Episode 1: Before the Sirens
"You never really know when your last normal day will be. But that day… something felt off. It looked normal, but it wasn't. None of us realized we were already living in the prologue of the end."
🌧️ – Rainy Morning at School:-
Date: July 15, 2025
Location: Class 12
It was raining hard. The monsoon had turned the windows into blurry sheets of water. Inside the classroom, everyone was either scrambling to finish homework or pretending to care about the teacher's scolding. Same old chaos — not the kind caused by zombies, but by school.
And then there was us —The backbenchers.The squad.The legends of "bunk-it-if-you-can."
My notebook was open on my lap. First page — not formulas or notes — just the names of the people I trusted more than anyone:
The Bunker SquadAyush, Shivam, Kartik, Suraj, Lucky, Manish, Dev, Ananya, Ayesha, Isha, Sana, Nisha
We called ourselves The Bunker Squad — partly because we were inseparable, and partly because, well… we kinda felt like we'd survive the end of the world together.
We just didn't know how true that would become.
💬 – Lunch Table Vibes:-
Kartik (laughing): "Bro, Lucky failed by 2 marks. That's not a fail, that's a betrayal."
Lucky: "She didn't mark me wrong. She marked me out of her good books."
Dev: "You failed because you copied from Suraj. That's karma."
Laughter exploded across the table. Even the girls at the next one looked up and smiled.
They weren't just classmates. They were a part of the squad now.
Ananya — my silent crush. Sharp brain, sharper eyes. Always observing.
Ayesha — no-nonsense, sporty, could outrun most of us.
Isha — artistic, reserved. Doodling even during lunch.
Sana — full-time chatterbox, part-time spy.
Nisha — the topper squad leader. Surprisingly chill when she wasn't correcting us.
Ananya looked up and met my eyes. I looked away instantly. But Kartik noticed. Of course, he did.
Kartik (quietly): "You're gonna have to tell her someday. Before you're too late."
He wasn't joking. He meant it. He always had my back like that.And yeah… he had a thing for Sana, but he'd never admit it.
📲 – Disturbance:-
Right in the middle of jokes and half-eaten sandwiches, everyone's phones buzzed at the same time.
Breaking News: Unknown virus spreading in parts of India. Victims showing extreme aggression. Investigation ongoing.
Suraj: "Bruh, it's probably fake. Viral prank."Manish: "Watch it be a teaser for a new Netflix series."
But then... the principal's voice came on the speakers:
"All students are to remain in classrooms. Parents are being contacted. No one is allowed to leave. This is not a drill."
Silence.
No one laughed now. Teachers moved fast. Doors were locked. Eyes were wide.
We all felt it. Something was off.
🕔 – The Auditorium Lockdown
By evening, we were all crammed into the school auditorium. 200+ students. Teachers pacing. Whispers turning into panic.
Kartik stood up. His voice was calm but firm.
Kartik: "Everyone needs to stay together. Panic is the enemy. We got this."
Just like that, he was the center of calm. The teachers even started looking to him for help. Born leader, that guy.
I sat beside my group, eyes scanning for Ananya. She looked calm — more curious than scared. It was strange… like she expected something like this to happen.
💀 – The Attack:-
A scream rang out.
Mr. Sharma, the school guard, stumbled in — blood gushing from his shoulder.
Behind him, a student. Limping. Twitching. Her eyes… dead.
She lunged forward and bit his neck in front of everyone.
Chaos.
Screams. Students running. Teachers frozen.
Kartik: "Move! Evacuate! Ayush, Shivam — side exit, now!"
I grabbed Ananya's hand. Her fingers locked with mine. No fear — just a nod. She was ready.
Ayesha, Tanya, and Bhargav joined us, Bhargav swinging a wrench like it was a baseball bat.
🔒 – Barricaded
We locked ourselves inside the science lab. The doors were thick. We were safe — for now.
Lucky: "This isn't real… right?"Ayesha: "We all saw it. It's happening."Tanya (quietly): "This didn't start today. My uncle's in the army. He warned us. Said it could happen. Something global. Controlled at first… now spreading."
Dev: "You knew?!"
Tanya: "I didn't know it would reach our school. Not this soon."
We all sat in silence.
The world had shifted. Reality felt like fiction. But it was real.
We were no longer students.
We were survivors.
🎙️End Narration – Ayush
"Some people get warnings before their world changes. Others get a normal day… with a twist.That day started like any other.But by nightfall, our childhood ended."