Am I Dead?

Chapter 7

In the dimly lit room, shadows flicker against the cracked walls as a man sits in silence. His face is obscured by a dark mask, and his black leather jacket creaks softly with his every movement. The only sound in the room is the soft hum of static from an old radio sitting on a dusty table.

With a gloved hand, the man reaches for the radio dial and slowly turns it on, breaking the quiet with the voice of a news reporter. The man leans back into the shadows, listening intently.

Radio:
"A house was engulfed in flames after a massive explosion near Sidster Street. When the police arrived, they found only the charred remains of six bodies, burned beyond recognition. Five of them are merely children, and one is an adult male. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire and how these children ended up in this house. The city mourns yet another tragic incident as the investigation continues."

The voice on the radio trails off, replaced by static once again.

The man in the black jacket exhales softly, almost as if in relief. A slow, cold smile creeps onto his masked face, and his voice, low and filled with satisfaction, breaks the silence.

Unknown Man:
"They did it. Sarthak... Siddharth... Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."

He chuckles softly, his voice filled with a twisted admiration.

Unknown Man (continuing):
"Burning it all to ashes, leaving no trace. They're becoming the legends they were always meant to be."

His gloved fingers tap rhythmically against the arm of his chair, each tap punctuating his thoughts. The man stands up, pacing the small, dim room, his boots making faint echoes as they hit the cold concrete floor.

Unknown Man (in a near whisper):
"All the pawns are in place. The fire has only just begun. Soon, the entire world will see the brilliance of Sarthak and Siddharth."

He walks over to a window, peering out into the darkness of the night. His eyes, barely visible beneath the mask, gleam with sinister anticipation.

Unknown Man:
"It's only a matter of time. They've set the stage... and when the final act comes, no one will be left standing."

He turns back toward the table, switching off the radio. The room falls into silence once more, save for the steady, ominous ticking of a clock on the wall. The man steps back into the shadows, disappearing from view, his presence lingering like a dark cloud ready to burst.

Chapter 7

Few Days Ago from Present...

In the same dimly lit room where Siddharth once woke up, two figures stand in tense silence-Sarthak and Aliana. Sarthak's cold gaze locks with hers.

"Kill her," he orders, his voice chilling.

The target: a woman named Sophia.

Without hesitation, I agree. Murdering someone without getting caught has become second nature to me, and I'd do anything for this man. He instructed me to stay in Brunos with my mother, waiting for Sophia. When Siddharth brought her to the café, I didn't hesitate-I pulled the trigger. But later, when he came to rescue his comrades, he shot me in the leg instead of letting me go.

Why didn't he let me escape?

The storage room where Siddharth is being held is modest, but his appearance has improved. Sitting on a bed, his expression is calm, as if deep in thought. The door creaks open, and Aliana steps in, smiling.