Curse you Vijay.

The canteen fell silent as the students left, leaving only Anju, Viren, and the two waiters. "Where's Vijay?" Anju asked, breaking the quiet.

"Ma'am, Vijay's got a high fever and is resting in the infirmary," one of the waiters replied, himself sweating profusely. Noticing their condition, Viren inquired, "You two aren't looking well either. What's with all the sweat?"

"Still, get yourselves checked after breakfast," Anju instructed. The waiters nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Anju to scroll through her phone for the news.

Outside, kids were gathering on the football field, lining up for their morning training sessions. However, as they moved from the hallway, they were noisy, engaged in conversations.

Annoyed by the noise, Viren shouted, "Silence while you walk! And heads of all four Senas, report to the canteen!"

Within seconds, four boys marched in, each representing a different "sena" - a special unit named after legendary Indian warriors.

Kabir, the bulky brown kid, saluted, "Head of Bheem sena, reporting for duty!"

Jai, the good looking athlete, followed suit, "Head of Ashav sena, reporting sir!"

Kiaan, the fat kid with average height, saluted next, "Head of Arjun sena, reporting sir!" He had a fair skin tone compared to others.

And finally, Rahul, the dark-skinned boy with lightning-fast reflexes, saluted, "Head of Shivaji sena, reporting sir!"

Bheem sena was named after a mighty warrior known for his hand-to-hand combat skills.

Ashav sena represented speed and agility, like a swift horse.

Arjun sena, named after the great archer, focused on precision and marksmanship, but with a modern twist - they trained with different types of guns.

Shivaji sena, named after the legendary swordsman, honed their skill with blades and other melee weapons.

Viren pulled out four keys from his pocket, each one having a unique keychain: a gun, a sword, a horseshoe, and a boxing glove. "Pick your keys and get the training gears ready. We'll be there in a minute," he instructed.

The boys grabbed random keys, then exchanged them according to their respective forces as they exited.

By this time, both waiters had also taken two plates and sat at a table behind the wardens to eat their breakfast.

After the heads left, a headline caught Anju's eye. "Another COVID wave?" she said with concern.

Viren grumbled, "Again? This virus is getting tiresome."

Anju played the news, positioning the mobile phone between her and Viren for a better view, using a bottle for support.

An old-looking male reporter with white hair spoke in a grave tone, "This new strain... it's worse. No longer a silent killer, it turns its victims violent, vicious. The fever burns its victims at 120 degrees, and then... the rage consumes them, making them beasts."

"This isn't airborne," the reporter announced, sounding hopeful. "But contact with a victim is deadly, since their bite can transfer the virus to your body. If you experience high fever, sweating, and chills, contact emergency services immediately. Quarantine zones are being established, and sadly, violence from the infected is also escalating. Stay safe, stay informed. I am your anchor Bose D Wala and you are watching the Bharat News."

"A tension could be felt throughout all of them after the news ended. "Let's check on Vijay," Viren said, a hint of urgency in his voice. They all nodded and abandoned their half-eaten breakfasts, rushing towards the infirmary. The waiters followed behind both wardens, their expressions mirroring concern.

"You two get some rest as well," Anju instructed the waiters with a bit of concern. "We'll handle this." With a nod, they agreed as all of them walked past several rooms in the hallway."

...

Inside the infirmary, a young nurse named Diya, with fair skin, neatly braided hair, and a calm demeanor, met them. "Vijay's not doing well, ma'am," she said, anticipating their questions. "His heart rate…" She gulped, her usually calm eyes now reflecting fear.

Viren calmly walked towards Vijay's bed. A dark, skinny man with a mixture of white and black mustache lay gasping for air, his eyes shut tight.

Leaning close to the patient's ear, Viren whispered, "Vijay, get better soon. We have that drink waiting for you, remember?"

Anju couldn't help but smile at Viren's playfulness amidst the virus threat. Even in such a serious situation, his demeanor was a boost to everyone's morale.

Suddenly, as Diya tried to contact emergency services, the phone buzzed with a particularly annoying message: "Busy." Viren frowned at this as he stood upright. "Just great," he muttered.

Anju ordered Diya, "Diya, use the registered number." Her voice was firm. "We need to get Vijay help, now."

The nurse nodded and retrieved a mobile phone from the upper drawer of her desk. Without wasting time, she dialed the emergency number, and luckily the call connected. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they heard Diya conversing with someone on the phone.

The waiters went towards a bed and sat quietly, gasping for air just like their friend Vijay.

Viren leaned towards Anju's ears and whispered in a serious tone, "So, any updates on our little secret project?" Before Anju could respond, she saw Vijay getting up and lunging towards Viren in an instant, ready to attack him.

"VIREN!! BEHIND YOU." Anju yelled, grabbing everyone's attention in the room.

Viren spun around just in time to see Vijay's red eyes filled with rage directed towards him. Without any hesitation, Vijay latched onto Viren's cheek, sinking his teeth in and pulling off muscle.

Viren's instinct kicked in. He pushed Vijay back and then delivered a powerful punch to his face, sending the infected man colliding with the bed's edge. Vijay's head slammed into the edge of his bed, blood splattering over the white sheets and the floor tiles.

The room fell silent, no one speaking as Viren took loud gasps of air. Diya broke the tense silence, stammering, "I….I called emergency services. They're close… gathering the infected… They'll be here soon."

Anju was shaken by it all, but she still approached Vijay cautiously. Before she could reach him, Viren pulled her away. "You stay back," he said grimly.

He checked Vijay's pulse and after a moment of hesitation, he delivered the sad news. "He's….." Viren paused, as if hoping for a different outcome. But after exhaling heavily, he said, "He is gone."