Episode 3
1112 Words
Manav now understood that he was in a different reality.
He looked at his parents.
"No, I don't want to go through that pain again. I have to protect them. "
"Maa, Baba, we should run. They will come here soon. "
His father looked at him.
"Where would we run off to? "
He was looking in their eyes. They were in despair.
"Anywhere... anywhere safe. "
"This is happening all over the country. Which safe place are you talking about? "
Suddenly they heard some noise from outside. Manav ran outside to look into it. He became shocked to see that many zombies were running, jumping and biting people. Many people were running here and there for their lives. Suddenly, one zombie made an eye contact with him.
"Oh s**t. "
The zombie started running towards him. He ran towards the door. The zombie was about to reach him but he closed the door at the last moment. He then ran towards his parents.
"What happened? What was that noise? " his father asked.
"They are here. We have to hide. "
"But how can we hide from them? "
"Let's go to my room. It's safer there. "
His parents went upstairs. He ran towards the kitchen and picked up knives, kerosene oil and match boxes and took it upstairs.
His mother saw all those things in his hands.
"Are we going to kill them? "
"Maa, they are already dead. These are for our own protection. "
His father was looking outside the window. Manav put all those things on the ground and switched off the lights. He then put the almirah in front of the door so that it won't open.
"I have to know if Tanisha is okay. "
He went to a corner and tried to call her but she didn't pick it up. He again called but she again didn't pick it up. He became tensed now.
"Why isn't she picking the call? Wait, did she get... No, no, no, I won't let it happen. "
He went near the window where his parents were and tried to look outside. It was a horrible scene. The streets were swarming by the zombies. Manav was having flashbacks of when zombies swarmed the cities like this.
"No, it's the same as that time. Is there no other way? "
"We'll die," his father said, "This world will end. "
He looked at his father.
"No, I have to protect them somehow. I failed last time but I won't fail this time. "
"Maa, Baba, Don't lose hope, we'll survive, " he said with confidence.
His father looked into his eyes. His eyes were shining with confidence. His father didn't say anything and continued looking outside the window.
After sometime, Manav's phone started vibrating. He looked at the screen and 'Tanisha' flashing on it. He immediately picked it up.
"Yes, Tanisha. Where are you? Are you okay? "
"Manav, Manav, where are you? Please save me. Please same me, Manav."
She was crying. Manav became more tensed.
"Listen, Tanisha. Don't panic. Wherever you are, close all the doors and entrances and take a weapon. "
"Manav, I am very scared. I have locked myself up in my room. Those creatures are outside. I can hear their groans. Save me, Manav, save me. "
"Where are uncle and aunty? "
"They tried to fight those creatures and... and... "
She again started crying. Manav felt really sad after hearing this.
"You wait, Tanisha. I'll come and rescue you. "
He cut the call. His parents were listening all this.
"What did you say? You'll go outside? " his mother asked angrily.
He didn't say anything. His mother came closer and held his arm from one hand.
"Why aren't you speaking? " his mother asked while shaking him from his arm.
"Maa, I have to go. There's no other way. "
"There's no other way? You are saying there's no other way? You want to go outside in this condition leaving us behind? "
His father was listening to all this but he wasn't saying anything.
"Maa, please try to understand. Only I can save everyone. "
"You are still saying such things? You don't care about us? " the mother said and started sobbing.
"Maa, please don't cry. Please, try to understand. I have to go. "
His mother slapped him.
"If you say such words again, I'll put myself on fire," the mother said and picked up the kerosene oil and a match box.
His father now had to intervene.
"What is this childish behavior, Urmila? It's clear that he is not our son. "
Manav's eyes became bigger and his eyebrows lifted up.
His father looked at him.
"Just who are you? You look like my son, you behave like my son but somehow I feel something odd about you. "
His mother got a bit confused. Manav now had to tell him the truth.
"I am your son, your only son. But I have come from the future. "
His father got shocked.
"What? Future? "
He then told everything to his parents. He told them about his death and zombie apocalypse but didn't tell them about the changed reality. They won't understand even if he tried to tell them. His mother couldn't understand anything but his father understood a little.
"So, you are saying that you died but somehow returned to the past?"
"Yes. "
"Hm, you want to go and save your girlfriend that's you are making up this story, isn't it?"
Manav got a bit frustrated.
"No, it's true. "
His father was looking into his eyes. It didn't look like he was lying.
"Hm, so you want to go? "
"Yes. "
"Okay. You can go. "
He became surprised as well as happy as his father told him to go. His mother was also listening to this.
"What? You are telling him to go? I didn't understand what he said but still I won't let him go. "
"Urmila, just believe in our son. He will definitely return to us. "
"No means no. I won't let him go. I'll kill myself if you try to do anything. "
His father then jumped and snatched the kerosene oil and match box from her hands and threw them in a corner. He then held her in his arms tightly. She was trying to struggle but couldn't do anything.
"Go, son!" his father said, "I'll handle your mother. "
Manav then looked at them one last time and climbed to the roof from the window. It was dark, so zombies weren't able to see him.
His mother then started crying.
"Why did you let him go?"
"Shh... Believe in our son, Urmila. He will definitely return to us. "
Manav was standing on the roof and now he had to find a way to reach Tanisha's house.
- Writer
