CHAPTER LIII
"The Tunnel of Shadows"
We all stepped quietly into the house — its creaking wooden floors and dusty windows hiding something far deeper than we expected. At first glance, it looked like any old abandoned home left behind by a forgotten family. But as we followed the man — the one who called out my name — through the dimly lit hallway, something strange happened.
He stopped in front of what looked like an ordinary wall.
And then, without a word, pressed something.
A hidden door creaked open.
A narrow, dark tunnel lay behind it — stretching into the unknown.
No one spoke.
The air turned colder, and a chill ran down my spine as we all instinctively reached for our weapons. We didn't raise them — not yet — but we held them close. We didn't trust him. Not fully. Not yet. But for now, we followed.
The girls' group, the ones who had fired at us earlier, walked silently beside us. They had lowered their heads — perhaps in guilt, or maybe just exhaustion. Either way, there was no more fighting left in any of us. Only survival.
The man — still in his weathered doctor's coat — walked ahead, his footsteps confident. And then, breaking the silence, he said:
> "Sam… you really don't remember me, do you?"
His voice wasn't angry. It was almost… sad. Like someone recalling a story they'd never finished writing.
Before I could reply, Mahi turned to him and asked the question we were all thinking:
> "Who are you?"
The man didn't stop walking, but his voice shifted. It became colder. More careful.
> "I'm a scientist. That's all you need to know for now. I can't reveal more than that — for reasons of security. For everyone's safety."
Alex, walking just ahead of me, glanced over his shoulder and said politely,
> "That's alright. You're letting us stay at your place — that's enough for us. Thank you."
I looked at Mon.
Her fingers brushed mine, and without thinking, I slipped my hand into hers.
Warm.
Steady.
Alive.
But inside me?
I was crumbling.
Because this man… this "scientist"... wasn't a stranger to me.
Not completely.
There was a name buried deep in my past. A name I never wanted to hear again.
A name tied to secrets… betrayals… blood.
D-Rax.
Only I knew what he had done.
Only I knew what I had done.
And if anyone else found out… I wasn't sure they'd ever forgive me.
Not Alex.
Not Mahi.
Not even Mon.
Especially not Mon.
> Because the truth between me and D-Rax — it wasn't just dark. It was poisonous.
Alex turned again and asked the man softly,
> "What should we call you, sir?"
The man smiled faintly — that same tired smile I remembered from the edge of my nightmares — and replied:
> "You don't need my full name. Just call me… D."
That one letter. That one sound. It was enough to send ice through my veins.
We kept walking.
The tunnel curved slowly, winding beneath the earth like a serpent coiled in silence. The walls were lined with old brick and flickering yellow lights that hummed faintly as we passed by.
And then… we emerged.
Into a place none of us expected.
It was a house — but not like the one above. This one was alive.
Warm lights. Clean air. Stocked shelves. Food. Water. Clothes. Medicine. Blankets. Weapons. Supplies enough for a dozen people to survive for months.
It was beautiful.
Not luxurious — but comforting. Like something out of a life we had all forgotten existed.
We stood frozen in awe.
No one had seen something like this since the world had burned.
Mon looked at me, her eyes wide.
> "Sam… this is…"
> "Safe," I whispered. "At least… for now."
Alex gently laid Aliyana down on a cushioned bed in the corner, checking her wound with visible relief.
Elisa and Looka explored the food shelves like children in a candy store.
Evelyn sat down on the floor, tears in her eyes — not of fear, but of pure, aching relief.
Mahi closed her eyes for the first time in days.
And me?
I held Mon's hand a little tighter.
Because I knew what no one else did.
This house… this man… this peace…
It came with a price.
And I was the one who owed the debt.
"The Room with No Shadows"
As the others dispersed and melted into the quiet corners of the underground home, one of the girls — the same one from the firing group above — approached me. She was younger than I had assumed at first, but her eyes carried the exhaustion of someone who had seen far too much, far too soon.
Her name was Arora.
Without saying much, she simply gestured for me to follow her.
I hesitated for a moment, glancing back toward the hallway where Mon had gone with the others, but something about Arora's expression told me this wasn't something to delay. So I followed her.
We moved through a narrow corridor that smelled faintly of old books and antiseptic. The walls were made of smooth concrete, but the ceilings had small overhead lights, flickering gently like stars behind a fog. She stopped at a metal door near the far end and opened it slowly, revealing something I hadn't expected.
A room.
But not just any room.
It was special — almost untouched by the chaos of the world above. A neatly made bed. Shelves filled with essentials. A clean bathroom attached. Even soft yellow lighting that made the room feel almost... normal.
Peaceful.
She turned to me with a soft smile and said,
> "This is your private room. Specially arranged by D-sir. You won't be disturbed here. And if you need anything at all…"
She walked over to a small panel near the wall and pointed to a silver button embedded in the wallpaper.
> "Just press this. Someone — an attendant — will come immediately. Whether it's food, medicine, or any kind of service you require. Don't hesitate."
I looked around, still trying to register the sudden calm after the whirlwind of blood and bullets we had survived.
Then I asked, quietly,
> "Where are the others? My team?"
Arora nodded reassuringly.
> "All of them are in their own rooms now. Resting. You all needed it. Aliyana has already been taken to the operation theater."
She paused, lowering her voice slightly with kindness,
> "The doctor who came with you — Evelyn — she's preparing for the surgery. She'll remove the bullet soon. Aliyana is in safe hands."
I exhaled, part relief… part tension.
The kind that comes when your body wants to relax, but your mind refuses to let go.
And then I asked the question that had been quietly pressing against my chest since we arrived.
> "And what about… her?"
Arora's eyes met mine with a knowing softness. She tilted her head slightly, as though she'd been expecting me to ask.
> "You mean Malvika Dixit, don't you?"
That name.
Spoken aloud.
It hit me like wind across an open wound.
I hesitated before nodding.
> "Yes. But… how do you know?"
Arora's smile turned a little warmer — not judgmental, not surprised.
> "I saw how close you were. We all did. You didn't have to say it. Sometimes… the heart speaks even in silence."
I didn't answer.
Couldn't.
She continued gently,
> "She'll be staying here with you. In this room. D-sir arranged it that way. He said this room belongs to you both."
I didn't know what to say.
The walls suddenly felt closer. The light dimmer. My thoughts louder.
> Me and Mon. In one room. Again.
Arora must've sensed my turmoil because she smiled one last time and said kindly,
> "I'll leave you now. If you need anything… just call."
She turned to go — her hand on the knob — but I moved before I could stop myself.
I reached out and gently grabbed her wrist.
Not harshly.
Just… instinctively.
She froze.
And in one swift motion, I closed the door behind her.
The soft click echoed through the room like a secret being sealed in.
She looked at me, surprised — not afraid — waiting.
Not with fear.
But curiosity.
Because she didn't understand.
But I did.
I wasn't afraid of the room.
Or Arora.
I was afraid of the truth that followed me here.
Afraid that the past I thought I'd buried in Malvika's absence…
Was about to come alive — again — inside the very room meant to keep us safe.
> And maybe… Safety isn't the same as silence. And silence… Isn't always peace.
To be continued....