On a deserted road, a massive bus—something between a vanity van and a war machine—rolled forward slowly, its presence as unsettling as the silence around it. Soft Bollywood songs played faintly inside, an oddly comforting contrast to the chaos outside. But the vehicle itself was anything but ordinary. It didn't look like a bus—it looked like a heavily armored military truck. Its entire body was reinforced with solid armor plating, and every inch of it was loaded with advanced technology. Weapons were mounted all over—machine guns, missile launchers, laser cannons—strange and deadly devices that turned the vehicle into a weapon on wheels.
Inside, a man in his mid-twenties casually drove, completely lost in the music. His long hair and thick beard made him look older than he was, and he wore an advanced military combat suit, equipped with high-tech gear and weapons of its own. Despite everything, there was a strange ease in the way he handled the vehicle, like this madness had become his normal.
He hummed along with the song, moving steadily toward his destination… though the road ahead held no signs of life. Not a single human. Not even an animal or a bird. Only broken, shattered buildings passed by him, along with wrecked, abandoned cars scattered across the ruined streets. The atmosphere was heavy, suffocating. The sky above was covered in dark, swirling clouds, with flashes of eerie red light bleeding through them. From all directions, thick green and black smoke curled upward into the sky, as if the earth itself was still burning from some forgotten catastrophe.
It looked like a battlefield after a devastating war… or worse, a world that had already ended.
And through this dead, broken city, that soldier-like man kept driving forward.
"I set out with my car… on a lonely road… and at one turn, I left my heart behind…"
He sang along, but halfway through, his voice lost its charm. A sigh escaped him as he glanced at the small robot sitting beside him.
"Man… there's nothing left to leave my heart behind for anymore, Charlie," he muttered, his tone heavy with exhaustion. "Life's completely messed up. I don't even know how I'm still living. Can't die… can't live properly either. The world's gone to hell… and the only thing I've got to talk to is you—a damn tin can. Who knows, maybe one day you'll ditch me too and just go offline."
The small, cute robot turned its head toward him, its mechanical voice stuttering slightly.
"I… am… not… going… anywhere… I… will… stay… with… you…"
Aditya let out a dry, humorless chuckle.
"Yeah, right… you can't even speak properly, and you're promising a lifetime of company."
Still, the faintest hint of a smile touched his lips.
The road stretched endlessly as night began to fall. The sky darkened even more, swallowing whatever little light remained. After driving for a while, Aditya finally pulled over near what looked like an abandoned petrol pump.
He stepped out, moving with practiced efficiency. From the pump, he gathered whatever fuel he could salvage and loaded it into the truck. Nearby, a half-destroyed store—something like a small mall—still had scraps of packaged food left. He collected as much as he could, stuffing it all into the vehicle.
The inside of the bus was like a compact mobile base. It was divided into two sections—one designed like a small living space with a bed and essentials, and the other stacked to the brim with weapons.
Once he was done, Aditya pulled out a cigarette from his uniform, lit it, and took a long drag. The glowing tip briefly illuminated his tired face.
As he exhaled slowly, he reached for the bus door—
"Rrr… Aahh… Rrr…"
The sound froze him mid-motion.
A low, guttural growl echoed through the empty space.
His eyes sharpened instantly.
Without wasting a second, he shut the bus door and quickly slipped behind the petrol booth, taking cover. His breathing slowed as his instincts took over. Carefully, he peeked toward his vehicle while pulling out a strange blue-and-black advanced gun, loading it in one smooth motion.
And then… they appeared.
A group of creatures—once human, but now something far worse—staggered into view.
Their eyes were grotesque, swollen, and glowing with a sickly yellow hue. Their mouths hung open unnaturally, revealing rotten, decaying teeth, while thick green saliva dripped down their chins. Their bodies were torn apart in places—holes and wounds exposing muscle and flesh—and from those same openings, dark green and black smoke seeped out, as if something inside them was still rotting… or burning.
They didn't walk normally. Their movements were twisted, uneven… like lifeless puppets being dragged forward by invisible strings.
Dead… yet moving.
Aditya watched them approach, then let out a tired sigh.
"Oh, come on… just some low-level zombies," he muttered. "Alright then… time to clean up."
Without hesitation, he stepped out from cover, raised his weapon, and opened fire.
The silence shattered instantly.
Each shot rang out with deadly precision. His aim was flawless—every single bullet hit straight into their heads. One by one, the zombies dropped, their bodies collapsing lifelessly onto the ground.
He moved like a machine himself—calm, controlled, unstoppable.
But suddenly—
Click.
The firing stopped.
The blue glow on his gun flickered… and died.
"Seriously?" he snapped, annoyed.
The weapon had gone offline.
With an irritated sigh, he locked the gun back into his suit and pulled out a sleek black dagger instead. The blade hummed faintly, glowing with a sharp blue light.
He looked at the remaining zombies and smirked.
"Come on then, kids… daddy's ready."
And then he charged.
What followed wasn't a fight—it was a slaughter.
Aditya moved through them like a storm, his dagger slicing effortlessly. His movements were swift, precise, almost surgical. One slash—another head gone. A turn—another throat cut. The glowing blade carved through them like butter, leaving trails of blue light in the air, almost like a deadly light show.
Within moments… it was over.
Every last zombie lay dead.
Aditya dropped to the ground, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his face.
"Man… that wasn't even fun," he muttered between breaths. "Too easy."
He leaned back slightly, catching his breath—
"Aditya… we came here to talk to you."
The voice came from behind him.
Clear.
Human.
Aditya frowned, annoyed, not even turning at first.
"Who the hell is that?"
But then—
It hit him.
A human voice.
In a world where humans didn't exist anymore.
His entire body stiffened.
Slowly… sharply… he turned around.