"Okay listen," Vicky whispered into his mic, excitement pounding with every heartbeat. "Plan simple hai."
He cleared his throat dramatically.
"I'll spray… Rahul throwables karega… and Akash, first shot is yours. Headshot only. Uske baad you join me and spray."
"Roger that," Rahul said.
Akash snickered. "Aaj toh movie-level fight hogi."
Their fourth teammate—SniperOp_143—was nowhere nearby. His marker blinked uselessly at the School apartments.
"Idhar hi mar jayega," Akash muttered.
On the bridge, the sedan team was still rummaging through the airdrop, their backs turned.
Akash steadied his M24.
Inhale…
Aim…
CRACK!
The shot echoed across the metal girders.
The guy in the blue shirt dropped instantly—knocked. He shouted into proximity chat, panicking, marking wildly.
Rahul didn't wait a second.
He tossed a smoke grenade behind the sedan team—
a perfect misdirection.
The enemy whipped around, confused, checking their rear.
"Molotov out!" Rahul yelled.
The bottle cracked, flames roaring.
That was Vicky's cue.
He gripped his SCAR-L and opened fire, the rifle recoiling hard against his fingers. Rahul joined him with his AK. Akash swapped to his Vector and sprayed bullets like a lawnmower.
The sedan team collapsed one by one, their health bars melting under the barrage.
Within moments—
Squad eliminated.
"Bridge cleared!" Rahul shouted triumphantly.
"Loot time!" Akash said. "Airdrop mera—dibs!"
They sprinted toward the crate… only to stop dead.
"Arre… yeh khali hai!" Rahul said, sounding offended.
The sedan team had looted it already.
"Check bodies," Vicky said, diving into the nearest box.
Rahul grabbed ammo.
Akash looted attachments.
Then Vicky's eyes widened.
"AWM."
It glowed in the crate like divine treasure.
"Mera!" he yelled, smashing his thumb onto the screen before the others reached it.
But the moment he tapped—
A sudden cold shock ran through his thumb.
"What the—"
He froze.
Half his thumb had vanished—
sunk inside the screen.
Before he could react, the cold sensation surged up his wrist—
—and his entire hand plunged into the phone.
"H-HOLY—"
He jerked backward in terror.
His arm got stuck at the edges, something blocking it from coming out cleanly. He twisted, angled, pushed—
And finally yanked it free, stumbling onto his mattress.
But something else came out with his hand.
A long, freezing, metallic weight clattered onto the bed.
Clink.
Vicky stared.
Then blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"Bhen*…*"
He didn't even finish the swear.
He threw the object away from him and leaped off the bed like a cat touching fire.
His heart hammered so loudly it hurt.
The PUBG lobby music still played faintly from his phone.
"A—arey Vicky?"
Rahul's voice came through.
"Oye AWM kidhar gaya? Drop kiya kya? Give it to meeee—"
But Vicky wasn't listening.
He was staring at the cold thing lying on his bed.
The shape…
the length…
the color…
It was unmistakable.
A REAL AWM sniper rifle.
He staggered back, chanting the Hanuman Chalisa under his breath, sweat rolling down his spine.
He squeezed his eyes shut.
When he opened them again—
It was STILL there.
Lying on the blanket.
Solid.
Cold.
Real.
His skin prickled as he reached out slowly to touch it—
Just then—
Footsteps echoed on the stairs.
Goosebumps shot across his arms.
"SHIT!"
In pure panic mode, Vicky grabbed the blanket, flung it over the rifle, smashed the phone screen shut, tossed the phone into the pile of clothes, and dove under the covers.
The door creaked open.
Sneha entered.
"Kuch toh gadbad hai…" she murmured, eyeing the blanket mound and the glowing phone screen.
Right that second—
the phone rang loudly.
Incoming Call: R A H U L
(Unknown Number)
Sneha picked it up.
Before she could speak, Rahul's voice blasted out:
"OYE VICKY! Kaha mar gaya? Bridge pe aag lag gayi! Game leave kyun kiya? Dusri team aake hume bhi uda diya!"
Sneha's eyes narrowed.
"Accha beta… abhi isko puchti hoon kya acting kar raha hai aaj. Pakka belan khayega." she said sweetly.
Vicky's soul left his body.
She marched to the bed.
"Betaaa… utho ge ya main aaun?"
Her tone was dangerously gentle.
Vicky peeked from under the blanket with the world's most awkward smile.
Sneha exploded.
"EXAM KHATAM HOTE HI GAME SHURU?!
CHUTTI HOGAYI TOH KAAM NAHI? HOMEWORK NAHI? PADHAI NAHI? PURE DIN GAME GAME GAME!"
"Maa! Ab toh exams khatam ho gaye! Kya homework, kya assignment? Kuch bhi nahi!" Vicky protested helplessly.
But that only fueled her.
"Bas! Abhi jao, chai ban rahi thi—doodh UFFAL raha hoga! Jalne ki smell bhi aa rahi hai!"
Sneha sniffed.
Her eyes widened.
"Haye re…!"
She rushed out to the kitchen.
Before leaving, she pointed at him:
"Abhi toh bach gaya…"
Vicky exhaled the breath he'd been holding.
He stood.
Locked the door.
Pulled down the blinds.
Turned on the lights.
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
He walked back to the bed and slowly lifted the blanket.
There it was.
The impossible AWM rifle lying on his bed.
Real.
Cold.
Heavy.
His brain struggled to process it.
"Yeh… yeh mere phone se bahar kaise aaya…?"
His journey had already begun—
but now, the universe had put a literal weapon in his hands.
And nothing would be normal again.