College Clash Arc: Episode 4

The tension in the air was thick as Dhruv, Banshee, Bithi, and Riya bolted toward the department building. Behind them, a horde of zombies shuffled closer, their lifeless eyes fixated on the group. The unsettling sound of their decaying feet scraping the ground grew louder, and the sense of being cornered began to choke Dhruv. Quick on his feet, he reached the door of the building, yanking it open and shoving Banshee inside. Bithi and Riya followed in a panic, and Dhruv slammed the door shut behind them, locking the heavy metal gate with a resounding clang. The relentless pounding of the undead began immediately, their groans echoing through the air like a haunting, macabre chorus.

Inside, they were all panting, barely able to catch their breath. For a brief moment, they felt the tiniest flicker of relief. But Dhruv's mind was racing. He had been dealing with his personal shit with Banshee long before this apocalyptic nightmare began, and now it all seemed to escalate. He wanted to scream, to let out all the frustration, but he couldn’t afford to lose control. There could be zombies inside the building, too.

He took charge quickly, scanning the nearby rooms, checking if any were infested. Luckily, they were clear. He waved the girls toward one of the rooms, and they followed without protest. As soon as they were inside, Dhruv locked the door securely behind them.

But the unease in the room was thick. The girls were afraid—afraid of the zombies outside, but also afraid of Dhruv. He could sense it. He saw how they were eyeing him, unsure of what he might do next. Dhruv noticed their fearful glances, and with irritation bubbling beneath the surface, he finally snapped.

"What?" he barked.

None of them answered. Their silence said it all. Banshee, in particular, had tears slowly trickling down her cheeks. Dhruv could feel the weight of her silent accusation, and for a split second, he felt a pang of guilt. He hated her for what she had done to him, but even now, seeing her cry, part of him softened.

He sighed, his voice dropping a bit. "Look, I'm not interested in any of our bullshit right now. I’m more concerned about the zombies outside. Just relax."

Bithi, attempting to take control of the situation, pulled out her phone and sent a voice message to their department group. “We’re in the department building. Safe for now, but we’re surrounded by a huge horde of zombies. I suggest you hide in a secure room until someone comes for us. Don’t take any risks.”

Meanwhile, Dhruv checked his phone. The screen glowed with a meager 50% battery left. "That’s not going to last long," he muttered to himself. He immediately thought of his family. He needed to call his mom. She had to be okay. Dialing quickly, he pressed the phone to his ear.

After a few rings, his mother’s voice came through, shaky with panic. "Dhruv! Are you safe? What’s going on? I’m scared."

Dhruv tried to keep his voice calm, though he was anything but. "I’m okay for now, Mom. Listen to me carefully. Close all the doors and windows. Cover them with something dark so nothing can see inside. And no matter what happens, don’t look outside. Understand?"

"But what about your father? Your sister? I haven’t heard from them! What if—"

Dhruv cut her off, the stress creeping into his voice. "Mom, stop worrying about me and focus on yourself right now. I’ll survive. I’ll find Dad and sis. I’ll call them as soon as I’m done with you."

"But, son—" she started, her voice shaking with fear.

"Mom," Dhruv interrupted, his patience thinning, "you need to be practical right now. Take everything out of the box bed and lay some clothes in there so you won’t hurt yourself while lying down. Bring snacks with you. Put a light mattress over the bed so you can peek if the zombies break in. But don’t scream—if you scream, they’ll come in bigger numbers. Just stay calm, and everything will be fine. I’ll take care of the rest. I’ll call Dad and sis next."

Her voice cracked, desperation seeping through the line. "Please, Dhruv, let me know if they’re safe. My heart’s pounding, I feel like I’m going to have a heart attack—"

Dhruv clenched his jaw, his anger flaring. "For fuck’s sake, Mom! Stop panicking! If you die from stress, what’s the point? Do you want them to come home and find you dead? What if my sister comes home and kills herself because you couldn’t keep it together? Is that what you want? No, you don’t. So stay calm and stop acting like you’re the only one who’s worried. Let me do what I need to do, or I won’t be able to tell you anything."

His mom whimpered, her fear tangible even through the phone. "Please, Dhruv, don’t talk like that. I’ll do whatever you say, but please let me know once you’ve heard from them."

"I will—when I have time," he replied curtly before hanging up.

As the call ended, Dhruv cursed under his breath. "Fucking shit. Even after explaining everything, she’s still acting like she’s the only one losing her mind. Like the rest of us aren’t dealing with the same shit."

Bithi, who had overheard the conversation, approached him cautiously. "Dhruv, maybe you should’ve let her finish. She might’ve been about to say something important. You never know. Times like these, you don’t know if you’ll ever get another chance to speak to her again."

Dhruv shot her a sharp look. "I’m already dealing with enough. I don’t need to add more to it. Besides, I know exactly what she was going to say—same bullshit she always pulls."

His eyes shifted toward Banshee, his voice dripping with disdain. "And you," he said, pointing at her, "you probably wish I wasn’t an obstacle in your life. That’s all I am to you, right? Just something in your way."

Banshee, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke, her voice trembling but determined. "Why can’t you just leave me alone, Dhruv? Why do I have to be the center of your frustration and your pain? If I’m the problem, why don’t you just move on and let me do the same?"

Dhruv cut her off, his voice ice-cold. "I’ve had enough of this shit. I’m going outside. Lock the door behind me."

As he reached for the door, Bithi grabbed his arm. "Dhruv, stop. She’s just asking questions. She’s not blaming you for anything. She’s just upset, like we all are. Everyone’s worried—about their families, about what’s happening. Don’t let your anger cloud your judgment. Please, just stay. Here, drink some water."

Dhruv gently pulled his arm from her grip, taking the bottle from her hand but making it clear he wasn’t staying. "I’ll be back. I just need some space."

Bithi watched as he walked down the hallway, his figure disappearing into the shadows of the building. The tension remained thick, suffocating, as they wondered what would come next.

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