The bright sunlight forced Sweta to squeeze her eyes shut. It had been days since she and her older brother Rudra had been hiding in the museum basement which made it difficult for her to look outside the window in broad daylight.  

A few feet away Rudra stood plastered to the wall beside the second window. There was a small door between them, chained, padlocked making sure that nobody went out or making sure nobody came in.

However, Sweta was more concerned about Rudra, he stood vigilant, with a grim expression, breaking in a cold sweat. Her eyes slowly moved to the chest pocket of his t-shirt a logo of Nepal university of science stamped. It was soaked in blood beside it hung his left arm hung paralyzed, a bandage wrapped around the same arm hiding the missing chunk of flesh and saving him from blood loss.

 Sweta’s eyes moved to her dress. The complete opposite to her white high-school uniform white stainless shirt with light brown pants, that she had changed into this morning. They would be sent to the safest camp if they were dressed as students when the rescue team arrived at least that was what her brother had told her.

Rudra’s state was weighing heavily on her, because of it, he would not be taken with her by the rescue team. He would be shot on sight.

Suddenly, she heard a roar, Rudra’s body swiftly moved behind the walls, Sweta ducked. “It’s them,” whispered Sweta anxious. Sweta felt a stabbing pain on her chest as she watched her bother grimace in pain then moved toward the stairs. She slowly stood up, she was wearing a heavy backpack filled with important supplies, so getting up was a bit of a struggle for her.

 “The rooftop isn’t safe. We will have to wait for the rescue team to clean it up before we open the doors.” The stairs lead to a large hallway, filled with life-size portraits of the historical figures. The walls included large windows that exposed the sunlight making the hallway looked less dark but they were not enough to brighten it entirely.

Rudra lead her to a dark room, it was a size of a closet filled with cleaning equipment. Then he started looking around, he walked to the wall across the hall. Sweta curiously looked at her brother waiting for him to tell her what to do. She always listened to her brother, an emergency axe hung on the wall. Rudra took it and came back to her.

He took a deep breath trembling she had never seen her brother like that. Sweta bit her lips holding back her tears she didn’t dare to look at him.

“Okay Sweta, listen to me one more time, carefully. First of all don’t lose your backpack it has all the necessary items, including first aid.” he said pointing at her school bag. His voice was gentle, loving, kind but fast. They were running out of time.

“The rooftop is not safe right now. It is filled with the infected. After the helicopter arrives the rescue team will clear out the place. Then the siren will ring, which means it’s safe for them to land. Once you hear it find a chance and make a run for it. Until then you stay here.. hidden.” Then put the axe near her feet. “Take this, you’ll need it to break the padlock…. and to keep yourself safe.”


“Get inside and don’t come out until it’s safe.” said Rudra.

He had always been strong. He was strong when they lost their neighbors, friends, mother, then their father. They were living a nightmare but still when Sweta needed protection he was there. So she stayed quiet making sure she was giving time to think and make decisions. During meals, she was the first one to eat, a sense of guilt flooded in maybe it was her fault that her brother was weak today. Maybe if she had eaten a little less, then he would still be strong and he could have been able to fend off that thing… that bit him.

Sweta’s eye fell on her brother’s wounds. Be courageous Sweta. she said to herself. She shut her eyes and took a long breath. She trembled she couldn’t do it, “Big brother, I’m scared.” said Sweta, tears threatening to fall off. She wanted to hug him and cry.
 
“There is nothing you can do for me... I’m infected.” he said, painfully. Her only living family member was now dying. Rudra was bitten by a zombie on their way up the roof from the basement.
 
“I don’t care. You’re the only one I have, everyone else is gone.” she said, trembling.“And you are the only one I have.” he answered with teary eyes. “But…”

A growling sound echoed, Sweta flinched, Rudra gritted his teeth, he looked around.
 
“Sweta!” her brother spoke in a commanding voice. “ Go inside.” pointing to the small room.  Sweta bit her lips, Sweta took the axe, went in, and sat on the cold floor curled up like a little kitten.
 
 He held the door of the cleaning room.
 
“Survive….Sweta.” he said, he rolled his lips inward biting them, holding his tears he looked at her. It was a goodbye Sweta knew it.
 
Sweta watched her brother close the door in front of her, surrounding her with darkness.