DEATH ROAD

THE BEGINNING OF THE ROAD

The next day, they began their journey towards the destination. It progressed slowly as they were captivated by the surrounding nature and took plenty of photos, enjoying their free time. Eventually, they arrived at the dreaded Death Road.

Before venturing onto the road, they decided to stop at a hotel for snacks as everyone was hungry. It was 6 PM, so they made the decision to leave quickly within thirty minutes in order to cross the road before it got dark. While they were enjoying their stay at the motel, an old man stopped by and inquired about their destination after hearing about the road they were discussing.

When they mentioned the Death Road, his expression turned to one of disgust and fear. He warned them vehemently against going there, citing it as a haunted place where they could lose their lives if they dared to ignore the warning. However, as usual, the boys paid little heed to his words, dismissing them as mere superstition. By the time they finished at the hotel, it was already 8 PM, and darkness had settled in with the winter fog making the air dense. The girls suggested staying at the hotel for the night and leaving in the morning due to the current conditions. However, the boys insisted on leaving immediately, feeling the thrill building within them.

Arjun dismissed the rumours about Death Road being dangerous as mere superstition to deter people. Though it didn't convince everyone, Samantha agreed to proceed, especially since Mahesh had no issue with traveling the road at that time and under those conditions. So, they continued their journey into Death Road.

As they were consumed by both excitement and fear, they drove the car at full speed. Suddenly, the tire burst, and the car veered off the road, plunging into the forest. Panic ensued as they found themselves surrounded by trees with no road in sight. Fear gripped them as they recalled the rumours about Death Road.

They attempted to drive the car out of the forest but to no avail. With no phone signal to seek help, they decided to continue on foot. Eventually, Ram spotted a house with lights on, calling it a ray of hope. Reluctantly, they agreed to seek shelter in the house as they had no other option.

When they arrived at the house, they found it deserted, with nobody in sight and a car with the door being open. They made themselves comfortable, starting a fire outside and chatting about their lives. Everyone tried to engage Mahesh in conversation, but he remained distant, choosing not to talk much. When asked how he knew Samantha, Mahesh replied, "We've been neighbours since childhood."

Arjun grew increasingly frustrated hearing this and asked Mahesh to help him check the surroundings. Samantha questioned why Arjun couldn't take Naresh instead, but Arjun insisted on sending Mahesh. With a smile, Mahesh went to assist Arjun.

While they searched around the house, Arjun opened up about his feelings for Samantha and expressed annoyance at Mahesh's presence on the tour, feeling he was intruding on their moments together. Mahesh didn't pay much attention to his words and tried to change the subject by complimenting Arjun's hair, tattoo, and sense of style, as well as asking about job opportunities. This only infuriated Arjun further, and he stormed off with a disgusted look on his face, leaving the others to continue enjoying themselves together.

While everyone was enjoying their time, suddenly the power went out, plunging them into darkness. Shruthi decided to check the kitchen for food using her phone's torch and found some apples. As she washed them, a masked man appeared behind her, holding a knife to her throat. Shruthi screamed in terror, and everyone rushed to her aid. The masked man threatened to harm Shruthi if anyone approached, while Mahesh heard some hissing noises around the house but found nothing when he investigated.

After some threatening conversation, the power suddenly returned. The man removed his mask, revealing himself to be Ram, and shrieked, "So soon, I wanted to play more." Everyone was annoyed and angry at him for his prank at such a tense moment. As they began to leave the room, Arjun spotted a snake crawling around something, seemingly wrapping around it. Using flashlights, they saw that the snakes were wrapped around Naresh's lifeless body, which was difficult to recognize due to the severe beating his face had endured, identifying him by his clothes.

The thrill they felt quickly vanished, replaced by terror as they saw Naresh's body surrounded by snakes. The sight sent shivers down their spines, leaving them paralyzed with fear. They knew they had to leave the house as soon as possible.

Arjun came up with a plan: he and Samantha would head to the forest gate while the others would attempt to start the car next to the house and join them later. Which causes a little confusion for the person whoever doing this. Some called Arjun selfish for wanting to take himself and Samantha to safety while the rest faced the dangerous road, but in the end, they all agreed, realising they didn't have time to argue and that the other plans were even riskier. Before leaving, Samantha moves towards Mahesh and hugs him, saying, "Just try to be left alive; I am sorry; I brought this to you." Mahesh then replies, "This is the best day of my life. We are gonna walk out of this. I promise."

Arjun and Samantha headed towards the gate, leaving Ram and Shruthi by the car, where Mahesh was attempting to start it. While wandering around, they found themselves in the backyard, shrouded in darkness. Ram and Shruthi decided to distance themselves from Mahesh and the car, thinking they could join Arjun, Samantha, and the others at the gate even if Mahesh managed to start the car, considering it a win-win situation. However, in the dense, dark forest with thick fog obscuring their vision, they were suddenly attacked by a tiger.

Due to the darkness, Ram and Shruthi didn't see the tiger until it was too late. Ram was injured, losing his hand, and they screamed in fear. Shruthi, shocked and unsure how to react, cried out in panic. Finally, Mahesh started the car, and upon hearing their cries, Mahesh rushed over and noticed the tiger. He made noises to catch its attention and then approached it with fuel and a fire stick used for warmth, which he picked up en route, for attempting to distract it. Mahesh instructed Shruthi to take the keys and drive away with Ram, emphasizing not to stop the vehicle under any circumstances. Shruthi quickly drove towards the gate while Mahesh tried to calm down the tiger.

Meanwhile, Arjun and Samantha hurried towards the forest gate. On their way, they stumbled upon a car crashed into a tree, with keys left inside. There were bloodstains around, but no sign of any person nearby. The stains seemed to be a few days old as they were dry. Arjun, startled by the screams, advised Samantha to stay inside the car while he investigated the area. Samantha glanced into the side mirror from inside to check what was happening outside, she noticed that the person wearing the mask was staring directly into the mirror. She became scared and fled into that car, hiding there without a word.

Ram and Shruthi rushed the car towards another gate but found it closed. The person with the mask watches them via binoculars as the car speeds near the gate. They decided to try crashing through it but hit some woods on the ground, causing a minor accident. Though Shruthi was injured, she was okay given the circumstances, but Ram started to lose more blood due to the accident. The car flipped over, making it difficult for them to get out. After calming themselves down, they realized they were surrounded by a group of coyotes, ready to attack them.

Now, everyone was facing their own problems: Mahesh trying to fend off the tiger, Samantha with the masked person, Arjun distant from Samantha with no supervision and searching for others. Ram and Shruthi encircled by coyotes that are trying to harm them.