*Sizzle*

  A faint aroma emerged as meat sizzled on the hot oil pan and filled the entire house with mouth-watering scent.

  Time for twilight had arrived, the sun leaving behind a trace of golden light approached the horizon as if a maiden with golden cascade was reaching for her bed to hug it, such golden light filtering through Shailani's room reflected on Shraiyen's young and pale face, with half his face illuminated and half being veiled by the darkness in the room, he seemed enigmatic. Although one could swear if they looked close enough that his pupil were like dark orbs but only under the golden beam could they see the amber like glow of his eyes, as if all the honey of the entire world had been poured in and a light then shone upon it would radiate the same glow. He was smiling as he slowly said to his sister, "Looks like it's time to eat, let's go".

  "Alright", as Shailani responded jumping up from his lap with a energetic smile that stretched along her face connecting like a bridge.

  Both siblings made their way to the dining area as they saw their mother setting up the dishes on the table. Seeing this Shailani rushed ahead and quickly sat on her seat saying grinningly, "first come first serve, I'll have largest portion of the meat".

  Mother responded with a little fatigued smile, "Of course if you'll also have the most of the vegetables too". After this she called out for his father saying, "Honey come down dinner is served".

  "But I don't want to eat vegetables" Shailani pouted and responding in spoiled tone.

  Soon father also approached the dining area and sat with everyone after turning on the television that directly faced the dining table. Father sat facing the television with sister and mother sitting on either side of him.

  Dinner was served by mother to each of us. Mutton stew with garlic naan along with roasted chicken and salad. As usual the channel got changed to the news one and the anchor started with her usual Xianara defaming following with the increasing offence Ceyrath has started to show but interrupting the current news anchor spoke,

  "Breaking news : Today a nationwide attack from street animals has been recorded, a sudden and unexplainable outburst of cats and dogs that roam the streets attacked passersby mostly pedestrians and even caused severe injuries to some. With children and elderly being attacked the most.

  Almost every injured has been admitted by this evening with the number reaching staggering 2.1 million! The cause of such a sudden and startling incident has yet to be discovered but before any of this Government of Bharathis has taken a decision to capture each and every dog and cat that is currently on the streets, this operation will take more than a week and so the government has just now issued an state of complete lockdown, People of Bharathis are instructed to remain at their home, hostel, hotel, motel or anywhere they are staying for the next few days.

  Government once cleared the area of strays completely, will notify that area to commence their economic activity again but they will still not be allowed to travel anywhere until the nationwide lockdown is over. This is a matter of serious importance and Government expects everyone to comply for the upcoming days, while keeping in mind the food usage so that it can last up to a week and half in extreme cases, if anyone seen outside will be detained by the government officials and will be sent to the facilities for check up despite their reason and the state of importance, once again please oblige with the instructions of lockdown,

  these instructions will be repeated again by the end of the news program now further more a speculation is coming from the national department of health that these strays might've come in contact with a mutated case of rabies that was yet to be found and that has now spread between them by saliva or through some other ways too causing them to turn this violent. Government will excise caution while capturing them and expects the citizens to be at home.

  Now time for the instructions regarding loc-"

  Father decided to turn off the television, everyone was still eating although with a greatly reduced speed the food made with such effort must be tasting bland as tension built up

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  "I really was saved by the skin of my teeth had it not been for the helmet, that cat would've scratched or injured my face heavily, you were lucky you didn't get bit by that dog too"

  Saying this father laid his eyes on Shraiyen as he was munching a mouthful of salad, he responded by nodding twice. They were shocked but not surprised, shocked by the incident indeed but not surprised by the lockdown.

  Since this wasn't the first time that there was a sudden lockdown, just few months ago a complete lockdown due to a highly contagious flu had been implemented, a two week period where people were barely allowed going outside even when they had to buy items of necessity, which made them realise the importance of food storage. So currently almost every Bharathis had at least two weeks worth of food storage, government also knew this and thus issued a stricter lockdown than the previous one since the current situation was more pressing.

  Irony or not the flu had started spreading nearing near Bharathis – Xianara border and proceeded downward making its way to Ceyrath but was subdued due to increasing humid tropical climate. Xianara later cleared, that it had no part in spreading it.

  "Honey help me with the food stored in the basement tomorrow morning, need to check the expiry on all" mother said as she got up from her chair picking up her silverware.

  "Alright alright but not the first thing in the morning" father uttered with a slight sigh.

  "Can I sleep today in your room? I'm scared a little...." Shailani looked at Shraiyen, with her round innocent eyes, as she finished eating.

  "No need to ask for such things of course you can" with a slight smile Shraiyen responded as he continued to eat again, being a slow eater he generally used to be the last one still eating.

  "In case if you too are scared then both of you can sleep with us, we won't mind" in a teasingly way mother added, her voice a little distant as she was in the kitchen.

  "As if" Shraiyen answered laughingly as he got up finally finishing the meal.

  "I'll pick 'em up, you guys can go" father said to both the siblings as he reached for their silverware stacking them on top of his.

  "alright (alright)" both replied.

  Seems like father wanted to talk with mother concerning recent matter.

  ...

  On the bed Shailani rolled around with her stuffed bunny while Shraiyen was sitting by his study table searching about data of the incident that happened today. He wanted to get some information regarding what caused such sudden change in those animals as even the dog that rushed to bite him today was usually friendly if not to anyone else but to him at least since he used to feed him occasionally on his to school.

  But in the end after even two hours of searching he could find nothing, on information sites there had been no update since their hadn't been much time since this incident started and on social platforms all he could get was speculations and rumors as well as usual conspiracies.

  Giving up on the topic he finally picked up his phone an texted "saw the news? It's lockdown again although it's just a week but still I'll be more bored and won't even be able to meet you too."

  Shraiyen had but one single friend, someone he had known since his early childhood, Sharvyn, they lived nearby, only five to six houses apart.

  Generally friends have a few common grounds if not few then at least one common ground always exist but, on what common ground were their friendship formed? Even they didn't know that. Sharvyn excelled in study whereas Shraiyen although didn't lack academic knowledge but excelled in sports, he had a talent for music whereas he liked art, he was surrounded by females and had a few relations in past despite being that young whereas he never cared about such matter, one was quite lively and expressive whereas the other was gloomy and silent all day around.

  Regardless of these differences whenever they met they would spent around three to four hours just talking and enjoying each other's company.

  "Was going to message you in just a few minutes, yes I saw the news, man was it a shock, I didn't go to school so I was at home the whole day otherwise knowing my luck I would have gotten myself bit for sure but well we can still call to pass the time." After a few minutes Sharvyn responded

  "With whom are you talking?" Shailani questioned with her sweet voice as she heard the sound of notification from his brother's phone

  "Just my friend" replied Shraiyen with a affectionate gaze before he could even look at what Sharvyn had responded.

  "Oh okay but let's sleep it's already gotten this late, ma is going to wake me early again"

  "Alright wait I'm turning the lights off in a few minutes" Shraiyen replied, Shailani being more young used to sleep early than him so she was already getting sleepy but Shraiyen was not tired yet still decided to sleep seeing her tired.

  "Going to sleep early, will message you tomorrow morning" Shraiyen finished sending the message to Sharvyn and the turned off the ceiling light and went near the window to close the curtain.

  His and his sister's room was on 1st floor whereas his parent's room was on ground floor, from his window he could see the moon, it was still rising and gave of a dull red light with a silent and dark night the scene was rather lacking and ordinary, he could hear the sirens from afar.

  "Looks like they've started capturing the strays, I'll miss them" Shraiyen thought as he closed the curtains and the proceeded to sleep.

  He was a light sleeper and sleeping early caused him to have a more shallow sleep, throughout the night he could hear her sister snoring lightly and the sounds of sirens closing in.

  ...

  boom

  "WAKE UP....something has happened....at the hospital nearby those injured people were also admitted there" mother shouted as she barged in hurriedly waking both the children up