LOMAN'S HEAVEN – CHAPTER 6: "THE AWAKENING"
EXT. MALCOM – NIGHT
A dark forest stretches under a pale violet sky. Wind whispers like a warning.
KAMAL and MIRAYA are walking quietly through the ruins.
KAMAL (angry, whispering) Why, Miraya? Why the hell did you do it?
MIRAYA (teary-eyed) I just wanted to be with you… I didn't care what this place was.
KAMAL (V.O.) I know. I know she's not real. Just another character those bastards cooked up in the lab. But... fuck. Why does it hurt like this?
Kamal sighs, hardens his expression.
KAMAL Alright. We need to get out of here ASAP. Take the samples from the ruins. And remember—focus. Watch how the living beings behave here. That's the key.
They split and search. 35 minutes pass.
Suddenly—
MIRAYA (O.S.) (shouting) KAMAL!!
Kamal turns. A massive, mutated beast—part bear, part something else—stands in front of her, snarling, glowing eyes locked on her.
KAMAL (throwing a stone) Hey!! Ugly bastard!!
The creature turns and charges at Kamal, roaring. Kamal pulls out a small, curved combat knife.
EXT. MALCOM – FOREST CLEARING – NIGHT
The fight begins.
Kamal slashes its leg. The beast roars and swipes, ripping through his jacket. Blood spills. He rolls, stabs the underbelly. The beast grabs Kamal and throws him against a tree.
KAMAL (grimacing) Fuuck!
Kamal dodges another strike, climbs its back, and drives the knife into its neck. The beast flails and knocks the knife away. It tackles Kamal, pinning him.
KAMAL (V.O.) This is it. This is how I die—in a simulation, in a dream that's not even mine.
The beast raises a claw. Just before the finishing blow—
SHUNK!! A spearhead rips through the beast's chest from behind. It's Miraya, screaming, her arms trembling from the force.
KAMAL (whispering) You… crazy angel.
The beast collapses inches from Kamal's face, dead. 46 minutes passed.
EXT. MALCOM – LATER
Kamal lies unconscious. Blood everywhere. Miraya pants, wounded, tears streaming.
She grabs Kamal under the arms and drags him through the wilderness.
MIRAYA (weakly) Hold on… please…
Suddenly—primal roars echo in the distance. Shadowy figures emerge—humanoid creatures, ancient, primitive.
Miraya sees the wall of Loman's Heaven in the distance.
EXT. LOMAN'S HEAVEN WALL – NIGHT
Miraya bangs on the metal wall.
MIRAYA (open-throated scream) OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!!!
Inside, Lokesh is confused. He was waiting for a signal.
Loki walks toward the panel but stops when he sees everyone looking toward the door.
LOKI (suspicious) What the hell…?
Outside, the creatures sprint forward—20 meters… 10…
LOKI (shouting) OPEN IT!!
The gate creaks open. Miraya drags Kamal inside. One of the creatures grabs Kamal's leg—tug of war. Miraya screams and yanks harder.
The creature tears off Kamal's shoe, the gate slams shut.
INT. LOMAN'S INFIRMARY – NIGHT
Kamal lies unconscious. A village doctor covers his wounds with herbs and nanobot patches.
Miraya sits beside him, her clothes soaked in blood.
Kamal opens his eyes.
MIRAYA Kamal! You're awake!
VILLAGERS GATHER AROUND
VIMAR What happened out there?
KAMAL (exhausted) Just… a damn bear from hell.
LOKI (Bluetooth) Kamal, listen. We used the system too long while waiting for your signal. The servers overheated. You'll be stuck in Loman's Heaven for 24 more hours. Rest. Then return.
INT. KAMAL'S ROOM – LATER THAT NIGHT
Kamal sits alone. Staring at the ceiling.
MIRAYA enters.
KAMAL (sighs) I'm sorry… I wasn't strong enough to protect you.
MIRAYA Don't say that. You did everything you could. And you saved me... in ways I can't explain.
KAMAL (confused) What?
MIRAYA I know you're not from here. I asked Mr. Vimar where you came from… No one had answers.
You've been unconscious for ten hours, Kamal. I had time to think.
Tell me the truth.
KAMAL (quietly) Alright. I'll tell you everything.
(He tells her everything.)
MIRAYA (disbelief) We're… in a game? (beat) So none of this is real?
KAMAL No. It feels real. That's the mindfuck. You all are the characters created in a game. But this is all a simulation. They sent me into coma-state subconscious. For their use.
MIRAYA Then… what if—what if we all are in comas?
KAMAL (still) Wait... what?
MIRAYA You said this is your subconscious. Then what if everyone here is in coma same as you. everyone here cries, laughs, dreams... loves. That's not programming. That's real.
LOKI (Bluetooth) She's right.
Kamal's eyes widen.
LOKI Every one of them—Vimar, Miraya, the kids—they're all coma patients in the real world. We stitched their minds together using the simulation grid.
KAMAL (silent, devastated) Jesus Christ…
LOKI But here's the thing, Kamal. You were chosen because your vertebral cortex suffered a rare injury. Unlike the others, you remember your past. That's why you can navigate Malcolm and transmit data. You're our bridge.
KAMAL (furious) You used me. You're using all of them!
LOKI We're not using anyone. We're saving them. Keeping their minds alive. Giving them peace.
KAMAL Bullshit. You're playing God.
LOKI We are the Gods here.
To Be Continued…