sixteen

Adi's breath came in ragged gasps as the truth settled in like a noose tightening around his throat.

The dream he saw—the white room, the cold walls, the man in the white coat—it wasn't just a nightmare. It was real.

And now, standing in the same white room, facing the same white-coated man, he knew exactly what was coming.

Trevor Smith. Dan's father.

The echoes of Trevor's voice clawed at Adi's mind.

"Not from death."

The words rang over and over, suffocating him. His stomach twisted in knots, his limbs turned to lead. The cells inside his brain had shown him the truth.

Death wasn't a possibility. It was his fate.

Unavoidable. Absolute.

Adi's legs wobbled, his body failing him as he collapsed onto the cold floor. His vision swam, black spots creeping at the edges. His pulse slowed. Blood pressure plummeting.

Trevor watched with eerie amusement, tilting his head as if observing a test subject.

'Well,' he mused, stepping toward a glass case in the center of the lab. Inside, a dark, twisting liquid swirled violently, like a living shadow. 'We call this liquid… The Maut. Hindi for death.'

He tapped the glass lightly, and the black liquid reacted—twisting, convulsing.

'For safety, we keep it locked up. This is the only sample we have. But…' Trevor gestured lazily toward a small red button on the wall, his fingers hovering over it. 'If something ever goes wrong, we have this. One press and Maut is gone in the blink of an eye.'

He snapped his fingers.

Adi barely heard it. His heart pounded against his ribs, a battle against time he was destined to lose.

Trevor's tone shifted, his voice laced with something dark—something obsessive.

'After Dan died, I made myself a promise.' His eyes gleamed with a twisted resolve. 'I will perfect Maut. I don't care how many people have to die in the process. I will keep working.'

Peter's rage exploded. 'YOU KILLED DAN!' he roared, lunging forward.

Trevor barely flinched. 'Shut up.' His voice was sharp but cold. Detached.

'You're a murderer!' Adi spat, his voice hoarse. 'You killed my friend.'

Trevor turned to him, his expression unreadable. 'I didn't do anything.' A slow smirk crept onto his face. 'He fell himself.'

Adi clenched his teeth. His fists shook with fury, but his body was betraying him. His strength was draining—Maut was killing him from the inside.

Trevor moved to a metal table, his fingers wrapping around the hilt of a knife. When he turned back, there was something unhinged in his smile.

'Look, I never wanted to do this…' He paused, then let out a low chuckle. 'Kidding. When I gave you that tablet, I knew this day would come.'

He took slow, deliberate steps forward, gripping the knife like a scalpel.

'Adi, you have to die.'

His voice was almost gentle.

'I need your Maut-infected brain for my experiments.'

'NO!' Peter shouted, but before he could move, two guards seized him from behind, locking his arms in place.

Anne's eyes filled with tears. 'No, please! Stop this!'

Adi's breath was shallow. He could barely move.

He knew the truth.

The death shown by The Maut couldn't be changed.

This was where he died.

His fists clenched weakly, his jaw tightening as he forced out his final words.

'You killed Dan.' His voice trembled with fury. 'You're a monster who murdered his own blood.'

"SHUT UP AND DIE!"

Trevor's roar echoed through the lab as he charged, the blade glinting under the harsh white lights.

Peter screamed, struggling against the guards, but they slammed him onto the cold floor, pinning him down.

Anne collapsed to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

Even the guards behind Adi hesitated, instinctively stepping back.

But Adi wasn't thinking about them anymore.

His mind had gone blank.

He had accepted it—his death.

Trevor was going to kill him, cut open his skull, and use his brain like some test subject.

His eyes glazed over, flashing white as memories rushed through him like a tidal wave.

—His family, laughing around the dinner table.

—His own voice, excited and full of life, recording another video for his channel.

—That first video call with Dan and Peter, his two closest friends.

—Meeting Peter for the first time in person.

—Holding Anne's hand…

His heart clenched.

Mom and Dad…

What will happen to them when they know their son is dead?

I wanted to tell Anne…

That he had liked her long before they even met.

My YouTube channel…

He had dreams. He had goals. Ten million subscribers—he wanted that so badly.

And Peter…

Who would be there for Peter when he was gone?

He felt himself slipping, surrendering to fate.

The Maut had shown him his death.

I can't die.

But that vision… it was absolute.

I CAN'T DIE.

But…

NO!

A sudden surge of something—rage, defiance, life—flooded his veins.

I am NOT satisfied with my life yet.

The Maut… it wasn't some god.

It wasn't the universe.

It wasn't his fate.

I will prove it wrong.

This was NOT his time to die.

His body moved.

Trevor was already there—so close, the knife's tip mere inches from his chest.

MOVE!

Adi snapped back into reality.

His left hand slammed into Trevor's wrist, knocking the blade away from his chest.

With a guttural growl, Adi twisted his body—his right fist coiling like a spring—

And then he punched him, in his left cheek and Trevor fell to the ground

'OWW' cried Adi shaking his hand 'This is how it feels to hit someone in the face'

Trevor wiped the blood from his lip, his face twisting in rage. His grip tightened into fists. 'You little—'

Adi didn't wait.

His body moved on instinct—he grabbed the knife, he they are more in count and also in power. 

Peter was still pinned down by the guards, his face red from struggling. Anne looked frozen, her tear-streaked face filled with terror.

Adi's mind raced. Think. Move.

The red button.

Trevor had said it himself—one press and Maut would be destroyed.

His eyes flicked toward the glass container in the middle of the lab—the swirling black liquid danced inside. If he could just—

The button was big enough to be hit.

And then, he threw the knife.

It spun through the air—straight toward the red button.

BEEP.

A mechanical alarm blared, and red warning lights flashed all around them.

"WARNING! Containment breach!" a robotic voice echoed.

The glass around the Maut's container started to lower, sinking into the floor for disposal, and it started to fill with gas. 

Trevor's eyes widened. 'no—NO!'

Adi bolted.

With the guards distracted by the alarm, he lunged at the two holding Peter and yanked one back by the collar. The man stumbled, and Peter took the chance to elbow the other one in the face.

Anne had already scrambled up, her eyes filled with panic. 'Adi!'

'Run!' he shouted.

Peter grabbed Anne's hand, and they sprinted toward Adi and grabbed his hand.

Adi tightened his grip on Peter and Anne's hands and ran.

The ladder–from which Dan came there. 

It was their only chance. If it was still open, they had a way out. If not…

Don't think. Just run.

Behind them, the guards had regrouped and were charging. Their boots slammed against the floor, closing the distance fast.

'Faster!' Adi gasped, his lungs burning.

They reached the corner. There! The metal ladder loomed ahead, disappearing into the darkness above.

His fingers grasped the cold metal rungs, his heart hammering.

Open. It's still open!

'Go, go, GO!' he yelled, climbing as fast as he could.

Peter pushed Anne forward. 'You first!'

Anne didn't argue. She grabbed the ladder and scrambled up, her breath coming in fast, panicked gasps.

Peter followed, and Adi was right behind him.

Bang!

A bullet whizzed past Adi's ear, sparking against the metal.

'Shit!' Peter yelped.

The guards had opened fire.

'KEEP CLIMBING!' Adi roared.

Anne reached the top and climbed out into the night.

Peter followed, pulling himself up and reaching down.

'Adi, grab my hand!'

Adi stretched—

BANG!

Pain.

A searing, white-hot pain shot through his left shoulder.

He gritted his teeth, refusing to scream. His grip almost slipped.

'ADI!' Anne screamed.

Trevor's voice echoed from below.

'DON'T HIT HIS BRAIN YOU IDIOTS…You can run, Aditya! But you CAN'T escape your fate!'

Adi's vision blurred, but he forced his good arm to move.

Peter's hand clasped around his wrist.

With a final heave, they yanked him out—

Into the cold, open air.

'Y-you're bleeding,' Anne whispered, her hands trembling.

The three of them stumbled through the old abandoned house, their breaths ragged.

Doll's Trail.

Adi clutched his bleeding shoulder, his pulse thudding in his ears.

'They're still on us,' he panted. 'Just run. Get to the car.'

The cold night air hit them.

They struggling with Adi started to run.

Their getaway car was parked across the street, hidden in the shadows.

'Almost there!' Anne gasped.

Then—footsteps.

Heavy boots, storm into the house.

The guards had caught up.

No time.

'MOVE!' Adi shoved Peter forward.

Peter dashed toward the car, yanking the door open.

Anne was right behind him.

Adi turned to run—

BANG!

Another shot. Too close.

'Adi, come on!' Peter yelled from the driver's seat.

Adi gritted his teeth, pushed himself up, and sprinted.

The car roared to life.

Anne threw open the passenger door.

Adi jumped in—

Peter slammed the gas.

TIRES SCREECHED.

The car lurched forward, kicking up gravel as they sped down the empty street.

They had lost the guards. All of them took a breath of relief.

'Where?' asked Peter driving the car at high speed.

'Adi you need a hospital' cried Anne

'NO…Police' said Adi in pain

Peter's hands tightened on the wheel. 'Are you sure? What if they don't believe us?'

'They have to.' Adi groaned. 'I have proof. My blood, my wound, the lab, everything Trevor said—we tell them everything.'

Anne nodded. 'We don't have a choice.'

Peter swerved onto the main road, eyes darting between the rearview mirror and the highway ahead.

Fifteen minutes later—

They pulled up to Atlanta's Central Police Station.

The building stood tall and gray, lit by streetlights. A few officers stood near the entrance, talking.

Peter killed the engine.

For a moment, none of them moved.

Then Adi, clutching his bloodied shoulder, forced the door open and stepped out. His legs felt weak, but he kept moving.

Anne and Peter hurried after him.

They pushed through the glass doors.

The front desk officer looked up, startled by the sight of them—three teenagers, one covered in blood, looking like they had just escaped death.

Adi stared at the officer, breathing hard.

'I need to tell you something' The officer was shocked looking at Adi's wound.