Ch-3. The Safe Haven

Narendra and Yogita come to a stop in front of the weaponry building. Narendra tells Yogita to "sit tight." In response, she playfully accuses him, "Oooo, trying to take a cha-aaaaance?!" But before she can finish, Narendra suddenly speeds up, zooming the scooty straight through the doors into the weaponry room, bursting in with a comedic screech. Startled, Yogita yelps, clutching him tighter.

[Ehehe.... Can't stop thinking, can you?]

(W-wh-what?!! I a-am not think....THINKING ANYTHING!!)

When they stop, Narendra confidently strides toward the weapon chamber's door, but Yogita smacks him with a playful punch or two on the back. He laughs, enjoying the banter. As he opens the door, a zombie in a security guard's uniform lunges at him, catching him off guard. Narendra stumbles back, yelling, "YAAHHUUUU?!? WTF?!? Zombie, Mammiii!!" But before the zombie can reach him, it's suddenly struck by the butt of a gun—Yogita has jumped in to help, smashing the zombie repeatedly until its head is unrecognizable mush. Narendra, wide-eyed, watches in awe as Yogita catches her breath and casually shrugs, explaining that the gun was lying nearby. She stretches her hand out to him, smirking, "Get up, Mama's Boy." Narendra blushes, a bit embarrassed, and laughs nervously.

[Done being a loser? Now do your work, idiot.]

(Of course. I will do it even if you don't want me to.)

Narendra and Yogita begin loading up on supplies. Narendra places a collection of guns, ammunition, and grenades in a pile near the door. Yogita assists, but her caution shows as she gingerly handles each piece of equipment.

"Hey, Naren," she says, glancing at a pile of grenades, "Aren't you afraid these might just… explode?" Narendra, with a slightly shaky hand and trembling knees, puts on a brave face. "They can't scare me! I was born for this!" But Yogita notices the subtle shake in his legs and raises an eyebrow, sighing, "Didn't imagine that a guy who looks so tough could act like this…."

[Freaking awesome, ain't ya?]

(Just STFU!! Even you'd piss your pants with a grenade in your hand!)

When everything is ready, Narendra hands her a small handgun, encouraging her to keep it close for safety. Yogita's hesitant but agrees, mentioning her dad showed her how to handle one. Narendra shares that he, too, had some practice back in his hometown, adding a playful edge to the conversation. He then tells her he needs to find a larger vehicle to fit the team, and she nervously grabs his hand. "You won't leave me here alone, right?" she asks, her voice slightly trembling. Narendra, amused, replies with a grin, "I'm not gonna leave Vodka for Pepsi!" She raises an eyebrow, confused but touched, as he grabs a machine gun and heads out, leaving her blushing and muttering, "Aww, he's so cute…."

[F*ck..... he's good with girls.]

Narendra makes his way to the parking lot, his senses on high alert for any lurking zombies. At one point, he spots a zombie staggering ahead of him. With an adrenaline-fueled sprint, he charges toward it, swinging the machine gun like a bat, smashing the zombie's head in one powerful blow. Laughing in triumph, he shouts, "A f*cking headshot!"

[That was some good batting for a noob.]

(Oh yeah? I hit 6 sixes in a 10 over match back in my hometown!)

[Etttu!! Phony]

( TF does that mean?)

After scoping out the lot, he reaches the driver's room, searching for keys. The room is empty, but his gaze falls on the slightly ajar door to the toilet. With his gun ready, Narendra approaches cautiously. He flings the door open, jumping back in case of danger, but freezes, his face a mix of shock, amusement, and horror. Inside are two naked zombies, their bodies entangled as though they had died mid-romance. Narendra cringes, saying, "Why would you guys die doing that in a toilet!?" Sighing, he grabs the uniform shirt from the driver's pile, shuts the door on the undead couple, and eventually finds a set of keys. Soon after, he spots what he's been looking for: a Force Traveller 26-seater. Narendra's face lights up—this is his dream vehicle. He hops into the vehicle, fires it up, and after a quick celebratory honk, heads back toward Yogita.

Back at the weaponry room, Yogita waits silently, her guard up. The night is eerily quiet, with only the occasional chirp of crickets. Suddenly, she hears the sound of a vehicle engine revving up and lights piercing through the darkness. As it approaches, she breaks into a smile—Narendra has returned, and in style.

[Man, he's really good with girls.]

He parks the vehicle near the gate, and she eagerly inspects it. "Couldn't you find a better vehicle?" she jokes, only half-serious. Narendra grins, "Even if I could, I'd still bring this guy!" She sighs, rolling her eyes, but appreciates his enthusiasm.

While Narendra loads the grenades, guns, and extra ammunition into the back of the vehicle, Yogita stands guard, scanning the area. After they finish, she hops into the vehicle and secures herself. "Put on your seatbelt," Narendra says with an exaggerated deep voice. "Because now… we're gonna FLY!" Yogita chuckles, but as she fastens her belt, Narendra suddenly floors the accelerator, causing her to shriek, "What do you meaaa-aaaaahhhhhh!?!" The vehicle hurtles forward, and she can barely contain her laughter and excitement. They crash through the main gate of the campus, leaving behind a trail of dust and zombie limbs.

Out on the open road, the two enjoy a rare moment of peace. Narendra takes his eyes off the road just long enough to glance at Yogita, who's gazing out the window, lost in thought. He feels an unexpected warmth in his chest, a feeling that's new to him in this terrifying world.

[It's a MOMENT,man! MOMENT!!]

(Yeah, it is.)

[Gonna interu--?!!]

(Shut up for a bit.)

Yogita catches him looking and gives him a questioning look. "What?" she asks, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Nothing, just… happy you're here," he admits, surprised at his own vulnerability. Yogita's smile softens as she looks away, and they share a quiet, genuine moment.

[A few moments later]

But their peace is short-lived. A distant moaning and shuffling breaks the silence, and soon they find themselves surrounded by zombies blocking the road. Narendra tightens his grip on the steering wheel, "Hang on, we're going through!" He accelerates, plowing through the zombie horde. As bodies slam against the windshield and bounce off the vehicle's sides, Yogita half-laughs, half-screams, "This is insane!"

After clearing the road, they eventually find a deserted rest area. Narendra pulls over to check their supplies, and they both take a moment to catch their breath. Yogita, still reeling from the ride, laughs at their craziness, "That was actually… kinda fun."Narendra grins, "Told you. Nothing like a little chaos to get the adrenaline pumping." They sit side by side, sharing some snacks they salvaged. The moon shines brightly above, and for a brief moment, they forget the horrors around them.

As they get back into the Traveller, Narendra glances at Yogita, "Ready for the next round?" She nods, both bracing and excited for whatever lies ahead.

[The End of season 1!!]

(NOOOOOOOOOO, IT ISN'T, YOU AUTHOR BASTARD!!)