The common hall was jam-packed. Twenty students, two broken fans creaking above us, and a whole lot of sweaty panic. It smelled like fear… and somebody's half-eaten samosa.
We'd shoved tables and sofas against the main door, like that would hold back a world gone feral. Spoiler: furniture doesn't beat teeth.
Some guy in a cricket jersey tried to play leader."Everyone relax! The police or army will come. Just… just stay calm!"
Yeah, sure. I leaned toward Kabir."Next he'll tell us Santa Claus is bringing helicopters."
Kabir didn't laugh. He was pale, sweating, his hand rubbing his wrist. Always that damn wrist.
Before anyone could debate, there was a thud. A heavy one. The barricade shivered.
Silence.
Another thud. Louder. Then a wet, broken screech that made my stomach flip.
Someone whispered, "They found us…"
Panic. People crying. Praying. One idiot grabbed a chair leg like he was about to star in Avengers: Hostel Edition."We fight!" he shouted.
The door burst open like paper. Two of them stumbled in—faces mangled, eyes bloodshot, jaws dripping red.
Chaos detonated.
Screams. Chairs flying. Somebody slipped in spilled Coke and cracked their head. "Avenger Boy" swung his chair leg, missed, and got tackled. His scream cut off with a crunch.
I yanked Kabir's arm. "Move!"
Bodies shoved us. Fingers clawed at shirts. One girl bit her own tongue screaming. For a second, it was all teeth, nails, and the copper stink of blood.
Then—Aisha.I barely knew her, but she grabbed me by the collar. "This way!"
She dragged me and Kabir through a side corridor, three others stumbling behind. We barreled into a storage room and slammed the door shut. Darkness. Our breath was the only sound.
I slid down the wall, heart jackhammering."Well," I whispered, "at least we don't have to give that group presentation anymore."
Aisha glared at me, sweat dripping down her cheek."You think this is funny?"
"Yes," I said, voice shaking. "Because if I don't laugh, I'll cry. And crying makes me ugly."
For half a second, her lips twitched like she almost smiled. Almost.
Then I looked at Kabir. He was clutching his sleeve so tight his knuckles whitened. Our eyes met. He gave a tiny shake of his head.Don't tell them.
My throat tightened.
Rule #1 in the apocalypse: You can lose food, you can lose water, you can even lose hope. But once you lose your people? That's when you're really dead.
And I was already breaking the rule.