I made dal, chawal, roti, and paneer bhurji. "How's the food?"
"It is good, Mom. In fact, delicious," Samay replied.
Samay asked his dad, "How's work going?"
"Good," his father said, "but I should be asking—how's your studies
going?"
"I am studying well, Dad. Why do you ask me the same question
every single day?"
"Anyway, you and your sister should head to school," Mom said.
"Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad."
Samay went to school, but in the middle of the street he noticed
something strange. People were ignoring him, not even looking at
him. Then he saw a girl pulling out her nail and eating it.
"Poor girl," Samay whispered, "looks like the disease is spreading
faster than I thought."
He turned to his sister. "You shouldn't go outside too much. You
may catch it. This disease—it makes people go mad, do mysterious
things. It's spreading."
At school, Samay was late. The teacher punished him, making him stand. While standing, he noticed something horrifying. During the morning prayer, half the students weren't singing properly. Their mouths moved, but their eyes were empty. Some scratched themselves until they bled. Some swayed, side to side, in unnatural
rhythm.
When the prayer ended, everyone turned to look at him.
A teacher smiled oddly. "Samay… why don't you join us? Don't you want to belong?"
He froze.
Later, he saw his best friend pulling out clumps of his own hair, biting his nails, chewing his own skin. Samay touched his shoulder, horrified. "What are you doing!?"
His friend looked up with dead eyes. "Stay away from me. You don't belong here."
"Why? What do you mean!?" Samay begged.
"You'll understand… soon."
At home, Samay asked his mom, "Why do you always make the same
food? Dal, chawal, roti, paneer bhurji—every day."
She stayed silent. "Just finish your dinner."
That night, as he ate, Samay heard voices from outside—the neighbours. Their tones were creepy, almost chanting:
"What a poor child. He is lost. We should help him."
"Hey, open the door. We will help you."
"Ignore them," Dad said. "Looks like they caught the disease too."
Samay forced himself to laugh with his family, but the unease grew stronger.
Later that night, while going to bed, Samay heard noises. He peeked into his sister's room.
She was smiling at the wall, whispering: "We are a family. Happy. You shouldn't listen to anyone else."
The same whispers came from his parents' room:
"We are your family. We should stay together. No one will help you."
Samay froze. Their faces looked blank, their voices almost robotic.
For a second, his mother's face twisted—like a demon, something so ugly and inhuman that no one should ever have to see it again.
Samay backed away, trembling, and forced himself to sleep.
The next morning, his mother made the exact same food again. His father asked the same question again—"Are you studying properly,
Samay?"
The repetition made Samay's skin crawl. Were they getting infected
too?
AT THE DOCTOR'S CLINIC-
Samay ran to the doctor and told him everything.
The doctor just smiled creepily and said, "The disease is spreading quickly. You should take care."
Samay's eyes fell on the shelves. Jars filled with human nails. Clumps of hair. Something was floating in yellow liquid.
"You… you too?" Samay whispered, backing away.
The doctor only grinned wider.
Samay ran.
Back home, he looked in the mirror. His reflection smiled back at him though his lips weren't moving.
The reflection whispered: "Trust your family, Samay. You're already
one of us."
Samay smashed the mirror in panic—glass flying everywhere. But when he looked back, the mirror was intact. No cracks at all.
AT SISTER'S ROOM-
Later, he found his sister drawing with crayons. But instead of pictures, she was writing the same words over and over:
WE ARE FAMILY. TRUST US ONLY.
"Who told you to write this?" Samay asked.
His sister giggled. "Mom told me to practice."
Outside, he saw the same girl who pulled her nails. Her hands were dripping blood now. She waved at him and whispered: "You're next, Samay."
Suddenly, his parents appeared behind him, smiling too wide. They gripped his shoulders and pulled him inside before he could answer.
AT DINNER TABLE-
That night, at dinner, his parents and sister held hands and started
chanting softly:
"We are family. We should stay together forever."
Samay tried to pull away, but their grip was inhumanly strong.
He screamed.
Then, suddenly, they were laughing normally again. Eating, chatting, as if nothing happened.
Samay stared at his plate. The dal was bitter, the paneer chewy like flesh. He thought he saw a worm wriggling inside the food—then it
was gone. His parents smiled at him.
"Nothing will happen to our family," Dad said, laughing. "We are a happy family. Together, we are strong."
Samay forced a smile. "Yes… together."
AT House Number 20-
Meanwhile, inside House number 20, the girl asked her mother:
"What happened to Samay? He always looks dull and mentally ill.
His hair and nails are gone—seems like he's pulling them out."
Her mother shook her head sadly. "Poor soul. He lives alone.
Doesn't eat properly. Always has injuries on his body, looks like he's cutting his own skin."
"Mom," the girl said, disgusted, "why are you telling me this while
I'm eating?"
AT SAMAY'S HOUSE-
That night, Samay laughed at dinner with his family, tears in his eyes.
"It is good… to have a family,"
- Sahil Singh