Drown.

Part one: Twenty in three days.

It was awfully empty. With only six students being in attendance. The best part was, the class got cancelled not because of the lack of attendance.. But because of a rumour..

"Hey, Dev why is everyone absent?" Naya inquires.

"There's a rumour going on.. " He leans in closer to her ears and whispers, "We are all going to die."

"What bullshit. I'm serious."

"Well, I'm serious too, mumbai is going to drown and everyone's packing and leaving with essentials." He said.

"But there's no news about it."

He again leans in, their face only inches away from each other, staring directly in her eyes.."It's a rumour, but we never know." He said almost whispering and quickly started packing his stuff..

"Dev.. Where are you going?"

"Class got cancelled. Didn't you hear?"

As dev and few students left the class. Naya couldn't digest what dev said. He has always showed interest in weird conspiracy theories Naya couldn't seem to find interest in. His gaze felt too serious, but even though she knew dev or his obsession with creepy things, she couldn't get used to how he can be so.. Wierd.

After leaving college, naya felt a speedy and long gush of wind. As if it was going to rain. She looked around, chills running through her entire body as she witnessed, the street being empty. Dead empty.

"Hello Mom, what's going on. Did you check news. Why is everything so quite?"

"Naya, I'm watching news right now. It's high tide and heavy rain alert. Nothing to worry about, come back quickly."

"Well, it definitely seems like it will rain. I'll be back, don't worry.."

"Your dad's home, yash too. I'll make-"

"Mom, gotta go. Train's arrived-"

Aaj ki taza khabar. Mumbai ko charo aur se gherne vali arabian samundar mein achanak samundar tal badhne ke vajah se, high alert jaher kiya gaya hai. Mumbai vasiyo ko jarurat ke saman ke sath Mumbai chodne ka salah diya gaya hai. Aap apne rishte-

"Mom, Dad..where is Naya?" Yash panics.

"Why, what's wrong?"

"We have to leave the house right now. Mumbai is sinking, it's in the news. Call Naya right now."

Naya before stepping foot in the train, again feels the same chills as she notices.. Train is quite, almost empty and the atmosphere is suddenly too cold.
Oh my gosh. She whispers to herself.

Glancing around, she could notice a few people sitting behind her and a guy in front of her. With thick black hair neatly styled and deep brown eyes. He didn't seem that old. He skin was light brown, and body muscled. His face was smooth with cuts at right angles. He was handsome. Very so. Dressed formally in a deep blue shirt and black trousers, he seemed like an office worker. Staring at him made her shiver. She didn't knew why. Was it cold? Or was it because his shirt was blue, just like the ocean which may drown her like in the rumours?.. Startled from her phone ringing, she lifts her gaze at the window after staring at him for essentially two minutes.

"Hello mom, I'll be home in thirty minutes."

"Naya, we have to leave.."

"Mom, why are you leaving..what's wrong-" Suddenly the train stops. Her phone lost it's signal. Everyone panicks. As train light flickers. She feels the chills for the third time. This time, she knows, something bad is about to happen.

"Hey, sir. Can i call my mom? My phone has no signal." She says to the guy in front with her voice cracking from panic.

"Sorry kiddo, mine's got none as well." A deep voice striking her ears, shivering deep within her heart. He seemed intimidating. Not his words, but his presence, his voice. With train suddenly stopped in one place, lights flickering and only one women besides her, she suddenly felt. Not safe.

"Naya, do not worry you'll be fine. He called you a kiddo, surely any ill inteded guy would not call you that." She thought to herself.

The guy in front of her scooted to the side, near the window. Sitting right in front of her looking out of the window. The distance between them seemed too close. She stared at him the entire time.

"He seems young enough. Maybe twenty four? He's shirt folded up in his arms, with protruding veins.. A construction worker? An artist or gym enthusiast? No. Too formal for that.." She thought.

After looking outside the window for a while, he looked at his phone and then looked at her. With her gaze already directed at him, his eyes met her. She had honey coloured eyes, milk skin and a Bob framing her cute face. Her lips plump and pink, she had headsets around her ears. She was dressed in a flannel, white tank top and oversized jeans. After seconds of examining her,

"We have to go." He said with straight, worried face.

"What?" naya panicked.

Suddenly standing up and he told everyone including, a women besides naya and two other men.. "We have to go!"

"The train would move, just wait for a while." The other guy said.

"We can't, didn't you hear the rumour about Mumbai drowning, the train wouldn't start, the driver has probably left. Look, it's starting to rain?" He said.

"Don't be dramatic, there's been no news about it." The women said.

"There was news. I was watching..um something-" The guy cleared his throat.."Definitely p*rn" naya thought.

"And the notification popped up, I didn't think much about it, but it was definitely something about sinking." The second guy said.

"We should get out, now! " The guy in front of naya exclaimed.

Everyone with much thought, started jumping out of the train in middle of probably felt like no where. Naya panicking and anxious couldn't seem to believe if all this is happening and whether this is the right thing to do.

"Come on kiddo, let's go." This voice. Always sent needles through her body.

She stood up, contemplating to move, "I don't think, I will come. My parents might come find me."

"Do you want to die here? Alone while drowning?" His voice felt angry.

"No, it's just.. I can't believe this is happening. I mean this is 2039, there should definitely be a weather forecast indicating all this. Also, I'm not some kid..I'm nineteen, twenty in three days, I can take my decisions don't you think?"

He let out a sigh, discovering that this girl is not some ordinary girl. She's stubborn. Or perhaps frightened.

"Look, whatever your name is-"

"Naya." She interrupted.

"Naya, your parents aren't going to come. They've probably left home too. Do you want to die here, leaving them with grief for rest of their life?"

He wasn't wrong. They weren't coming. No one was coming. Everyone might have left home and might have already began moving far away from mumbai. Leaving her in deep thought, he again asked, this time his voice sounded like a plea,

"Are you coming?" She nodded
He then jumped of the door, stretching his arm out, he signaled her to jump.

"Don't be scared, I'll catch you."

Closing her eyes, she jumps off the door. With only being in air for slight second, she could feel his hands grabbing her waist. Tight. It made her feel a little warm.

"You can open your eyes." He said while still holding onto her waist, steadying her.

Opening her eyes, staring at him for exactly two seconds, she removed his hands of her, while holding one of them in her hand.

"Yeah, let's go whatever your name-"

"It's Rian." He replied.

"Well, Rian uncle, let's go!"