The classroom buzzed with excitement; it was the final class before the holidays. Every pair of eyes was locked on the clock. Just five minutes left until the bell rang. At the front, ma'am continued writing something on the board, seemingly unaware of the restless energy in the room.
"And that's done. Any doubts, class?" she asked, turning around.
Everyone stared blankly at her—everyone except me. My gaze was still fixed on the clock.
Suddenly, she slammed her hand on the desk, making the whole class jump. "Karmaaa! What did I just ask? Tell me!"
I didn't answer. I kept my head down, staring at the floor. Silence hung in the air for a beat, then, mercifully, the bell rang.
I exhaled in relief. She sighed too, but hers was not one of forgiveness.
"Aghhh... Enjoy your holidays, and don't forget to do your holiday homework. Karma, you—you have extra homework to do. You'll be stacking the benches before you leave. The college will be closed, and it has to be done properly."
I groaned inwardly. "Aghh, shit..." I muttered, punching the desk in frustration.
While everyone else packed up and left, I stayed behind, moving the benches one by one, stacking them as instructed. The silence around felt heavier than ever.
When I finally finished, I grabbed my bag and stepped out of the classroom. Outside the college gates, my friends—Ayush, Aman, and Ayan—were waiting, their faces bright with excitement. Seeing them made the long punishment worth it.
After college, we headed straight to Mittal Da Dhaba on our two scooties—Ayush and I on one, Ayan and Aman on the other. I held on for dear life as Ayush sped through traffic like he was racing someone. The scary part? No one else was racing. He just had this weird need to win, even against the wind.
We weren't just out for lunch. We wanted to plan how to spend our upcoming vacation. Ayush and I ordered two plates of aloo-pyaaz naan with dal and chole, while Aman and Ayan went for their usual—chicken biryani.
"So," I asked, breaking the silence as we started eating, "any holiday plans coming up next week?"
"Nah," Ayan replied with a lazy shrug. "I'm just gonna sleep all day."
"I'll probably spend most of it playing cricket," Ayush said, already chewing.
Aman leaned back in his seat. "I don't know... nothing solid yet."
Then he looked over at me. "Wait, isn't your birthday coming up? When is it again?"
"Yeah, it's on June 13. Two weeks from now," I said. "Since none of you have real plans, how about we take a trip to Goa to celebrate?"
They all glanced at one another, then grinned.
"Yes, let's do it."
"Sure, I'm in."
"Definitely, I'm ready."
"Ayan," I said, turning to him, "you're the only one among us who's actually booked tickets for anything before. Can you check and book for us?"
"As you say, Korma," Ayan said with a playful smirk. "I'll look into it and let you guys know."
"We're going to Goa. Only friends. No family," Aman said, grinning wide.
"Right, bro. Our families chill like that," Ayush added, chuckling.
After lunch, we paid the bill and left the dhaba. On the way back, Ayush and Aman hopped off as we dropped them home. Since the scooties were mine and Ayan's, we continued a bit further together.
"Don't forget to check the tickets once you're home," I reminded him.
"Got it," he said with a nod, and we split ways. I headed home, still smiling at the thought of Goa.
I entered the house, kicked off my shoes and peeled off my socks, heading straight for my room when Mom's voice stopped me mid-step.
"Did you have lunch, beta?"
"Yeah," I replied without turning.
"Do you want anything to drink?"
"Umm... I think a strawberry shake, if we have it. If not, anything works."
"Of course we have it," she said. "You go wait in your room. I'll bring it right there."
I stepped into my room, placed my bag neatly inside the almirah, changed into my comfy clothes, and sat down at my PC. A few clicks later, I was already queuing up in Valorant.
Mid-match, a thought hit me—I hadn't told Mom about the Goa plan. I was pretty sure she'd be okay with it. Ninety-nine percent sure, at least. But that one percent? That always lingered.
She'd changed a lot since Dad's disappearance. He'd been working overseas when I was ten, and my sister was six. One day, we got a call—his car had crashed. No body was found. Nothing. Just a cold, brutal void. And that void shaped a lot of what came after.
Still... I shook the thought out of my head. No need to be all sulky now.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in," I said.
Mom walked in with a smile and a tall glass in hand. "Here's your strawberry shake. Ice cream on top, just how you like it."
"Anything else, sweetheart?" she asked.
"Nope. Oh—and me and my friends are planning a trip to Goa next week. For my birthday. Is it—"
She cut me off before I could finish.
"Of course it is, sweetheart. You're a grown man now. Just be careful, and don't forget to bring something back for us since you won't be here on your birthday."
I blinked, surprised. "Wow... I wasn't expecting that response."
She smiled. "Well, I'm going now. Have fun."
And just like that, she left the room.
I took a sip. Yummy. It was perfect—ice-cold, creamy, and exactly what I needed. Strawberry shake really is the G.O.A.T.
A few hours later, I picked up my phone and texted Ayan to remind him about the tickets. Then I dropped a message in our group chat:
"My mom gave me permission. What about you guys?"
"My dad said no at first," Aman replied, "but he agreed when I told him I'm paying for it myself."
"Umm... my family isn't allowing it," Ayush said. "You guys need to come convince them."
"Ohh, lol. You said our families 'chill like that,'" Aman replied, and both Ayan and I reacted with laughing emojis.
"I don't even need to ask for permission," Ayan added. "I just tell them."
"Woah. Cool."
A little while later, Ayan messaged me privately:
"I found the best flight. June 10, early morning at 3:42 AM. We'll have two days to explore Goa before your birthday on the 13th. Return flight is in the evening, so you can still celebrate with your family too."
OMG. This sounded perfect.
"Let's just convince Ayush's parents tomorrow," I wrote. "I want all four of us to go. It's our last year—we might not get another chance like this."
"You're right, Korma," Ayan replied. "Let's go together and convince them. Hell yeah."
Ayan had this aura about him, this effortless charisma. Honestly, if he wanted, he could convince a dog to meow and a cat to bark. If anyone could get Ayush's parents to agree, it was him.
"Bye, goodnight," I texted, and then shut my phone.
Sleep came easy that night, with dreams of beaches, laughter, and a trip that already felt legendary.
The next morning, I went through my usual routine: shower, breakfast, and a bit of gaming. The sun outside was blazing, heat waves dancing on the street like it was angry. We decided to postpone the "convincing mission" to the evening.
All four of us hopped into a BGMI match to kill time.
I was an average player—decent on a good day, cannon fodder on a bad one. Ayan, though, was the real tactician. Always knew where to rotate, when to push, when to hold. Ayush? He got knocked out more times than I could count, and every time he knocked someone else out, he tortured them with emotes like it was personal revenge. Aman was the sniper-looter combo—first to loot crates.
After a couple of matches, I said, "Alright, guys, I'm off. Meet you at Ayush's house for the mission."
I took a short nap and dreamt I was in the game itself, dropping bodies left and right like a pro. When I woke up, I was greeted by a string of missed calls. My phone had been on silent.
"Shit!"
I unlocked my screen to find a message from the group:
"We're already at Ayush's place. Come soon."
Double shit.
I bolted out of bed, still in the same crumpled T-shirt and shorts I'd slept in. Grabbed my keys, jumped on my scooty, and raced down the street. Ayush's house was only five minutes away, but every second felt like a punch to my reputation.
Sure, I knew Ayan could convince them alone. The guy could sell ice in Antarctica. But still, I was supposed to be there. I was the one planning the trip. My absence made it look unserious—and I had been napping, goddammit.
I pulled up at Ayush's house and parked. Just as I reached out to ring the bell, the front door opened and they stepped out, smiling.
"Korma, you're late!" Ayan said with a proud grin. "I already convinced them."
I stared at him. "Woah, really? Well... I'm not even surprised."
Just then, Ayush's mom appeared at the door.
"Namaste, auntie," I greeted politely.
"Namaste, beta," she replied with a warm smile. "How are you? How's your mother and sister?"
"They're fine, auntie. All good."
"I allowed Ayush to go only because you boys are going with him. Make sure he doesn't wander off alone—he has a habit of doing that. That's our only condition."
"Of course, auntie. We'll take care of him."
She nodded and gave us all a small smile before heading back inside.
After that, we decided to take a walk to the nearby park, our mission complete. Ayan had done it again. Like always.
Four days before the trip, we hit the mall together to stock up on essentials—sunscreen, floral shirts, beachwear, and whatever else screamed "Goa vibes." The plan was clear: look like we belonged on the beach, not like four confused tourists. We grabbed everything we needed and even a few things we didn't.
Time skipped again. One day left.
Our flight was scheduled for 3:42 AM. We decided to head to the airport in Ayan's car—his family had a driver, and it made everything easier.
That evening, I packed my suitcase, double-checked my checklist, and zipped it shut with a quiet sense of pride. I glanced at the photo of Dad on my bedside table.
"I'm going," I whispered. "I'm a grown man now. I hope you're proud of me."
I stepped out of my room. Mom and my little sister were waiting near the door. My sister looked happier than me—probably thrilled that she'd have full control over the TV and zero interruptions for a few days.
Mom smiled and hugged me tight.
"Take care, beta. Have fun."
I touched her feet for blessings, nodded to my sister, and stepped outside.
Ayan's car pulled up in front of my house. I tossed my bag in and got in. Next, we picked up Ayush. As he stepped out of his house, his mom called out from the doorway:
"Do not wander off alone, you idiot!"
Ayush grinned sheepishly and mumbled, "Yes, mom..."
With the squad assembled, we headed to Ayan's house for a short while—about an hour and a half—to chill, recheck everything, and kill time. Then we were off, music blasting through the speakers as the car sped through the quiet, late-night roads.
We reached the airport in just under an hour, still with plenty of time before boarding. The place was alive, even at this hour. We checked in, cleared security, and waited near the gate, soaking it all in.
It was the first time any of us were flying—except for Ayan, of course. The rest of us were half thrilled, half terrified.
"I'm both scared and excited," I admitted.
"Same, lol," Ayush and Aman echoed at the same time.
We laughed.
When the boarding call finally came, we moved with the crowd, stepping into the aircraft with wide eyes and nervous energy.
The flight took off, and in that moment of lift, our hearts jumped.
It was thrilling. Unreal.
Delhi to Goa takes around three hours. We'd land around 7 AM, and from there, it'd be just another hour's drive to the hotel.
We were buzzing with excitement for Goa, but the universe had other plans.
Minutes before landing, storm clouds swallowed the plane. Winds slammed the fuselage, rocking it like a toy.
The air hostess's voice crackled:
"There's no need to panic. The situation is under control."
I wanted to believe her.
Then, turbulence hit.
Hard.
The plane dropped. Oxygen masks hissed. Screams. Luggage crashed. Another jolt hit, harder, violent.
Seatbelts tore open.
I remember falling.
Then nothing.
I woke up.
Alone.
Somewhere I didn't know.
Not a scratch on me.
A quiet coastal town. Shops open, lights on, but not a soul around.
No cars. No sounds. Behind me, just the ocean.
No wreckage. No signal. No answers.
I crossed the road, then heard it.
Gunfire.
Short bursts. Close.
I ran toward it.
Halfway there, I tripped.
On a corpse.
Then I saw more. Piled. Some rotting, some fresh.
One man gasped. A hole in his chest. Still alive.
He grabbed my ankle.
His eyes begged for help.
Then, limp.
Gone.
Panicked, I bolted into a house.
More bodies. Inside too.
Then, footsteps.
Three.
Getting closer.
I ducked behind a wall.
Spotted a clean knife on the ground. Grabbed it.
Two on the left.
All armed.
If I ran, I'd die.
If I stayed, I'd be caught.
They turned the corner.
I swung my arm with full strength and screamed,
"AAAGHHHHHHH!!!"