Light.

Warm, soft light… touching his face.

Vihaan groaned and blinked slowly, his head throbbing with dull pain. His back ached. His clothes were still damp. The world around him felt blurry — unreal — like a dream he hadn’t woken up from yet.

He was still on the raft.

But the raft wasn’t moving.

Beneath him was something solid — dirt, small rocks, patches of moss. Ground.

He sat up slowly, every muscle in his body protesting the movement. The sun was overhead now, high and bright. The storm was gone, but his chest was still tight.

Next to him, Arya lay motionless on the raft.

“Arya…” Vihaan’s voice cracked. He leaned over, shaking his brother gently. “Wake up. Come on.”

No response.

“Arya,” he tried again, louder this time. He pressed his hand against Arya’s cheek, then his shoulder. “Arya—”

Still nothing.

Panic surged in his chest. Vihaan raised his hand and, without thinking, slapped Arya across the face. Hard.

Arya gasped and jolted up, coughing. “Aah! What the—?”

Vihaan pulled him into a hug, tears already spilling from his eyes. “Arya!! Arya!!”

Arya blinked, dazed. “Vihaan?”

Vihaan clutched his shirt, sobbing now. “Dad… Where’s Dad? Where is he?!”

Arya sat frozen, eyes wide, looking around slowly.

The trees.

The raft.

The rock beneath them.

The silence.

His lips moved, but no sound came out. His mind tried to find an answer, any answer — but everything inside him was blank. All he remembered was water, wind, lightning… and then nothing.

He looked at Vihaan.

Then at the space beside the raft.

And back again.

Still no words.

Still no answers.

Arya stared at the dirt under his palms. His hands were shaking.

He felt cold, even though the sun was burning down on them.

But then something clicked.

Snapped into place.

He couldn’t just sit here.

Not now.

He was the older brother. And Vihaan was looking at him — waiting for something, anything. Answers. Comfort. Safety.

Arya didn’t have any of those things. But he had to try.

He had to do something.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to his feet, wobbling slightly. His body ached everywhere. His legs felt like rubber. But he stood.

He bent down and brushed off the dirt clinging to his arms and legs, wiping his face with a wet sleeve. His eyes burned, but he didn’t let it show.

Vihaan looked up at him with red, watery eyes.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Vihaan asked, his voice breaking. “Where is Dad? I saw him in the water. He… he wasn’t moving…”

Vihaan’s lips trembled. “Tell me!!”

Arya’s chest tightened.

He wanted to scream.

He wanted to cry.

But instead, he knelt down next to his brother and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t worry,” he said, voice soft. “I’m sure he’s okay. He must’ve found a way. You know him.”

Vihaan shook his head. “But he wasn’t moving...”

Arya paused.

He remembered it too.

That image.

Their father, underwater. Still. Silent.

He remembered the other bodies too. Dozens, drifting lifelessly — broken pieces of lives that once were.

He felt like something inside him was cracking apart.

But he swallowed it down.

“With those muscles and that brain of his,” Arya said, managing the smallest grin, “I’m pretty sure he’s safe.”

He forced the words out — not just for Vihaan.

But for himself.

He had to believe it.

Even if he wasn’t sure.

“Who goes there?”

The sudden voice made both Arya and Vihaan jump. It was sharp — a woman’s voice, from somewhere ahead.

“I think it’s coming from over there,” said a calmer, deeper male voice beside it.

The brothers turned quickly, startled. Their hearts were still racing from everything that had just happened, and now this?

Footsteps approached.

From behind a small ridge on the island, two figures stepped into view.

The first was a young woman — maybe 21, with dark brown hair tied into a high ponytail that swayed as she walked. She wore an oversized grey hoodie, sleeves pushed up to her elbows, and cargo shorts. Her eyes were sharp but curious, scanning both of them as she stepped forward.

Beside her was a guy who looked around 22 — lean, athletic, with a quiet confidence in how he moved. His black hair was slightly messy, combed back but clearly wind-tousled. A dark green, sleeveless utility vest covered his plain black T-shirt, and he wore loose dark jeans tucked into worn boots. His expression was calm, his posture relaxed — like nothing ever surprised him.

“And who might you two be?” the girl asked, tilting her head slightly. “How did you even get here?”

The guy stepped forward, glancing behind the boys.

“Oh, never mind — a raft. Nice,” he said with a smirk.

“So?” the girl asked again. “Who are you two?”

Vihaan and Arya stood frozen, still reeling from the storm, their father's disappearance, the exhaustion. The sudden appearance of strangers only made everything blurrier.

A strange mix of emotions hit them all at once — confusion, fear, hope, doubt.

Arya was the first to regain control.

He stepped forward, shielding Vihaan a little without realizing it.

“I’m Arya,” he said. “And this is my younger brother, Vihaan. We were on that raft… when the storm hit. We don’t remember much after that. Just… ended up here.”

The girl’s eyes softened. “Are you two alright? Any injuries?”

“What does it matter?” the guy muttered, crossing his arms. “It’s not like we’ve got medical supplies to treat them.”

“Yeah, true…” Ria said, scratching the back of her head. “Hmm. What do I do now?”

She gave Arya a completely clueless expression.

“Ria!” the guy sighed. “Come on.”

He turned back to them. “You two — Arya and Vihaan, right? Come with us. There’s an army guy with us who can check you over.”

Arya hesitated. “Who are you?”

“Oh — right,” the guy said, smiling. “We haven’t introduced ourselves.”

He held up a hand casually.

“I’m Bhagirath. And this is my younger sister, Ria.”

Ria gave them a two-fingered salute. “Hey.”

Arya looked at them both for a moment. They didn’t seem dangerous. Ria was a little chaotic, sure, but harmless. And Bhagirath… there was something steady about him. Confident. Grounded. The way he moved, the way he spoke — Arya felt like this was someone you could follow.

They don’t seem like bad people, Arya thought. But why am I even thinking about bad people?

He looked at Vihaan, who still hadn’t said much. His brother was pale. Quiet. Probably still shaken up.

Vihaan might be hurt.

Arya took a deep breath.

It was better to follow them.

Bhagirath reached out a hand to help Arya step off the raft.

Arya gave him a tired look and shook his head. “I’m alright,” he said quietly. “Just… exhausted.”

Ria moved to Vihaan, offering her hand. Vihaan hesitated, then accepted it. He didn’t look hurt — no visible wounds or bruises — but he moved stiffly. Not from injury, Bhagirath guessed, but from something deeper.

Emotional weight.

Loss clinging to him like soaked clothes.

They started walking through a patch of soft, overgrown grass. The sun was high now, filtering through patches of clouds. It would’ve felt peaceful — if the silence didn’t carry so much grief.

Bhagirath glanced back at the boys. “If you don’t mind me asking,” he said, “how exactly did you two survive this whole thing? I mean… this flood didn’t just splash in. It swallowed everything.”

Arya shrugged. “We just climbed a tree.”

Bhagirath blinked. “You… what?”

“We climbed a tree,” Arya repeated, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Ria slowed her steps and turned. “Wait… you survived this whole time by climbing a tree?”

Both brothers nodded.

Bhagirath stared at them, trying to piece it together. “So let me get this straight — this entire mountain range is under water, and you’re telling me you made it through by just… climbing a tree?”

“Pretty much,” Arya said, wiping sweat from his forehead. “It’s a really big tree. Like huge. My dad said it’s around one kilometer tall.”

Bhagirath stopped walking for a second.

“One. Kilometer.”

“At least,” Arya added. “I haven’t exactly measured it.”

Bhagirath looked at him. Then at Vihaan. Then back again.

“…Okay,” he muttered, utterly lost.

Beside him, Ria had her arms crossed and was squinting at the sky, mumbling to herself.

“Tree… big tree… climb the tree… didn’t drown... hmm... safe from flood... tree house… monkey style… oh…”

Arya watched her for a moment, concerned. “Is she… alright?”

Bhagirath sighed. “She’s like that sometimes.”

He turned back to the brothers, still processing what he’d just heard.

A one-kilometer-tall tree? They survived the apocalypse climbing that?

For a moment, he actually wondered if maybe the brothers had hit their heads during the storm.

But then again, they didn’t look crazy.

They looked tired.

Worn out.

“Hm… you might’ve hit your head or something,” Bhagirath muttered, half-joking, half-serious. “Don’t worry, we’ll get you patched up. Not me though — the army guy. I mean… we’ll try, at least.”

“We’re fine,” Arya said, a little annoyed. “We’re not crazy.”

He wiped the back of his neck and looked ahead.

“The tree… it has its own story,” he added. “People from far away can’t see it. It’s always been like that. I don’t know why. My dad might’ve known… but he never told me.”

“Ooh, sounds mysterious,” Ria said, suddenly very interested. She leaned in slightly, eyes wide. “Tell me more about it.”

Arya shrugged. “The tree’s almost fully underwater now. Only the very top part is above — where we had our treehouse. That’s what saved us.”

Vihaan hadn’t said a word since they started walking, but he was listening. Every now and then, he nodded, quietly following along.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Ria said, turning to Bhagirath. “Bhagi! Did you hear that? A treehouse! I want to see it too!”

“Ria…” Bhagirath rubbed his temples. “Let’s deal with one crisis at a time.”

She ignored him and turned back to Arya with a grin. “That’s so cool.”

Bhagirath gave the boys a sidelong glance. “I’m still not sure about this story. But…” he paused, “...since you two somehow survived all of this and lived to tell the tale, maybe there’s something to it.”

He looked ahead again, thoughtful.

“Still not totally convinced though.”

Arya gave a faint smile. “Didn’t expect you to be.”

They stepped inside the house.

It wasn’t big, but it felt sturdy. Solid stone walls, wooden beams across the ceiling, and the faint scent of smoke and cooked rice hung in the air. Supplies were neatly stacked in the corner — water bottles, sealed food packets, coiled ropes, and a few old toolboxes.

It felt lived in. Prepared.

Siddhart walked in first, giving the place a quick scan — not like someone checking for mess, but like someone checking for security. Suveer followed quietly, his steps a little unsure. The rest filed in behind.

Bhagirath plopped down on a folded blanket, stretching his legs.

“Uncle Siddhart, you still haven’t told me where you learned to set up a house like this. Feels more like a survival bunker than a vacation spot.”

Siddhart glanced at him, expression flat. “I told you don’t call me uncle.”

Siddhart shook his head and sat down near the low table. He looked at Arya and Vihaan. “Are you both holding up?”

Arya nodded. “Yeah. We’re alright.”

Vihaan nodded too, more slowly. He hadn't spoken since they got inside.

Suveer hovered near the back of the room, shifting a few things around in the corner, like he needed something to do. His eyes darted toward the group every now and then, but he stayed quiet.

Siddhart leaned back against the wall, folding his arms. “Didn’t expect this house to turn into a shelter,” he said. “It was just supposed to be a short vacation. Me and Suveer were halfway here when the water started rising.”

“You were already driving up when it started?” Arya asked.

Siddhart nodded. “Yeah. We were lucky. Had food packed, gas in the tank, and no reason to turn back.”

Vihaan looked up. “What about them?” he asked, glancing toward Bhagirath and Ria.

“We were hiking,” Ria answered, kicking off her shoes and sitting cross-legged on the floor. “Just doing a two-day trip up the side of the mountain.”

“Didn’t even notice the water until it was already too high,” Bhagirath added. “We were sprinting up when Siddhart pulled up in his car and yelled at us to get in. Didn’t really think twice.”

“We didn’t have time for introductions,” Siddhart said simply. “Just opened the door and drove.”

Arya looked around the room again. “You’ve been here ever since?”

“About a week,” Suveer said from behind them. His voice was soft, but steady.

“Feels longer,” Ria muttered.

Bhagirath sighed and leaned back. “Yeah, it does.”

Siddhart stood up and moved toward the corner. “There’s some food left from earlier. Are you two hungry?”

Arya nodded. “Yeah. We haven’t had anything since… maybe yesterday..”

“Then sit. You’ll eat, then rest. We’ll figure the rest out after.”

Vihaan was still quiet. Bhagirath noticed, but didn’t say anything. He just watched him for a moment, then turned his gaze back to Siddhart, who was already reheating something in a small pot over a controlled flame.

Outside, the sky was clearing.

For now, they were safe.

Siddhart looked over at Suveer. “Heat up the leftover food. Bring it here when it's ready.”

Suveer gave a small nod and walked over to the corner, quietly getting to work with the stove.

Meanwhile, Siddhart turned back to Arya and Vihaan. “Alright. Let me check you two for injuries.”

Arya sat up a bit straighter. “I’m fine, really. Just some soreness from paddling and everything. You should check Vihaan first.”

Siddhart didn’t argue. He understood what Arya was doing — trying to deflect attention from himself — and shifted to Vihaan without a word.

Vihaan sat still as Siddhart carefully checked his arms, shoulders, and neck. He didn’t flinch or wince. Just watched the floor, silent.

“No cuts, no bruises,” Siddhart said after a moment. “That’s a relief. It’s just body pain. A few days of proper rest, and he should be alright physically.”

He looked up at Vihaan’s face.

“But…” he paused. “It’s not the body that’s hurting most, is it?”

Vihaan didn’t reply. But his silence was answer enough.

Siddhart moved on to Arya next. “Alright. Your turn.”

Arya shrugged. “Told you. Just sore muscles.”

Siddhart checked anyway, then leaned back. “You’re both lucky. Nothing serious.”

He sat beside them and took a breath. “So… you two want to tell me how you survived? What brought you here?”

Arya exchanged a glance with Vihaan, then leaned forward a bit. “We were living in the countryside with our dad. When the water started rising, at that time we were in the treehouse, so we survived.”

Bhagirath blinked. “What now?”

“It’s massive,” Arya said. “A kilometer tall, at least. People from far away can’t see it. Only when you get close.”

Bhagirath let out a soft laugh. “You sure you two didn’t hit your heads during that storm?”

Siddhart didn’t smile.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. “The Anant Vriksh…” he muttered. “Am i right?.”

The room fell quiet.

Siddhart leaned back, thoughtful. “Years ago, one of my army mates talked about it. Swore it was real. Took me to see it once. I remember thinking it was just a really big tree... but when I saw it,something about it stuck with me.”

Ria perked up. “So it’s real?”

Siddhart nodded slowly. “Yes.”

Bhagirath crossed his arms, still skeptical but quiet.

And for a moment, the room just breathed. The weight of the world still pressed on them — but now, they weren’t the only ones carrying it.

“Now it makes sense how you two survived,” Siddhart said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

Arya glanced over at Bhagirath and gave him a smug little grin.

“We’re almost out of supplies now,” Siddhart added, his voice shifting into concern. “I don’t know how long we can hold out here. There aren’t any edible plants, and most of the stuff I packed for the vacation is nearly gone.”

“Why don’t you dive underwater and look for supplies?” Vihaan asked, his voice quiet but steady. “There might still be houses or stores with packed food.”

Siddhart blinked. The idea caught him off guard. “That’s not how it works, kid. We can’t stay underwater that long. No one can hold their breath forever.”

“Yes, we can,” Arya jumped in. “If we use a long straw to breathe underwater.”

Bhagirath raised a brow. “We don’t have a straw. And even if we did, it wouldn’t be long enough.”

Vihaan leaned over and whispered something into Arya’s ear.

Arya’s eyes widened. “Oh, right!” Without another word, he sprinted out of the house toward the way the raft was.

Everyone exchanged confused looks.

Few minutes later, Arya came running back, holding something long and coiled in one hand — the giloy straw, still attached to the rope. He was panting but grinning like a child who’d found treasure.

“I have the long straw,” he said proudly. “And I might need someone to help pull the rope. I’m kind of weak and tired.”

Bhagirath smirked. “Didn’t look weak or tired when you dashed out just now.”

Siddhart walked over and took the coiled vine in his hands. He examined it closely, tugging at it gently.

“This is… giloy,” he muttered. “But it’s much thicker than usual, and hollow from inside.”

He began to pull the vine slowly, watching as it stretched longer and longer without end.

“It’s definitely long,” Siddhart said with a touch of amazement.

“That’s what she said,” Bhagirath muttered just loud enough for Arya, Vihaan, Ria, and Suveer to hear.

They all chuckled quietly. Even Suveer cracked a small smile.

Arya looked toward the rope tied beside it. “Also… someone help me pull this. I think Dad tied the supplies bag to it before—”

He stopped mid-sentence.

The air shifted. Everyone knew what he was about to say. No one said a word.

Siddhart placed a firm hand on Arya’s shoulder.

“I’m sure he’s alright,” he said softly. “A man who came up with something like this… he’s not going down that easy. I’m a hundred percent sure he’s out there.”

Even if he didn’t fully believe it, it was the right thing to say.

And for now, that was enough.