I work in a warehouse. From morning till evening, unloading and loading goods from trucks—this is the part of my life that never ends. Today, I was feeling especially exhausted. With a heavy box hoisted on my shoulder, I trudged slowly toward the inside. "Man, this one's heavier than I thought," I muttered to myself. Sweat was making my shirt cling to my skin, the mixed smell of dust and oil stinging my nose. The constant beep-beep of the forklifts and the rumble of trucks was numbing my ears. But this fatigue wasn't just from the boxes. On my shoulders was also the weight of Shia—that little doll I was raising all alone. Every bite of food, every book, every laugh... it was all my responsibility. Sometimes it felt like these heavy boxes were nothing compared to that.
The five o'clock horn blared. Shift over. I slammed the box down, slung my old bag over my shoulder, and headed home. On the way, the ground suddenly shook—a faint jolt, like a distant earthquake. My heart skipped a beat. "Shia's home alone," the thought hit me, and my feet felt like they were on fire. All sorts of nightmares raced through my mind—what if something happened? What would she do without me? I started running, my breaths coming in gasps, but stopping was impossible. When I burst through the door at home, a wave of relief washed over me. Shia was asleep on the bed, her face scattered with that childlike innocence that keeps me going. I gently ran my hand over her head. That touch melted away all my exhaustion, but with it came those dark memories—the ones that keep me up at night. Mom and Dad's car accident... that tragedy that shattered our world. Then coming to Grandpa's house, where we found a bit of peace. But even Grandpa was gone—sudden heart attack. Now it was just us, brother and sister. All the world's responsibilities on my shoulders. Sometimes I think, if only I were stronger.
I shook my head, as if to chase those memories away. I went to the bathroom and showered with cold water. Feeling refreshed, I stood in the kitchen. It was Sunday, so special breakfast—aloo parathas. I kneaded the dough, boiled the potatoes, mixed in the spices. As the parathas sizzled on the tawa, that golden aroma spread, touching the soul. Then I went back to Shia. "Shia, wake up! Don't you have school? Come on, get up, baby."
Shia rubbed her eyes and peeked out from under the covers. "Bhaiya, it's Sunday, dummy!" Her voice was a mix of sleepiness and complaint that made me burst out laughing.
I laughed. "Oh yeah, doll! Sorry, I forgot. Come on, the parathas are ready. Your favorite ones. They'll get cold, hurry."
Shia's eyes suddenly lit up—that sparkle that lights up her face like the sun. "Wow, thank you, Bhaiya!" She bounced out of bed and ran to bathe. I served the hot parathas with chutney and veggies on a plate. Shia came back after her bath, sat at the table, and turned on the TV. I held my cup of tea and lay on the sofa. "Turn off the TV this early in the morning, Shia. It'll ruin your eyes."
"Bhaiya, two minutes... please! Let me watch this news at least." Shia pleaded with that sweet smile of hers.
I shrugged. "Fine, watch. But quick." But as soon as the channel came on, the breaking news screen flashed. The anchor's voice was grave, like a bomb was about to go off: "This morning at 5:25, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake struck. Experts say the jolt was felt across the entire world. For the first time, a global earthquake impact has hit all at once. This is not a good sign. Keep an eye on media channels."
Shia set her plate down, her eyes wide. "Bhaiya, what is this? I'm scared."
I tried to smile lightly, but fear was gnawing at me inside. That jolt today... what if it had been bigger? Losing Shia—that thought was unbearable. "It's nothing, doll. Just an earthquake. You didn't even notice because you sleep like you're selling horses!" I tried to laugh, but my voice trembled. "Come on, eat your parathas. Then we'll go out. Everything will be fine."
Shia stuffed a paratha in her mouth, but worry lingered in her eyes. "Where are we going, Bhaiya? Somewhere far?"
"The museum. Your favorite place. We'll see old stuff there, the dinosaur ones."
"Yay! Yes, Bhaiya, let's go!" Shia jumped with joy, and that sparkle returned.
Breakfast done. I washed the dishes, Shia packed her little bag. Locked the house and stepped out. We walked to the metro station. The metro was crowded—people shoving—but listening to Shia's school stories made it all light. She was laughing, and so was I. By the time we reached the museum, excitement was back on her face.
We went inside. Old buildings, historical artifacts—Shia's eyes were sparkling like she'd found treasure. We reached an ancient structure with a massive gate that was shut. That gate looked so old, like it had been hiding a secret for centuries. Suddenly, the ground shook again. Earthquake! This time stronger—the walls were trembling, people started screaming. I yanked Shia to my chest. "Don't be scared, doll! I'm right here. Just close your eyes."
But in the next moment, a sharp pain shot through my throat. Like some old wound had woken up. I touched it—blood was flowing, a deep cut. How? Was this a curse from the structure? Or some dark secret from my past? Questions swirled in my head, but there was no time to think. The gate creaked open—with a terrifying sound, like a grave being unearthed. Strange creatures emerged—dangerous, grotesque beings. Their eyes were yellow and burning, skin mottled with deep gray spots that gleamed. Their claws black and sharp—like iron nails. The sound from their mouths was like old bones being crushed. They pounced on people, screams echoing everywhere. One advanced toward me, its breath's stench spreading in the air.
Then a stranger appeared—quick, armed, like a warrior. He struck the creature down with one blow. "Get back! Hurry!" he shouted. Shia was trembling in fear. "Bhaiya, what is this? I'm so scared..."
Before I could speak, another creature grabbed me from behind. Its powerful claws hurled me away. I hit the ground, a scream of pain escaping me. The creature scooped up Shia and dragged her inside the structure. "Hey, this one's our slave!" it growled, the sound reverberating in my ears. The gate slammed shut—boom. That thud hit my heart like someone had ripped out my soul. Now there was only stone before me... and in the inner part of the stone, a colossal demon stood—its eyes blazing like fire. Shia... her screams were coming from inside, each one tearing through my chest.
I lay on the ground, blood pooling. I reached out, but darkness closed in. What was happening? The world had changed—and our lives were now in the grip of danger. Shia... that was the only thought swirling in my mind.