"Silence is loudest when something's about to break."
The school gate loomed ahead, its black bars faintly rusting in the monsoon humidity. Aarav jogged the final few paces to catch up with Kabir and Naro, both already walking ahead with their usual backpacks and relaxed postures. The hill they had met on that morning now felt oddly distant—as if stepping into the school grounds had silenced something natural in the world outside.
"Where is everyone?" Kabir muttered, peering down the deserted driveway that led into the campus. The usual hum of chatter, scooter horns of latecomers, and flurry of uniforms—missing. Only a few scattered students walked slowly through the gates, their faces tight with uncertainty.
"Too quiet," Naro said, adjusting the hood of his sweatshirt. His glasses reflected the sun, and his white hair gleamed under the sky. "Something's off."
They didn't have to wait long to see just how right he was. An ambulance came barreling out from the inner campus road, sirens blazing, lights flickering like a warning shot through the eerie stillness. A few teachers stood at the edge of the courtyard, watching it leave with grim expressions.
The trio exchanged glances but said nothing. The wheels of routine still turned.
As they walked deeper into the campus, the school building seemed hollow. Lockers were untouched. Shoes squeaked occasionally against the floor. Even the class bell sounded distant, reluctant. A janitor, unusually pale and stiff, quickly locked the biology lab's door as they passed.
In class, they slumped into their usual seats near the window. Students whispered in clumps. No one dared raise their voice.
"Did something happen?" Aarav asked the girl sitting next to him.
She hesitated. "Heard a Class 11 student… attacked a teacher."
"What do you mean 'attacked'?" Kabir leaned in.
"Bit her. Like… actually bit her," she whispered, eyes wide.
Just as Aarav opened his mouth to ask more, the school's ancient wall-mounted radios crackled to life with a sharp buzz. Every classroom went still.
"This is… this is your principal speaking," came a voice, strained and stammering. "Students are advised to… remain calm. There has been a… health situation on campus. Please maintain distance. Wash hands. Masks, if available. This is a… viral precaution."
The radio cut off. Static lingered for a second, then faded.
Aarav looked at Naro. "That's what you were talking about. The drones. The tension."
"I need to check something," Naro said, getting up without waiting.
Kabir frowned. "Where you going?"
"The bio lab," Naro replied, already heading down the hallway.
Aarav and Kabir followed, keeping pace behind him. The hallway leading to the lab had no students. Just flickering tube lights and the hum of distant fans.
Naro pushed the door open slowly. It wasn't locked. The room inside was dark; blinds were down. Dust floated visibly in the sunlight that managed to sneak through.
"Where is everyone?" Aarav asked quietly.
Naro moved to the teacher's desk. Papers were scattered, some half-crumpled, one pinned under a broken pen. He pulled a few closer.
"VX-13," he muttered. "Failed nanovirus trial. That's what it says here."
"What does that mean?" Kabir asked from behind.
"VX-13… something about neuro-response and accelerated healing," Naro replied, scanning faster. "Wasn't approved. Look at this—Genivax. That's the company behind it."
Aarav's phone buzzed weakly. He grabbed it and tried calling.
"No signal." His voice tightened. "My mom's in the hospital. She's been unwell."
"Try messaging?" Kabir offered.
"I did. Nothing's going through."
As they made their way toward the cafeteria, the tension only grew. Kabir volunteered to get food, insisting he needed some sugar to think straight. Naro and Aarav slumped into a corner table near the window. The lights buzzed overhead. The lunch counter was oddly quiet.
Naro pulled out his phone, typing fast. "Found something. Genivax had a nanotech project shut down three years ago. VX-13. Meant to repair damaged tissue using accelerated organisms. But trials showed… extreme aggression. Neural collapse. It got buried."
"You're saying this virus—"
"I'm saying the name was on a sheet of paper in our school."
Aarav checked his phone again. Still no signal. "This is starting to feel bigger than just a flu."
Then, Naro's phone dimmed. The internet cut out. A soft red "No Connection" flashed on screen.
Kabir returned with a tray of food. "That was the last batch. Lunch guy said they're shutting down."
As he sat, the school radio shrieked again. A panicked voice rang through the halls:
"ALL STUDENTS—EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. EVACUATE."
Naro stood up so fast his chair fell back.
Aarav's heart pounded. He reached for his bag. "What the hell is happening?"
Kabir didn't answer. His eyes were locked on the cafeteria doors, where thudding footsteps were getting louder.
"Time to go," Naro said.
The outbreak wasn't coming.
It was already here.
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