A Split in the Road

The car sat in silence, its headlights the only glow in the endless darkness. Kiran and Lila, drained from everything that had happened, were on the verge of sleep when Kiran froze. A sound—faint, dragging—brushed against the quiet. His eyes darted around, but beyond the harsh beam of the car lights, nothing was visible.

Lila noticed his unease. She was still lost in her thoughts of her family, but when she strained her ears, she heard it too. Without a word, she reached forward and flicked the lights off.

Moonlight spilled across the empty street. Three figures were moving toward them, their shadows stretching long and crooked. Kiran's chest tightened—were they zombies? As the figures drew closer, fear twisted in their stomachs.

Then, a voice broke the silence.

"Please—we're harmless! Please, help us!"

A man stumbled forward, out of breath. Behind him, two young women followed, their features clearer under the pale light. They looked around nineteen—just a couple of years older than Kiran and Lila. Relief colored the man's face when he saw them.

"Thank God… there's still someone out here," he said. But when his eyes focused, he frowned. "What are you two children doing in a place like this?"

He glanced nervously over his shoulder, scanning the dark as though something might leap from it at any second. His voice dropped to a whisper.

"We should turn the lights off. And stay quiet until sunrise."

So they waited together in the car, the tension heavy. Hours passed, and soon the horizon burned faintly with dawn.

As the first light touched the street, the man turned to the two girls beside him. His voice softened. "Are either of you hurt?"

They shook their heads. Lila watched the tenderness in his face. It reminded her too much of her father. Her chest ached.

The man noticed her expression. He tried to comfort her, his tone kind. "Don't worry. We'll try to reunite you with your families. You'll see—things will get better."

Lila's voice cracked. "My family is gone. Forever."

Silence filled the air.

After a moment, the man lowered his head. "I see… I'm sorry." He straightened and introduced himself. "My name is Smith Rosewood. These are my daughters, Aqua and Coral." He gestured to the twins, who gave polite nods. "And you two?"

"I'm Lila," she answered softly. "And this is Kiran."

Smith raised a brow. "Brother and sister?"

Lila shook her head. "We're not."

Kiran, unable to hold back his curiosity, asked, "What's happening here? Why does the whole city feel… abandoned?"

Smith's expression grew heavy. He let out a long breath.

"It started two weeks ago. The news said a nuclear power plant exploded on the other side of the planet. At first, we thought we were safe. But then the gas spread. People with weak immune systems fell ill first. They… changed. Became violent. They attacked others. They became… like zombies."

His voice grew rougher as he continued. "The government tried bombing infected zones, but it wasn't enough. The cities emptied out. Everyone ran. That's why you don't see many of them here."

Kiran frowned. "Then why didn't you leave?"

Smith's eyes dropped, guilt shadowing them. "Because… she was trapped." His voice shook. "My wife was buried when a building collapsed after the bombings. I thought if I dug enough, I could save her. I heard her voice… begging me. My daughters stayed with me, even when I told them to go. And today…" His voice broke. "Today, we found her body."

Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Dad," Coral whispered, laying a hand on his arm. "It's not your fault. You did everything you could."

The group fell into silence until Smith finally composed himself.

"The last I heard, survivors are gathering in the north. That's where we should go. It's our best chance."

Lila's eyes lit faintly with hope. But beside her, Kiran clenched his fists.

"I… want to go east."

Smith's brows knit. "East? Why?"

Kiran's mind raced. He couldn't tell him about the god, or the mission he was forced into. No one would believe him. Finally, he said, "There's something important I need to check there. I'll catch up later."

Smith looked doubtful, but Kiran's tone left little room for argument.

Lila, however, wasn't convinced. She turned to him, anger flashing. "You're really going alone? After everything?!"

Kiran hesitated. He met her eyes, silently begging for her trust. But in Lila's heart, Smith reminded her too much of her father—she couldn't abandon him and his daughters.

The argument dragged on until, at last, the decision was made.

Kiran would go east. Alone.

The others would head north.

Kiran found an abandoned car, its tank still holding some fuel. He gripped the wheel, heart pounding, and glanced back once. Smith stood with his daughters. Lila stood beside them, her arms crossed, her face torn.

Without another word, he started the engine and drove eastward into the rising sun.

And for the first time since the destruction of Earth, Kiran was truly alone.

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