CREEP IN' - IRIS

January 28, 3070

Without wasting another moment, we slip out of the kitchen and into the chaos beyond.

The once familiar corridors are now a battleground, filled with the echoes of distant screams, the clatter of fleeing footsteps, and the low growls of the necrogens hunting for fresh prey.

We move quickly, ducking behind overturned tables and smashed vending machines as we make our way toward the lab. The necrogens are everywhere, their grotesque forms lumbering through the halls, their blue eyes glowing with an unnatural hunger. We stay low, using the shadows to our advantage, and every step feels like a dance on the edge of a knife.

I can feel Karan's presence beside me, his movements fluid and silent. He's surprisingly good at this, better than I expected. His cocky demeanor belies a sharp focus and a honed instinct for survival. He catches my eye and winks, a small, irritating reminder that he's just so him.

We reach the lab entrance, the heavy steel door standing slightly ajar. I push it open, the door creaking loudly in the silence. I bite back a curse, listening for any sign that we've been detected. But the hallway remains quiet, the distant sounds of chaos muffled by the thick walls.

We slip inside the lab, and my eyes narrow at the sight before me. The laboratory where we used to conduct simulations and practicals is ruined. Tables are overturned, glassware shattered on the floor, and the computers are either smashed or missing. It's clear that whoever did this wasn't just looking for something — they were trying to erase everything.

Karan starts searching the room, his eyes sharp as he scans for anything useful. I follow suit, my mind racing as I sift through the debris. That's when I spot it — a laptop, half-hidden under one of the overturned tables. It's dusty, but otherwise intact.

I kneel down, my fingers brushing against the cool metal as I pull it out. "Got it," I whisper to myself.

He's beside me in an instant, his hand brushing against mine as he helps me lift the laptop. "Looks very deliberate," he murmurs, his voice low and thoughtful.

I clench my jaw, staring at the laptop. He's right. It looks like someone purposely hid it here.

And the only name that comes in my mind is Dr. Shanaya Rajbhar.

I push the thought to the back of my mind. This is no time to dwell on possibilities.

Just when I am done placing the laptop charger in my coat pocket, a low growl echoes through the room. For a second, my heart stops beating as I realize we're not alone. The necrogens are here.

"I guess we need to be quick," Karan says and I nod.

I glance around, trying to figure out what attracted them but then stop shortly. It was that damn door, wasn't it?

I sigh, my mind racing as I try to recall everything I know about these creatures. They hunt primarily by sound, their vision is good, and their sense of smell is also good. They're relentless, and once they've locked onto a target, they don't stop until they've torn it apart.

Just then the sound gets louder.

"Get down," I hiss at Karan, pulling him down behind the desk just as the necrogens barge into the room.

Karan crouches beside me, his breath warm against my ear. I can feel his gaze on me, but I keep my eyes fixed on the creatures. They're close, too close.

And he is very close because I can feel the tension radiating off him.

I can also feel his hand, slowly inching toward mine. I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Even in this messed-up situation, this son of a toad doesn't stop. His fingers brush against mine, but I pull away, focusing on the necrogens instead.

Karan doesn't seem deterred. He inches closer, his shoulder brushing against mine, his hand resting lightly on my knee. I shoot him a glare, but he just grins, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

I grit my teeth, trying to ignore him, but it's not easy. He's annoyingly persistent, and the situation is making it all the more absurd. Just as I'm about to shove him away, I remember the storage room attached to the library. It's just a few steps away, and it might be our only chance.

I lean closer to Karan, trying to whisper without making a sound. "Storage room," I mouth, gesturing toward the library door with a subtle nod of my head.

He furrows his brow, clearly not understanding. I try again, mouthing the words more slowly, but he still looks confused. A necrogen lumbers closer, its gnarled hand brushing against the desk.

Panic surges through me, and in a desperate move, I slam a hand over Karan's mouth to stop him from doing anything stupid. His eyes widen in surprise, but he stays still, thankfully quiet. I can feel his warm breath against my palm, and I realize I'm holding my breath as well.

The necrogen snarls, its grotesque face inches from where we're hiding. I press my hand harder against Karan's mouth, his exaggerated wide eyes adding to the absurdity of the situation. It takes everything in me not to make a face at how ridiculous this is — Karan Rajbhar who has a motor for a mouth, now silenced by my hand while a monster lurks just above us.

This can so be the cover page of a novel to be honest.

The necrogen lingers, its hollow eyes scanning the room. We're both tense, waiting, hoping it doesn't detect us. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the necrogen moves on, drawn by some other sound in the distance.

So it is not smell that attracts them. Strange.

As soon as it's gone, I remove my hand from Karan's mouth. He smirks, clearly enjoying the close contact, but I'm already moving. We crawl out from behind the desk, staying low as we make our way toward the library door.

It's a slow, painstaking process, and I can feel Karan's gaze on me the whole time. His flirtatious attitude is infuriating, but also oddly nice. At least he's not letting fear get the best of him.

As we near the door, I glance back at Karan, motioning for him to follow. But instead of heading toward the storage room, he suddenly grabs my hand and darts in the opposite direction.

"Karan!" I hiss, but he doesn't hear me.

With a frustrated sigh, I pull on his arm. The sudden pull causes him to lose his balance slightly, stumbling in a way that would've been hilarious if the situation weren't so dire. He gives me a confused look, but I don't have time to explain. I drag him toward the storage room, my grip firm on his wrist.

We burst into the storage room, and I quickly shut the door behind us, leaning against it to catch my breath. Karan looks at me, his usual smirk replaced by a more serious expression.

"You could've just told me," he pants, but I'm already focused on the laptop.

I pull the charger from my coat pocket, quickly connecting it to the storage room plug and turn the computer on. We have to stand since the charger plug is not long enough and it adds to the irritation. My legs are killing me.

The screen flickers to life, and all my irritation vanishes as Dr. Rajbhar's face fills the screen.

"It's a video," I whisper, more to myself than to Karan. But as the video plays, my blood runs cold.

Dr. Rajbhar's voice is calm, almost too calm, as she addresses me directly. "Iris, if you're watching this, then you've managed to stand on my expectations. I hoped you would. As much as I despise your attitude and stubborness, you are one of the smartest students NEUN has ever had. And I say this not to flatter you but to humble you. Because that smartness earned you attention. The bad kind of attention."

I scoff. I already know that. She herself told me this. That evening, I trusted her. I let my guard down and made her promise I knew I could never keep. It was the look in her eyes, the tears.

Honestly, I'll kill her myself.

"Though I knew you would never willingly walk with the CORPS or anyone from this institution," she shakes her head with a chuckle. "That's why I left this message for you."

Her tone is measured, almost clinical, as if she's discussing a project, not the end of my world. "I expected this," she continues, her eyes unblinking. "I had hoped that you would listen to reason, but I knew better than to rely on hope alone."

This woman, she says this? The rage I feel right now is otherworldly.

She pauses, a frown on her lips. "Now, there are CORPS looking for you. Some to save you, others to capture you. The ones looking to save you are your best chance. But beware — the others are under orders to not kill but capture you. The main gates of the institution have been shut down, and the only thing that can save you is yourself, or if somehow you get into the hands of the good CORPS."

My mind races, processing her words. CORPS sent to capture me? I knew it. I knew they couldn't be trusted. CORPS sent to save me? I call bullshit.

Her gaze sharpens. "A few high-level necrogens have escaped from the lab. I don't know what's happening anymore, but I do know that I will do everything in my power to protect you. Others do not matter but you do. I will protect you."

"He must be with you," Karan stiffens beside me and I glance at him. Stone cold expressions. I should have expected this. And this time, her words are addressed directly to him. "Karan, remember the promise you made to me."

Dr. Rajbhar leans forward, her voice dropping to a foreboding whisper. "Death might never find you, Iris. But they will. And it's much worse." The video ends abruptly, leaving the room in heavy silence.

So even this time, I am the one who must suffer.

Her words twist inside me, fanning the flames of a deep, burning, ugly rage.

The memory of everyone I loved flashes before my eyes — now just ghosts that haunt me. I lost everything because of people like her, people who think they can play anyone, who believe they have the right to decide who lives and who dies.

The people who are now after me — they're the same ones who took everything from me.

They killed them. All of them.

And they made sure I watched every second of it.

And I'm supposed to suffer again? To live with the guilt and pain, while they continue their twisted experiments, their manipulations, their lies?

Cold, steely hands crush my heart, but instead of breaking, I find a twisted solace in the icy resolve that floods through me. The pain, the guilt — it all hardens into something darker, something far more powerful.

Something I've grown familiar with.

The plan will remain as it is, and with the same edge — ruthless and unyielding. This institution, this hell they've created, will burn beneath my feet. I will watch it crumble, watch their power and influence disintegrate into ashes.

And when the flames have consumed every last remnant of their deceit, I will stand among the ruins, knowing that I have avenged everyone.

That feeling starts to creep up my neck again and I feel my head getting heavier because of the darkness creating mayhem in it. 

"So just another pawn in her game, huh? Who would have thought?"

Karan's eyes meet mine. "It is not like that Iris."

I scoff. No emotions, no irritation at me for not believing Dr. Rajbhar. Nothing. Because deep down, he knows, doesn't he? He knows exactly what role he's playing in this twisted game, and he's resigned to it.

"Of course, you'd say that," I reply, my voice a monotone. My eyes never leave his face and not because I am searching for any crack in his facade, for any sign that he might be more than just another puppet in Dr. Rajbhar's twisted theater. No. Because all I see is a man who's made his peace with his part in this, whatever that may be.

And that thought alone pushes that creeping feeling up my neck further.

Karan sighs, rubbing a hand over his face as if trying to wipe away the weariness etched into his features. "Iris, you don't understand. There's more at play here than you realize. But she will never, ever let anything happen to you."

"And you think I care?" My words are sharp, cutting through his feeble attempt at justification. "You think I care about your reasons or whatever twisted logic Dr. Rajbhar has fed you? She's manipulated everyone here, and you —" I point a finger at him. "You're standing here defending her."

His gaze falters for just a second, a brief flicker of doubt, but then it's gone, replaced by that same blank determination. "It's not about defending her, Iris. It's about surviving."

"And how would you know about that, huh?" I take a step closer, my voice dropping to a harsh, biting edge. "What do you know about survival, Karan Rajbhar? Have you ever been hungry, really hungry? Not just craving a meal but desperate for one, where the gnawing emptiness in your gut feels like it's eating you alive? Have you ever faced the cold, searing truth of not knowing where your next breath might come from, let alone your next bite?"

His eyes harden, but I don't give him a chance to respond. "You think you understand survival because you play a part in someone else's game? Because you pretend to be a hero in their twisted narrative? You stand there and act like you know what it's like to truly fight for your life but have you ever faced the brutality of a world that doesn't care whether you live or die?"

I lean in closer, my voice cold, every word dripping with disdain. "You have no idea what it's like to be stripped of everything you love, to watch helplessly as your world crumbles around you. You haven't felt the cold sting of betrayal, the suffocating weight of grief, or the burning drive for vengeance that keeps you going when everything else falls apart."

His face is a mask of stoic determination, but I see the cracks beginning to show. "So don't stand there and act like you're in this for anything more than your own survival. Because as far as I'm concerned, your understanding of survival is as shallow as your personality."

The fire coursing through my veins, the coldness in my heart and the darkness in my head all start to creep up my neck and I take a few steps back, away from him to ground myself. If I give in to all of this, this feeling, I will lose myself.

Even if I regret saying all these things to him, giving him a peek into my scars with my words, I will not forget the satisfaction that manages to seep into my bones at the look of his face.

Utter pain and hesitant uncertainty.

It's a grim validation that my words have cut deep, striking at the core of his perceived invulnerability. A mix of anguish and doubt, he reflects my own turmoil, and seeing it written so clearly on his face is both a balm and a torment. It's as if my outburst has laid bare not only my own suffering but has forced him to confront the uncomfortable truths he's been skirting around. In his eyes, I see a flicker of the vulnerability that I've felt all along, a mirror to my own pain, and it's a cruel, satisfying vindication.

Before he can respond or I could say anything more, the door bursts open, and Karan moves instinctively to shield me. It only irritates me further. The audacity of this man. I push him aside, ready to face whatever comes through that door.

But it's not another necrogen that steps into view. Instead, it's Bhavya, armed with a gun and an axe, and flanked by three other students, one of whom is Nara.

The sight of Nara brings a wave of relief crashing over me. She rushes towards me, enveloping me in a tight hug. I raise my hand to pat her lightly on her shoulder and she pulls away, smiling and tearing a little.

"I am so happy to see you, Iris."

I smile softly. "Me too."

But this brief reprieve is overshadowed by the mounting tension between Bhavya and Karan. Bhavya, with his piercing gaze and a protective stance that mirrors Karan's, strides over to me and grabs my hand.

Karan's response is immediate and aggressive. He slaps Bhavya's hand away and steps between us, his eyes blazing with a fierce protectiveness.

"Back off," Karan growls, his voice a harsh whisper of fury.

Bhavya's face contorts with anger, and they begin to exchange heated insults. Their confrontation is a caustic mix of curses and threats, a display of testosterone and territoriality that makes my head spin. My patience is at its limit; the last thing we need is this testosterone-fueled clash of egos when we're surrounded by danger.

"If you want to fight..." they both look at me. "...do it in the storage room. We don't have time for this."

Karan's glare is a mixture of frustration and something else — something fake. I turn to Bhavya, who is looking at Karan with a smug expression that I find increasingly irritating.

"I'm with Nara," I say firmly, gripping her hand to emphasize my point. "Not anyone else."

Bhavya's smugness evaporates, replaced by a frown. He clearly didn't anticipate this shift. I ignore his reaction and focus solely on Nara. "The kitchen in the cafeteria is where the rest of the people are. I need your help to get there."

Nara nods quickly, her support unwavering. "Of course, Iris. Whatever you need."

As we start to leave, I glance back at Karan, who follows us silently. The urge to tell him to stay away gnaws at me, but I bite it back. Telling him off would only raise questions, questions I'm not interested in answering. I just have to keep my distance—from him, from all of them. It's the only way I can focus on what needs to be done.

The weight of Dr. Rajbhar's video presses heavily on my mind, her words replaying over and over like a broken record.

Death might never find me, but they will.

Somehow, that doesn't feel worse at all.