reach for it. She had never held a gun in her hands, and didn't think she would do anything to increase their chances of survival by trying to use one for the first time when under attack by these fiends.
She realized she was running out of road and turned to face the attacker on her right. He had lost his turban in the chase, and his head was half bald, patches of yellow scalp showing. He looked no more than fifteen. A boy, who had perhaps been playing games with his friends a day earlier. What a waste of a life. What a waste of all the lives. Before she could think any further, the boy fell off the car as if an invisible flyswatter had swatted him away. She looked behind to see him sitting up, and then another hammer blow knocked him flat. When she turned to her left, the same fate had befallen the attacker there. She had been so transfixed by the sight that she noticed too late that she was about to crash into the parked cars just ahead.
Hina was thrown forward by the impact, hitting her head on the dashboard. She reeled back in pain, and her hand came away wet with her blood when she put it to her forehead. She looked behind her to see if the attackers had followed them, but in the darkness, she could only see their prone bodies lying on the road some fifty meters behind. Then the door opened and before she could scream, strong hands wrapped around her mouth and pulled her out.
Mayukh was huddled in a corner of the room. He had little recollection of what had happened over the last few minutes. He had hit the windshield and then blacked out. As he came to he heard some voices whispering a few feet away from him. He tried to make out the words.
'Captain, what's your plan?'
'Ma'am, just call me David. I'm on my way to the US Embassy tomorrow at first light when these creatures aren't about. You could come with me till there. I wish I could do more for you, but I do need to get out and back to my family.'
'You've done more than enough for us, young man. And you can call me Hina.'
Mayukh tried to clear the cobwebs of his mind, trying to remember where he was. Was he having a bad dream? Would his mother come and wake him up now, reminding him that once again he was going to be late for school?
His mother.
He sat up with a jolt, as all that had happened in the day came back to him. As it all sank in, he slumped against the wall. He had no more tears to cry, but just sat there, looking blankly at the floor. He sensed a man sit down next to him. He was holding something that he pressed into Mayukh's hand.
'Young man, that's a fine gun you have there. I picked it up from the car. Would be a shame to leave it there.'
Mayukh looked down to see his father's pistol in his hand. He then felt strong hands grip his arm.
'Look, I've lost a lot of good men recently. Men who were like brothers to me, but none of that compares to your loss.'
The man then got up and walked to the open window, through which Mayukh could see the faint light of daybreak. Hina was now by his side. She had a bandage on her forehead, and was trying hard to smile, though Mayukh could see her eyes creased with fatigue and stress.
'Here, have some breakfast.'
She held some cold French fries and a burger. Mayukh wolfed it down. He was so famished that it tasted like the best meal he had ever had. She ran her hand through his hair, and as Mayukh looked at her he was reminded of his grandmother. The same kind eyes, the same smile.
'That man there is an American soldier. He saved us last night and he'll help us get to the American Embassy. Once there, we can contact someone in the government and find out where we can go to be safe.'
Mayukh nodded mutely, the thoughts of what he had gone through the previous day still fresh in his mind. As David announced that they were leaving, Mayukh followed him out, his body going through the motions, but his mind totally numb and blank.
David examined the car that he had rescued Hina and Mayukh from. It had been a close call. They had made it back into the shop moments before the attackers he had shot had regained consciousness. He opened the boot and whistled at all the canned food stuffed into it.
'Kid, your folks sure were well prepared. No telling what we run into, so help me carry this stuff into another car. I guess today people will forgive us for borrowing their car.'
David chose an SUV, and started to load the things into the back when Hina turned to him.
'David, wouldn't we be able to move through the streets easier in a smaller car. There are cars and things….'
She couldn't bring herself to say
'Maybe, but if I have run through or over things, this will come in handy.'
Mayukh had hardly helped, standing by the side, and David whispered to Hina.
'I hope the kid gets his senses back. He's in shock, and I understand that, but he will get himself killed real fast if he doesn't snap out of it soon.'
'The poor boy has been through Hell.'
David finished loading the last of the cans and took the wheel.
'Hina, I think we haven't begun to see what Hell looks like yet.'
***
As they drove through the city, Hina realized that what truly scared her was the opposite of what she had expected. After the events of the previous night, she had feared that they would see signs of carnage and death all around. Instead, what was even more unsettling was the fact that the city was deserted. There was not a sign of a single living soul around, nor any signs of bodies. There were just cars and bikes scattered all around where their drivers had left them, and dark patches that indicated where people had been brought down. She had never heard the city this quiet. No cars honking their horns, no rumble of traffic, no people chattering away on their mobile phones. She longed for all the things that she may have once complained about. She saw that Mayukh, sitting in the back seat, was still quiet, but at least seemed to be coming out of the shock he had been in. The young heal fast, she reasoned, and then took her first close look at their driver. In the darkness of night, she had barely had a chance to see who their savior was.
Her first reaction was that he looked so young. He had close-cropped blonde hair, and a face that made him look no older than a kid just graduating from college. She knew better, after having seen what he had done the previous night, and the only real hint to the fact that he was a trained killer lay in his eyes. They seemed ever alert, constantly scanning their surroundings for any sign of trouble. Hina knew that he would probably be on his way to the US soon enough, but was glad to have his company while it lasted. Between a boy in shock and an old Professor, she and Mayukh didn't have too many chances of survival on their own.
David spotted some movement to their right and his hands tightened on the steering wheel. He didn't know if the infected could be out in daylight, but he was not about to find out the hard way. The road ahead was blocked by cars, and resembled a surreal maze that he was trying to pick his way through, so there was no question of driving any faster than a slow trot. He pushed aside a bike using the bulk of the SUV he was driving, but would have no option but to weave around the cars in front of him.
Again, he spotted some movement on his right. It seemed to be a small shopping complex, with broken signs that announced a salon, an Internet Cafe and a Pharmacy, among other signs in Hindi. He had a working knowledge of Urdu but hardly had the time he would have needed to decipher all the signs. He was now sure of it-there were at least two people moving inside what remained of the Internet Cafe on the ground floor. The door was closed but the windows were shattered and he could see shadows moving in the darkness inside. He turned to Mayukh.
'Kid, see that Net Cafe there fifty meters to the right?'
He didn't get a response but not wanting to take his eyes off a potential threat by turning towards Mayukh, he continued.
'I think I saw someone moving inside there. No idea who it could be, but just take out your gun and cover that area. I don't want to stop or take my attention off the road.'
He didn't hear any response, but assumed Mayukh would be doing as he had asked, so he returned his attention to the road ahead. A split second later, he saw a head peek out from behind the shattered windows of the
