"How can this be? The perimeter was in place," Avyan muttered, his voice filled with horror.

The sight shattered their sense of security. A creature was devouring what seemed to be a blood-soaked Oreo, the beloved stray dog that had been their campus companion.

"Is that Oreo..." Akash started, his voice trailing off in disbelief.

"There's no time to mourn. Everyone, run upstairs and call Dau ji," Pratyush ordered urgently.

"The zombie looks small, maybe I can take him. Hand me the hammer," Anirudh stepped forward, determination etched on his face.

"We can't risk it. Just run!" Avyan shouted, already sprinting up the stairs.

A frantic rush ensued as they bolted to the top floor, adrenaline pumping through their veins.

"He locked it! Why would he lock it?" Ishan yelled in frustration as they reached Dau ji's door.

"Dau ji!"

"Dau ji!"

"Wait, where's Anirudh?" Akash suddenly realized.

"I swear he was right behind me," Avyan said, concern creasing his brow.

"We have to find him," Ishan insisted, panic rising.

"But it's not safe!" Akash protested as a loud thud echoed from below.

"I don't care!" Ishan plunged down the stairs, the others reluctantly following.

"Aaaah!" Ishan's scream pierced the air moments later, "Shit. I knew this was a bad idea," Akash muttered, racing after him.

They reached the ground floor to find Ishan frozen in shock.

"What...?"

"Um..."

Their eyes widened at the scene before them, a nightmare come to life. They see something that is often told as folktales to scare the kids. The only difference here is that the kids are not the only one who got scared.

They see Anirudh sitting over a crushed corpse, panting, catching his breath, soaked in splashes of the darkest shade of red one has seen.

"I... How did you... with that hammer?" Ishan stammered, horrified yet strangely impressed.

"It was necessary," Anirudh replied tersely, his gaze unwavering.

"Oh god, I can't look at this. I need a minute," Avyan murmured, turning away.

"Are you boys alright?" Dau ji's voice interrupted, drawing their attention.

"Alright? We would've been dead if not for Anirudh!" Akash exclaimed, his voice edged with anger.

"I had to ensure our safety," Dau ji explained calmly. "There was an electrical malfunction. The electrical fences were down. It broke down during the raid. I was fixing it to prevent a swarm. A lone zombie is a blessing in these times. You've faced worse, even if you don't remember. We must avoid hordes at all costs."

Let's discuss this further tomorrow," Pratyush suggested, trying to restore order.

"Remain vigilant. I have something else to attend to," Dau ji stated, walking away.

Gathering in a room, the boys deliberated their next moves.

"I feel... eerie. Like something's not right," Avyan admitted, unease evident in his voice.

"First, family safety is priority. Then, figuring out why our memories are wiped," Pratyush outlined, his mind racing with theories.

"And there's something Dau ji isn't telling us," he added, voicing his suspicions.

"What just happened wasn't ideal. We can't risk direct confrontation. We know so little about this disease," Akash, the bioengineering student, suggested, his mind already planning.

"We need to analyse this corpse," Akash continued. "I can dissect it in the biotech lab, about 2 km from here.", He is the only student with a perfect 10 gpa in the university. His research papers are even read by the professors. With a skillset like this, he has adequate knowledge to perform simple surgeries and tests like these.

"Let's leave it until morning," Anirudh interjected, his voice steady yet troubled.

As Anirudh approached the body, a buzzing sound emitted from the corpse's mouth, startling everyone.

"What is this?"

"How is it making noise?"

"I can't take this anymore."

With a swift motion, Dau ji appeared and decapitated the corpse, silencing it abruptly.

"This is a last resort," Dau ji explained tersely. "After death, some zombies emit a sound to attract others. They can even explode, causing significant damage, however this one didn't."

"Secure all doors and windows. I'm activating the electric fences system," Dau ji commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

e defence system. Things are about to get real.”