The stairwell swallowed sound.
That was the first thing Arjun noticed.
Every step they took seemed quieter than it should have been—like the building itself was absorbing noise, hiding it, suffocating it before it could travel too far.
But the sound above them…
That didn't fade.
It grew.
A slow step.
Then another.
Dragging.
Uneven.
Coming down.
Arjun's throat tightened. His fingers clenched instinctively around the metal rod, though he barely remembered picking it up anymore.
Beside him, Meera didn't move.
She stood still.
Listening.
Counting.
Measuring.
"Don't rush," she whispered.
Her voice was barely audible.
"Let it come closer."
Arjun stared at her.
Let it come closer?
Everything inside him screamed the opposite.
Run,
Hide,
Escape.
But his body didn't move.
Because somewhere deep down—
He knew she was right.
Another step echoed from above.
Closer now.
Followed by that same dragging sound.
Like something was being pulled along with it.
Or worse—
Like it couldn't walk properly anymore.
The dim emergency light flickered weakly, barely illuminating the staircase above.
A shadow appeared.
Long.
Distorted.
Stretching down the wall.
Arjun's breath slowed.
Not by choice, but fear.
The figure came into view.
It was a man.
Or what used to be one.
His head hung slightly to one side, neck bent at an unnatural angle. One arm dangled loosely, fingers twitching occasionally. The other—
The other dragged against the steps, leaving a faint smear behind.
Blood.
Fresh.
Arjun felt his stomach twist.
The man stopped.
Mid-step.
Slowly…
His head lifted.
Those eyes. Pale, Clouded...
But not blind.
They locked onto Arjun.
For a second—
Everything froze.
Then—
It moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
"Now," Meera said.
She stepped forward before Arjun could react.
The metal pipe swung.
Hard.
Crack.
The sound echoed sharply in the stairwell.
The figure staggered.
But didn't fall.
Arjun's eyes widened.
"How is it still—?!"
"Hit again!" Meera snapped.
She didn't wait.
Another swing.
This time aimed higher.
More precisely...
Crack.
The figure collapsed.
Its body hitting the stairs with a dull thud.
But Meera didn't stop.
She struck again and again.
Until it stopped moving completely.
Silence.
Heavy breathing filled the stairwell.
Arjun's chest rose and fell rapidly as he stared at the body.
"That… that should have killed him the first time," he said.
Meera wiped the edge of the pipe against the step.
"You don't stop until you're sure."
Arjun swallowed.
His eyes didn't leave the body.
"Who was he…?" he whispered.
Meera didn't answer.
Because it didn't matter.
Not anymore.
A sound echoed again.
But this time—
Not from above,
From below.
Both of them froze.
A faint shuffle.
Then another.
Then multiple.
Arjun slowly turned his head toward the lower staircase.
Darkness stared back.
But something moved within it.
"More," he whispered.
Meera exhaled slowly.
"They heard us."
The realization hit instantly.
The sound,
The strikes,
The echoes.
They had called them.
"How many?" Arjun asked.
Meera shook her head slightly.
"Enough."
The sound grew louder,
Closer,
Steps,
Dragging,
Breathing.
Not one, Not two but many.
"We go up," Meera said.
"What?!" Arjun looked up the stairs. "There could be more!"
"There will be more," she corrected. "But fewer."
Another sound from below.
Faster now.
More aggressive.
Decision made.
They ran.
Up the stairs.
Two steps at a time.
Ignoring the body they passed.
Ignoring the pain in their legs.
Ignoring everything—
Except survival.
Behind them—
The sound exploded.
Multiple footsteps.
Rushing, Climbing.
"They're fast!" Arjun shouted.
"I know!"
They reached the next floor.
The corridor stretched ahead.
Dark.
Silent.
Too silent.
Meera slowed.
Just slightly.
Enough to check.
Enough to listen.
Nothing.
"Keep moving," she said.
They pushed forward.
Door after door passed them.
All closed.
All quiet.
All hiding something—
Or nothing.
Then—
A door creaked open.
On its own.
Arjun stopped.
"Did you—"
"I didn't touch it," Meera said.
The door opened wider.
Slowly.
Darkness inside.
And then—
A voice.
"…help…"
Arjun froze.
His heart skipped.
"That's—" he started.
Meera grabbed his arm.
Hard.
"Don't," she said.
"But someone's—"
"That's not help."
The voice came again.
Weaker.
"…please…"
Arjun's grip tightened on the rod.
"That's a person."
Meera shook her head.
"That's a trap."
Behind them—
The sound of footsteps grew louder.
Closer.
Time was running out.
Arjun looked at the door.
Then at Meera.
Then back again.
The voice trembled.
"…anyone…"
For a moment—
Everything inside him fought.
Human instinct.
Survival instinct.
One told him to help.
The other told him to run.
"Choose," Meera said.
Arjun closed his eyes for a second.
Then opened them.
Decision made.
He stepped back.
"We go," he said.
Meera nodded once.
They ran past the door.
And just as they did—
The voice stopped.
Instantly.
No fading.
No echo.
Just silence.
Then—
Something slammed against the door from inside.
Hard.
Violent.
Arjun didn't look back.
He couldn't.
Because now he understood something terrifying.
It wasn't just their bodies that were changing.
It was everything else too.