"I should do something. I should think how to escape. If I stay longer, I may drag Srini into danger too. How do I draw that creature far away?" Manu thought.
At the same time, the sharp stinger of the wasp pierced through the door, this time scratching Manu's hand. Manu quickly moved away.
Seeing the blood on its stinger, the wasp grew more violent and started to force its way in. The door was thick, but small cracks were already appearing.
Manu looked around for a way to escape. Suddenly, he noticed a window with no metal rods. As he moved toward it, the wasp broke a bigger hole and stared at him through it.
"No… I need to do it faster. I need to hurry," Manu thought, seeing the insect's red eyes.
He rushed to the window. Beside it were climbing plants that had grown up from the ground, thick and solid like trees.
"I should climb down and escape from it," Manu thought.
But just then, another large hole appeared. The wasp began to squeeze its body through. Manu, terrified, stepped onto the window ledge and grabbed the plant stems, starting to climb down.
While he moved, the wasp finally forced itself out of the broken door. It flew straight toward the window, searching for Manu.
By then, Manu had already reached the second-floor window. But it was blocked by metal rods. When he looked up, he saw the insect at the third-floor window above.
"I need to get inside this house… inside the house," Manu thought desperately, kicking at the rods.
The rods were corroded and weak. Each kick loosened them more.
The wasp spotted him and dived downward at full speed.
Manu, seeing the insect rushing at him, kicked with all his strength and broke through the rods. Just as he tried to enter, the wasp struck at him with its stinger. Manu dodged sideways, and the stinger drove deep into the thick plant stems.
Seizing the chance, Manu slipped into the room.
The wasp, exhausted from repeated strikes, struggled to pull its stinger free. Manu quickly left the room and slammed the door shut behind him.
"What have I done? I should never have trusted that man who gave me the information. If he really had it, he would have taken it for himself—or built a team to fetch it. It was a trap from the beginning. Now I've dragged my only friend into danger. This is all my fault. If I make it back to the settlement, I'll break his legs myself and make him beg for mercy," Manu thought, gritting his teeth.
But the wasp had already started striking at the door again. Manu stared at the cracks forming.
"I need to get out of this house, find Srini, and escape the building," Manu thought, and ran out, slamming the door behind him.
As soon as he turned, facing the door, he felt something yank the back of his shirt collar. In an instant, he was dragged across to the opposite house on the second floor and thrown inside. The door slammed shut behind him.