Quick heads-up, readers — I'll be using 'V.O.' as shorthand for voiceovers throughout the story. Let's dive in!
"In silence, we searched for love. In ruins, we found truth."
INT. SWEET SHOP – EARLY MORNING
Dim morning light filters through a cracked glass pane. Dust swirls in the beam. Rain has stopped, but the streets outside remain wet, heavy with silence.
The group stirs. KARTIK sits by the shutter, eyes heavy, but still awake.
AYUSH rises, rubbing his eyes. ANANYA is curled beside him, his jacket still draped over her. Others are slowly waking, groaning from stiff backs and cold.
BHARGAV
(yawning)
How long till we move?
KARTIK
(quiet)
Now. It's morning.
SANA
(voice soft, hopeful)
Can we… go home? Just… to see?
Everyone goes silent.
TANYA
(sits up, hopeful)
Yeah… what if our families are waiting for us?
AYESHA
(softly)
My house is just across the canal. I could… check?
AYUSH
(looking around)
We go together. But… we split into teams. No one goes alone. We check houses. Quietly. If we see movement inside, we wait. Knock. Call. If there's no answer—we still enter… carefully.
KARTIK
(serious)
And if they've turned…
He stops. The silence says enough.
EXT. ABANDONED CITY STREETS – MORNING
The group walks through sun-drenched streets, water reflecting light like glass. They pass overturned autos, muddy shoes, schoolbags left behind. A frozen world.
AYUSH (V.O.)
We split up. Three groups. Each headed for a different lane. Each one of us hoping… praying.
GROUP 1: AYUSH, ANANYA, KARTIK, ISHA
They approach Ayush's house first. A two-storey building with blue gates, cracked windows. A child's bicycle rusts at the side.
ANANYA
(softly)
Do you… want me to knock?
Ayush nods.
She knocks—three soft taps.
No answer.
KARTIK
(low)
Let's go in.
Inside, the house smells of damp wood and rot. Furniture is overturned. Photo frames lie shattered. A family portrait of Ayush with his parents is cracked but untouched on the wall.
They enter a bedroom.
Ayush sees two bodies on the bed—his mother and father—cold, still holding hands. Peaceful. Unturned. Just… gone.
AYUSH
(whispers, frozen)
Maa… Papa…
He drops to his knees. Tears fall silently as he takes their hands in his. Cold.
ISHA
(whispers)
They… they didn't turn…
ANANYA
(kneels beside him)
They waited for you, Ayush. Together.
Ayush doesn't speak. He kisses their hands. His lips tremble.
AYUSH
(voice cracked)
I'm sorry… I couldn't save you.
GROUP 2: SHIVAM, DEV, TANYA
They approach Tanya's building, a faded pink apartment block. The top floor is blackened by fire.
TANYA
(hurrying)
Flat 302.
Inside the stairwell, the smell hits them—burnt wood and blood.
At the top, Tanya rushes ahead—opens the door.
The flat is scorched. The kitchen melted. And on the floor near the window—
Her father—or what remains of him. His shirt is half burnt. One hand is holding a locket.
Tanya moves to it—kneels.
TANYA
(quiet sob)
He… he waited here. Even when the fire came.
SHIVAM
(softly)
He stayed for you.
Suddenly—behind the bathroom door—movement.
The door creaks.
DEV
(raises weapon)
Careful—
A figure stumbles out. Tanya's mother. Turned. Skin pale, eyes blank, mouth bloodied.
Tanya gasps. Freezes.
SHIVAM
(grabs her)
Tanya—don't—
She breaks free. Tears flooding. Her mother lunges.
Dev swings the rod—THWACK. She collapses.
Tanya screams—a raw, shattering sound. Dev kneels beside her, eyes wide with grief and guilt.
DEV
(softly)
I'm sorry…
GROUP 3: LUCKY, SANAA, BHARGAV, AYESHA
They approach a quiet housing colony. Paint peeled, toys in gardens untouched.
They reach Sanaa's home first.
She enters, flashlight shaking.
Inside, walls are neat. A photo of her younger self on the wall. A dog's leash near the door.
She calls—
SANAA
Mummy? Papa?
Silence.
They check room to room.
Bathroom door opens.
Her father stumbles out—alive.
SANAA
Papa!?
But he's thin. Pale. Wounded.
Sanaa's Mother appears too, hugging her. Both alive—but barely. Weak from starvation.
Sanaa cries, burying her face in her mother's chest.
SANAA
(whispers)
I thought you were gone…
AYESHA
(smiling, crying)
They made it…
Suddenly, in the street, Bhargav sees movement.
He turns.
It's his father—walking down the road. Slowly.
BHARGAV
Papa!?
But as he runs forward—the figure turns.
Dead. Eyes empty. Blood drips from his chin.
Bhargav stops. Staggers back.
His father growls.
He charges. Bhargav swings—CRACK—with the wrench.
His father's body collapses.
Bhargav stands frozen.
BHARGAV
(whispers)
He… was right there…
Lucky moves to him, holds his hand. Neither speak.
EXT. MAIN ROAD – SUNSET
The groups return, one by one. Faces pale. Some tear-streaked. Some empty.
Only Sanaa returns with her parents alive. The others—changed forever.
They sit under a half-collapsed bus stop. No one speaks for minutes.
KARTIK
(voice low)
I saw Ayush cry today.
No response.
ANANYA
(whispers)
We all lost something.
AYUSH
(quiet)
And we all came back.
SHIVAM
(exhales)
Except parts of us didn't.
They sit, bathed in orange light. Survivors.
Children, with no homes left.
But still… together.
EXT. ROOFTOP – NIGHT
Ayush stands at the edge. Ananya joins him.
ANANYA
You did what you could.
AYUSH
(soft)
Not enough.
ANANYA
You're still here. That's more than enough for me.
She holds his hand.
Below, the city sleeps—silent, broken.
Above them, stars flicker—indifferent.
AYUSH (V.O.)
We searched for home. And found each other.
In the end, family isn't just who raised you.
It's who survives with you.
[EPISODE 4 – END]