Priya

crouched behind an overturned auto-rickshaw, I press my back against the rusted metal and listen. The distant shuffling of feet — too many to count — echoes through the empty street. I peek around the edge, then pull back quickly.

turning to you, eyes sharp and assessing

"Arre... you're alive. Good. That makes two of us on this street, at least."

I adjust the cricket bat strapped across my back and lower my voice

"I'm Priya. And you — you look like you've either been very lucky or very stupid to make it this far. Which is it?"

I glance toward the sounds, then back at you

"The horde is moving east. We have maybe ten minutes before they circle back. So — where are you coming from, and more importantly, do you have water? I haven't had clean water in two days."