Marriage
Arya trembled in fear, his eyes wide as he took in the gruesome sight around him—mutilated bodies scattered everywhere, torn apart beyond recognition. His mind raced. What happened?
He struggled to piece together his memories, confusion and terror clouding his thoughts. But before he could make sense of anything, a sudden explosion shattered the silence.
Boom!
The deafening blast snapped him out of his daze. In the distance, he saw dozens of buildings erupting into flames, one after another, collapsing in a cascade of destruction. Panic surged through his body, and without thinking, he ran.
He sprinted aimlessly, driven only by fear, his mind desperately trying to latch onto something—anything. Faces flashed in his head. Friends. Places. Fragments of a past that felt just out of reach.
Then, suddenly—Pain.
A sharp, searing agony shot through his skull. His vision blurred. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, clutching his head as a wave of memories crashed over him.
And then, through the haze of pain and panic, he remembered something—faint, distant, but unmistakable. The paramedics. NAMRU.
The pain slowly faded, replaced by a surge of new memories trickling into his mind. His body, once trembling, found the strength to rise. And then, as if pulled from the depths of his subconscious, a single word escaped his lips.
"Fadli." Confusion tightened its grip on him. Fadli? Why did that name come to him first? His heart pounded as he tried to make sense of it. Wasn't he supposed to be at NAMRU? Why, then, had he awakened in an entirely different place?
Arya stood up, his legs still unsteady. The distant rumble of aircraft engines filled the air, rolling in from the direction of the explosions he had witnessed moments ago. His breath hitched as he slowly turned his head, then his entire body, toward the sound. What he saw sent a shiver down his spine.
Dozens of planes streaked across the sky, their metallic bodies gleaming against the smoky horizon. But something was wrong. They weren't just flying—they were under attack. From below.
Dark projectiles, debris, and—were those steel beams?—shot up toward the aircraft. Some planes managed to swerve and evade, escaping into the distance. Others weren't so lucky. Arya watched, his heart pounding, as a few were struck mid-air, spiraling out of control before crashing into the ruined cityscape. A terrifying realization gripped him. The zombies… they're learning.
One plane veered toward Arya, its hatch opening repeatedly to drop something across the ruins. At first, he thought they were more bombs—until a booming voice erupted from the aircraft's speakers, shaking the air with its urgency.
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Before Arya could even process his shock, a figure emerged from behind a crumbling building. It was a man—but his movements were anything but human. He prowled like a wild beast, his body twitching unnaturally.
Arya instinctively took a step back, eyes scanning the stranger. The man was in terrible shape—his mouth split open at the corners, his body covered in deep wounds, and his tattered clothes barely hanging onto his bruised frame.
Still, Arya hesitated. "
Panic gripped Arya's chest. His mind screamed at him to run, but his feet felt frozen in place. Then, as if snapping out of a trance, he turned on his heels and bolted. But it wasn't enough. The creature—no, the man—was too fast. The distance between them shrank rapidly.
Arya's eyes darted frantically for an escape. Then—there! A massive motorcycle lay toppled on the ground, its body scratched and dented from a crash. But most importantly—the keys were still in the ignition.
Without a second thought, Arya lunged for it. He yanked the bike upright, threw a leg over, and twisted the key. The engine roared to life just as the creature reached out to grab him. With a violent jerk, Arya sped off, tires screeching against the debris-covered road. His heart pounded as he stole a quick glance at the side mirror.
The man was still chasing him—but no matter how fast he ran, he could never match the power of the engine beneath Arya. Within moments, the monstrous figure faded into the distance, swallowed by the chaos of the dying city.
***
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After kissing his wife's forehead, he approached the glass door of the minimarket. Peering outside through a small gap in the rolling shutter, he found the streets eerily quiet—no zombies in sight. The explosion had drawn them all toward its source, unintentionally making other areas temporarily safer.
In the distance, he spotted a truck—the same one Ayu had used as shelter from the collapsing concrete debris. It stood there, motionless, partially covered in dust and rubble, as if waiting for someone to claim it.
For the last time, he peeked outside—still safe. Pak Abdullah quickly unlocked the padlock and lifted the roll door slightly. He peeked out carefully, then sprinted toward the covered pickup truck usually used to supply the minimarket.
He checked the inside from the window—there was a key. Without hesitation, he climbed in, scanning the interior. The fuel gauge showed full. He turned the key in the ignition, holding his breath. The engine roared to life.
He pressed the front brake and shifted into reverse. Once there was enough space to move forward, Pak Abdullah shifted into first gear and slowly steered toward the minimarket. He parked the truck near the entrance, engaged the front brake, and quickly jumped out while leaving the engine running. Fatimah, Aisyah, and Ayu were already waiting at the back of the truck, carrying the essentials they had gathered from the minimarket. As they reached the vehicle, Pak Abdullah spoke firmly, "
The back door of the truck swung open, and their eyes widened with relief and joy. The cargo hold was stocked with food, drinks, diapers, and various other supplies—everything they could possibly need.
But there was no time to celebrate. Pak Abdullah quickly lifted Aisyah into the truck first, followed by his wife. Ayu climbed in last, with only Fatimah's help.
Once he was sure they were all safely inside, Pak Abdullah shut the truck's rear door securely. Without wasting another second, he rushed to the driver's seat, started the engine, and drove away from Jakarta.
Barely a few meters down the road, a lone zombie appeared, standing directly in his path. Pak Abdullah didn't flinch. Instead, he pressed harder on the gas pedal, ramming into the creature without hesitation. The sickening crunch of bones and flesh filled the air as the truck plowed through, leaving nothing but mangled remains behind.
***
In the back of the truck, Ayu, Fatimah, and Aisyah felt the vehicle jolt as it ran over something. But none of them said a word about it.
As the ride smoothed out, Fatimah turned to Ayu. She could see the tension in her face, the way her hands clenched slightly as if bracing for another shock.
Wanting to ease the atmosphere, she forced a small smile and broke the silence.
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Ayu blinked, momentarily surprised by the question. She let out a slow breath, trying to push away the lingering fear.
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Fatimah chuckled softly. "
Aisyah, who had been quiet the whole time, looked up at them with innocent eyes. "
Ayu and Fatimah exchanged glances, and for the first time in a while, they both laughed. It was brief, but in that moment, the weight of their terrifying reality felt just a little lighter.
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Ayu was taken aback by the question. In the midst of all this chaos, she hadn't expected to be asked about marriage.
"Eh?" She turned to Fatimah, slightly nervous. "
Fatimah gave a small smile, trying to lighten the mood. "
Ayu fell silent for a moment. Her mind drifted to someone, but she quickly shook her head, pushing the thought away.
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"Aisyah…." she tried again, her voice softer.
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Their conversation continued, weaving a newfound closeness between Fatimah and Ayu. But Aisyah remained silent, curled up in her mother's arms.
Then, suddenly, the truck came to an abrupt stop—cutting their conversation short.
***
Mr Abdullah brought the truck to a halt as he spotted a lone figure standing in the middle of the road. The man looked exhausted, his clothes stained with dirt and sweat. As the truck neared, the figure raised his hands in desperation.
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Mr Abdullah squinted, studying him for a moment before nodding. "
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Mr Abdullah chuckled. "
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The man, Arya looked at him with mild surprise. "
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Arya smirked back. "
The truck continued speeding down the empty road, cutting through the silence of an abandoned world. The sky darkened as they drove deeper into the wilderness, the trees thickening on either side. Suddenly, without warning, Mr Abdullah slowed the truck and pulled over.
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With that, he climbed out of the truck, heading to the back. Arya followed as Mr Abdullah unlocked the cargo door and swung it open. The door creaked as it revealed the dimly lit interior.
Then, Arya froze. His breath hitched.
"Ayu?!" he shouted, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Ayu's face lit up in pure joy. "Arya!"
Mr Abdullah turned to look at them, confusion etched on his face. "
***
Night had fallen, and after performing the Maghrib prayer, they sat around a small fire in a circle, taking the time to get to know each other.
"Yes, Sir. This is Mas Arya, my fiancé—the one I told you about," Ayu said.
Fatimah's eyes widened. "Masya Allah, what a coincidence!"
Mr Abdullah leaned forward. "So, what's going to happen with your wedding now?"
Ayu sighed. "I don't know, Sir. Everything is a mess right now."
Mr Abdullah chuckled. "Good things shouldn't be delayed. Two single people shouldn't be spending too much time together without a proper bond. Get married now. If you're married, you won't have to worry about anything. No sins, no guilt."
Ayu hesitated. "But I don't have a guardian."
Pak Abdullah smiled reassuringly. "Islam is simple. We're in an emergency situation. I'll be your guardian."
Arya and Ayu exchanged glances. "Is that even possible?" they asked in unison.
Pak Abdullah smirked teasingly before shrugging. "Alright then, if you both agree, let's do it now."
Ayu and Arya jolted in surprise. "Now?!" they chorused again.
"Yes. Does anyone have a problem with that?" Mr Abdullah asked.
Ayu and Arya stammered, their faces turning red. "Uh... well... I mean... it's a good idea, but—"
Pak Abdullah cut them off, his tone firmer this time. "So? Do you want to keep being together without a lawful bond?"
Ayu and Arya finally nodded. "Yes, Mr. We're ready."
Mr Abdullah grinned. "Good. I'll be the guardian, my wife and daughter will be the witnesses, and I'll officiate the marriage. Any objections?"
Nobody spoke. Instead, warm smiles spread across everyone's faces—even little Aisyah, who hadn't smiled in a long time.
Before the Isha prayer, the simple wedding was performed. The solemn words of the ijab kabul (marriage contract) echoed in the night, uniting Arya and Ayu in a sacred bond—one they had never imagined would happen like this. Under normal circumstances, such a wedding wouldn't fulfill all the formal requirements. But given the dire situation—and their undeniable love—it was the best decision to prevent a greater harm.
As the ceremony concluded and their marriage became official, Mr Abdullah let out a small chuckle.
"Apologies, but my daughter might ruin your wedding night."
***
The night grew late. In the silence, Mr. Abdullah and the others were engrossed in conversation, snacking on a large stash of peanuts from the truck and sipping on sodas—a rare warmth amidst the chaos.
In the middle of their conversation, the ground trembled, signaling another disaster—an earthquake. Suddenly, a flash of light struck from the direction of Jakarta.
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