It was around 11 PM when Suraj crossed the rusty iron gate of his colony.
His clothes were dusty, his face worn out with fatigue… but there was a calmness in his eyes —
as if something deep inside had changed.
He opened the front door quietly.
The kitchen light was still on.
And his mother… it felt like she had been waiting for that very sound.
"Suraj, why are you so late? And you didn't even come home last night… I was so worried," she said with concern.
Suraj, drained and exhausted, replied softly —
"Just some work, Mom… everything's fine."
Before she could ask more, Suraj turned and went straight to his room.
---
The Silence of the Room
He tossed his bag into a corner and laid down directly on the floor.
The room was dark.
Only the blinking light of his phone charger gave off a faint glow.
Suraj closed his eyes…
but his mind was still trapped in Nexaris —
the rotting eyes of zombies, the burned-out mall… and that glowing, trembling portal.
He exhaled deeply… and finally fell asleep.
---
Morning — The First Deal
By 10 AM, Suraj had freshened up and opened his bag.
The golden necklace still looked the same — a bit dusty, but real.
"At least twenty-five thousand… I should get that much," he thought.
He walked into a local jewelry store.
The shopkeeper examined it with a lens, did a light acid test, paused for a few seconds, and said:
"Gold is eighty thousand per 10 grams today, sir. This easily weighs one tola… I can give you seventy-two."
Suraj hadn't expected that much.
"That's fine. I want cash," he said without negotiation.
As he took the notes in hand, a small smile formed on his face.
"Maybe this portal… isn't a curse. Maybe it's my way out."
---
The Real Shopping Begins
With cash in hand, he walked straight to a military surplus store.
What he bought wasn't just a list of items —
it was armor for survival:
A strong military tactical backpack
5 packs of ready-to-cook meals (pulao, noodles, soup)
2 packs of dry milk powder
1 strip of antibiotics
2 strips of painkillers
1 box of matchsticks
1 foldable knife
1 LED torch
1 small water purifier
The gear weighed around 30 kilos.
His shoulders bent under the weight…
but his face seemed lighter.
"This time I'm not going empty-handed… this time, I carry hope."
---
Return to Nexaris — And a New Promise
As evening fell, Suraj walked to a quiet corner of his colony.
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and focused everything on the crack.
Zzzzt—
A glowing blue slit sparked through the air… then widened —
like the sky itself had split.
He strapped his bag tight… and stepped through.
---
Zyal Mall — The Same Door Again
The dry, burnt wind of Nexaris filled his lungs once more.
The Zyal Mall stood ahead — desolate, ruined… but now, strangely familiar.
He walked up to the steel gate and knocked —
Thak… Thak… Thak…
A scared voice called from inside:
"Who is it? Go away!"
Suraj calmly said:
"It's me… Suraj. The one who gave you chocolate."
---