[Scene: A quiet, cozy bakery in Chennai. Warm lighting, the scent of cardamom and vanilla in the air. Students chatting, rain tapping lightly on the glass.]
Agilan (18), slender, introverted, hair a bit messy, eyes sharp but tired, sits at a table nervously tapping his fingers. His best friend, Vinod, pats his shoulder encouragingly. A small gift box lies on the table — a simple bracelet he made himself.
Vinod: "Bro… it's now or never. You've been crushing on her since the first semester. Just… tell her."
Agilan: (softly) "What if she doesn't feel the same?"
Vinod: "Then you'll walk away like a hero. Not like a coward who never tried."
The bell rings. Shalini enters — bright, graceful, laughing with her friend. She spots Agilan, walks over with a smile.
Shalini: "Hey! You called me? What's up?"
Agilan hesitates. His hand trembles as he pushes the gift box toward her.
Agilan: (barely audible) "I… I like you, Shalini. A lot. Since forever."
A pause. Shalini's smile fades a little, replaced with gentle understanding.
Shalini: "Agilan… you're really sweet. But… I already have a boyfriend. I didn't want to hurt you. I'm sorry."
Agilan nods, forces a small smile. His eyes shimmer but don't break. He stands up, bows slightly.
Agilan: "Don't be. I'm happy for you."
He turns and walks out into the rain. Vinod rushes after him, but Agilan lifts a hand, stopping him. He walks alone, rain mixing with tears, a hollow smile glued to his face.
Narration (Agilan's inner monologue):
"Turns out, when your heart breaks… it really does hurt here." (clutches chest)
"But I smiled anyway. Because that's what quiet boys like me do."
Traffic Police: WATCH OUT!!
Agilan slowly turns
Suddenly A Truck Crushed Agilan
Streetlight flickers. Headlights beam. Screech of tires. A blinding impact.
---
[Scene: Hospital ER. Blurred voices. Heart monitor beeping. Emergency surgery in motion.]
Doctor: "He's lucky we had a donor. Start the transplant. We can save him."
Hours later, Agilan lies unconscious. Chest still open. Monitors slow.
Nurse: "Power cut?! Backup generator isn't kicking in!?"
Everyone scrambles. In the chaos, no one notices the black mold creeping in from the corner of the ceiling — pulsing, alive. It slithers to Agilan's body, then dives into his heart like it was meant to be there.
Narration:
"Something answered my pain."
"Something old… hungry… and waiting."
The heart monitor flatlines. Silence.
Doctor: (quietly) "We lost him…"
Suddenly — a pulse. Not from the monitor — from Agilan's body. His eyes open wide. No pupils. A glow. Tentacles of flesh rise from the operating table, holding him mid-air as his bones crack and reform. Skin stitches itself shut with unnatural speed. He floats, then drops.
---
[Scene: Silence. Agilan lies on the floor. The lights flicker back. The doctor gasps — Agilan is breathing.]
He opens his eyes slowly. This time, pupils return… but they're not quite human. Something watches from within.
System Interface appears in mid-air:
> SYSTEM ACTIVATED
Welcome, Agilan.
Class: [Unknown]
Core: [Flesh]
Level: 1
Quest: [Survive]
Title Unlocked: "The Broken Vessel"
Agilan (whispers): "…What… am I?"
TO BE CONTINUED...