The infected have become what you call… zombies. They devour the living. The outbreak began two weeks ago. Your task is to survive—and find the cure. Don't worry, the cure already exists here. I'll tell you more about it in a week, if you last that long. For now, I will be generous. Ask me any question, and I'll answer."

Kiran froze. His heart pounded, but unlike Lila, fear wasn't the first thing in his mind—movies, games, and shows he had consumed over years of isolation came flooding back. He already knew what to ask.

"Where can I find weapons and other important things for survival? And… are we the only humans left?"

The god's laughter rang out. "Good question. Eighty kilometers east, there is a military base. Inside you will find guns, ammunition, medicine, clean water, fuel, and vehicles. As for humans, yes, there are others. But it's your task to find them. Now… survive."

And then, silence.

Kiran turned back. Lila hadn't heard a word. She was still trembling, her eyes wet with tears. Just hours ago, she had been in her classroom surrounded by friends. Now her world was ash and ruin, her father gone forever—sacrificed for her. And the only person left standing beside her… was the boy she had always ignored.

"Lila," Kiran said gently. "We should get going."

"Shut up!" she snapped, her voice breaking. Panic spilled out of her in sobs. But as her chest heaved, her father's last words echoed in her mind—My daughter. He had chosen her life over his own. She couldn't waste it. Not now.

She wiped her tears and stood straighter. "Let's go."

Kiran nodded, relieved. She took a deep breath and pointed toward the abandoned cars lining the street. "Check the store for supplies. I'll handle the transport."

Kiran blinked. "You know how to fix cars?"

"My dad was a mechanic," she muttered. "I picked up a few things."

And so, while Kiran scavenged what he could—cans of food, water bottles, a few bandages—Lila moved from car to car, siphoning fuel from several wrecks and pouring it into one vehicle. By the time Kiran stepped outside, his arms full of supplies, she was already leaning against a working car, grease on her hands but a spark of determination in her eyes.

The sun had vanished. Night wrapped the city in a suffocating quiet. The two of them sat in the car, listening to the distant rustle of something moving in the dark.

For the first time, they felt it—

They weren't alone.

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