A month ago, ash falling from the sky would have been impossible to imagine.
Now, Priya barely noticed it.
She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling.
For several seconds, she had no idea what time it was.
Morning?
Afternoon?
Maybe evening.
Without sunlight, the distinction had become meaningless.
Priya reached for her phone.
8:17 a.m.
She stared at the screen.
"Okay."
She sat up and her stomach immediately complained.
Priya placed a hand over it.
"Still morning."
She dragged herself out of bed and opened the curtains.
The world outside Favilla Hall was grey.
Not dark.
Not quite.
Just grey.
A thin veil of ash drifted through the air.
But it was lighter than usual.
Priya watched two students crossing the courtyard below. Both wore masks, their bodies covered against the ash. Umbrellas were held above their heads, collecting a fine layer of grey dust.
She had never imagined umbrellas becoming useful against ash.
The sight almost made the campus look normal.
Almost.
Then she remembered there were no classes.
No professors waiting in lecture halls.
No crowded cafeterias.
No clubs.
No parties.
They had barely been freshmen for a week before the world had changed.
Priya sighed.
"Still weird."
She left her room.
The dome-shaped roof continued to do its job.
Most of the ash slid down its curved surface, collecting around the base instead of building up on top.
Corvin and Mei Lin were already outside.
Scrape.
Push.
Scrape.
Push.
Corvin drove his shovel into the ash and dragged another load away from the building.
Mei Lin worked several metres away.
Neither spoke much.
There wasn't much to say anymore. They had learned how to make repetitive work tolerable.
Corvin paused and looked across the courtyard.
The lighter ashfall had brought more people outside.
Workers cleared paths.
Students moved between buildings.
It almost felt alive.
Then Mei Lin noticed five people standing near one of the distant buildings.
They weren't carrying shovels.
They weren't carrying equipment.
They were watching Favilla Hall.
Mei Lin kept shoveling.
One minute.
Then another.
The group remained there.
One man pointed toward the dorm.
Another said something.
Mei Lin watched without staring.
Then the group began moving not toward Favilla Hall rather away from it.
Mei Lin stopped.
"Corvin."
He looked over.
"What?"
"Look at them."
Corvin followed her gaze.
The five disappeared behind another building.
"What about them?"
"They've been watching us."
Corvin looked back toward the building.
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
Mei Lin didn't say things like that without being certain.
"How long?"
"Several minutes."
Corvin nodded.
"Let's finish this side and go inside."
Mei Lin hesitated.
"You're not worried?"
"I am."
He drove the shovel into the ash again.
"That's why we're going inside."
By the time they returned, Astrid and Chase were sorting through their remaining food.
Astrid held up a package.
"This expires in three days."
Chase looked at it.
"Then we eat it today."
"That's what I said."
"No, you said three days."
"I was implying today."
Chase smiled.
"Of course."
Astrid placed the package into a separate pile.
Priya wandered into the room.
"Food?"
"Breakfast," Astrid said.
Priya smiled.
"Best word in the English language."
Astrid handed her a plate.
Then pointed toward a small container.
"And Vitamin D."
Priya stopped.
"Oh."
"You forgot yesterday."
"I remembered."
"You remembered after you forgot."
"That's still remembering."
Chase laughed.
Astrid gave Priya a look.
"Take it."
"Yes, doctor."
"I'm not a doctor."
"I know."
Priya swallowed the tablet.
"Done."
Astrid nodded.
Across the room, Corvin checked the air monitor.
"The filter needs replacing."
Chase looked up.
"Again?"
"Last replacement was a week ago."
Chase sighed.
"Ash really is determined to kill us."
Corvin glanced toward the window.
"It's trying."
Priya sat down.
"Where's Aisha?"
"Sleeping," Astrid said.
"Still?"
"She needs the rest."
Astrid hesitated.
"Her period started yesterday. She's having a rough one."
Priya nodded.
Aisha had spent most of yesterday insisting she was perfectly capable of helping. Nobody believed her.
"She actually agreed to stay in bed?" Priya asked.
"Mostly."
Chase laughed.
"She tried getting up twice."
"Of course she did."
Astrid shook her head.
"She isn't fighting today."
Priya glanced toward the hallway.
"That must be driving her insane."
"It is."
A muffled voice came from somewhere downstairs.
"I CAN HEAR YOU."
Everyone froze.
Priya grinned.
Chase covered his mouth.
Astrid sighed.
"See?"
After breakfast, everyone returned to their duties.
The lighter ashfall had made the campus unusually active.
Mei Lin and Priya headed toward the fourth floor.
Marco and Dimitri were already watching the courtyard from the windows.
Marco glanced over.
"Morning."
"Morning," Priya replied.
Mei Lin walked toward the window.
"Anything?"
"Nothing unusual."
Marco kept his eyes on the courtyard.
"Not yet."
Mei Lin looked outside.
"I saw five people watching the building earlier."
Marco's expression changed.
"Where?"
"Near the science building."
"Did they approach?"
"No."
"Did they leave?"
"They moved away."
Marco thought for a moment.
"Could be nothing."
Mei Lin nodded.
"I know."
She looked at him.
"But I don't think it is."
Marco thought about the last time she had a bad feeling.
"Alright"
Dimitri said confusingly."What?"
"Let's go get out guns." replied Marco.
Dimitri didn't question him.
Marco glanced at them.
"You two stay here radio us if you see them again."
Marco and Dimitri rushed down to grab their guns.
Mei Lin remained at the window.
After about 9 minutes, she saw them, the same five people.
She then radioed Marco.
"They're back."
Marco moved beside her.
"Where?"
"They are crossing the courtyard."
This time, they weren't stopping to watch. They were walking directly toward Favilla Hall.
Marco reached for his radio.
"Mei Lin contact Fiona and request help."
"Okay"
Mei Lin switched to the emergency frequency.
"Emergency request, Favilla Hall is under attack by 5 individuals."
A crackle answered.
"Are they armed?"
Mei Lin narrowed her eyes.
One of the men adjusted his jacket.
Something metallic appeared beneath it.
Her voice dropped.
"I see weapons."
"Understood. Security is responding."
"How many?"
"Unfortunately only three guards can be assigned."
"How long?"
"Seven minutes on the dot."
"Okay."
They reached the 3rd floor.
Marco was also listening in on the conversation. Then he told Dimitri to go on ahead and get into position.
They reached the third floor.
Marco stopped at the stairs.
"Go on ahead," he told Dimitri. "Get into position."
Dimitri nodded and continued down.
Marco entered the third floor.
The moment he stepped into the hallway, he raised his voice.
"Everyone, get into your rooms."
"What happened?" asked Chase.
"Five people entered the building," Marco said. "They're armed."
Chase stopped asking.
"Stay in your rooms. Lock your doors. Nobody comes out unless I tell you."
Priya looked toward the stairs.
"What about you?"
"Dimitri and I will handle it."
"What if they come upstairs?"
"They won't."
Marco's voice was calm, but firm.
"Stay inside."
One by one, the doors closed.
Marco descended the stairs.
Dimitri was waiting at the entrance to the second-floor stairwell.
As they came into Dimitri's view. He yelled while keeping his weapon lowered.
"Stop."
The group froze.
The man in front looked up.
"We don't want trouble."
"Then leave."
"We know you have supplies."
Dimitri didn't answer.
The man glanced toward the hallway.
"We're asking for food."
"You entered an occupied building carrying weapons."
"We're desperate."
"Then you should have come unarmed."
One of the men behind him shifted.
Dimitri immediately raised his weapon.
"Don't."
The man froze.
The leader raised both hands.
"Easy."
Dimitri kept his weapon trained on them.
---
Marco reached the landing beside him.
"You have ten seconds to explain why you're inside our dorm."
The leader opened his mouth.
"We need food."
Marco said nothing.
"Ten."
The leader hesitated.
"We asked the university. They refused."
"Nine."
"My family needs food. We don't have anywhere else to go."
"Eight."
"We're not here to hurt anyone."
"Seven."
The leader's voice grew more desperate.
"Please. Just give us something."
"Six."
Marco didn't flinch.
"Five."
The leader glanced at the others.
"They're starving."
"Four."
"We know you have supplies. Food. Water. Filters."
"Three."
"And electricity."
"Two."
The leader fell silent.
Marco raised his weapon slightly.
"One."
The leader swallowed.
A man at the back suddenly moved toward the hallway.
Dimitri shifted immediately.
"Stop."
The man froze.
Another glanced toward the stairs leading down.
Marco noticed.
"Don't."
The group stopped.
Dimitri's eyes narrowed.
"So you've been watching us."
The leader didn't answer.
A sudden noise came from the hallway behind Marco.
He turned.
Aisha was standing halfway down the staircase.
"What happened?"
Marco's expression immediately changed.
"Aisha. Go back upstairs."
She looked past him toward the strangers.
"Five people entered the building."
Her eyes immediately went to Marco.
"Armed?"
"Yes."
"How many?"
"Two guns."
Aisha tightened her grip around the hammer.
"I'm coming."
Marco turned toward her.
"No."
"I can still—"
"No."
"I'm not helpless."
"I didn't say you were."
Aisha glared.
Marco lowered his voice.
"You're already hurting. If something happens, you won't be able to react as quickly as usual."
Aisha looked away.
She hated that he was right.
"Then tell me what I can do."
Marco thought for a moment.
"Stay with Chase and Astrid."
Aisha frowned.
"That's it?"
"Keep them safe."
Aisha looked toward the stairs then back at him.
"Fine."
She reluctantly turned around and headed back upstairs.
Marco waited until she disappeared.
Then his attention returned to the five strangers.
The leader raised his hands.
"We're leaving."
The five of them slowly backed down the entrance.
Dimitri kept his weapon trained on them.
Marco watched carefully.
Something felt wrong. A truly desperate person wouldn't retreat so easily.
Marco lifted his radio.
"Corvin, status?"
No response.
Marco tried again.
"Corvin."
Down in the basement, Corvin was completely absorbed in his work, hands busy replacing the damaged filter. The machinery hummed around him, drowning out everything beyond it.
He hadn't noticed the strangers.
Marco's expression tightened.
"Corvin, answer me."
Meanwhile, outside Favilla Hall.
Lucy was heading toward the purification plant.
Normally, she would have taken the longer route around the central campus.
But with the lighter ashfall, she decided to cut straight through campus instead, passing near Favilla Hall before continuing toward the plant.
She carried a small equipment case under one arm.
Then her radio crackled.
Mei Lin's voice came over the emergency frequency.
"Emergency request, Favilla Hall is under attack by five individuals." Lucy stopped.
Her expression changed. She was near the dorm.
Lucy glanced toward the purification plant then toward Favilla Hall.
The plant could wait.
She turned and ran toward Favilla Hall.
Back inside Favilla Hall, the five intruders reached the basement door.
Corvin heard footsteps approaching from the other side.
His radio crackled.
"Corvin."
Marco's voice.
"Five people are heading toward you. Two are armed."
Corvin immediately stopped working.
He grabbed a chair and shoved it against the door, wedging it beneath the handle. Then he moved behind the nearest machine, gripping the large pipe wrench tightly.
The door shook.
Once.
Twice.
Corvin backed away.
Then—
CRACK!
The chair snapped loose.
The door burst open.
All five men rushed inside.
Corvin raised the wrench.
"Don't damage the equipment."
One of the men swung a wooden club. Corvin ducked and the club struck a metal pipe.
The impact echoed through the basement.
Corvin swung the pipe wrench into the man's wrist and he dropped the club while in pain.
Another rushed him.
Corvin backed away, narrowly avoiding the first strike.
The three unarmed men pressed forward.
Corvin moved between the filtration units, using the narrow spaces to keep them from surrounding him.
One attacker grabbed for him. Corvin twisted away.
Another swung.
He ducked.
The weapon passed over his head.
Corvin struck the man's arm with the wrench and moved again.
The three kept coming.
Behind them, the two armed men remained at the entrance.
Corvin noticed.
They were cutting off his way out. His eyes flicked toward the door.
No escape.
One of the attackers charged. Corvin stepped sideways. The man slammed into the machine behind him.
Corvin ran.
The three immediately followed.
He moved past the electrical panel and into the open section of the basement.
For the first time, he had space.
But that was exactly what the gunmen had been waiting for.
One of them raised his weapon.
Corvin saw the movement too late.
CRACK!
The shot echoed through the basement.
Corvin dropped to his knees.
Dimitri heard the gunshot.
He looked down through the gaps in the stairwell railing.
All he saw was Corvin collapsing.
"Corvin!"
Dimitri didn't hesitate.
He raised his weapon.
Two shots rang out perfectly hitting the guys' arms
The two gunmen cried out and dropped their weapons.
Dimitri rushed down the stairs.
"Don't move!"
One of the gunmen looked toward his fallen weapon.
His hand began moving.
Before he could reach it—
"Ack!"
A wooden stick struck his face.
The man recoiled.
Dimitri turned.
Lucy stood in the doorway, gripping the broken handle of a broom.
She had just arrived.
The second gunman reached toward his weapon.
Lucy struck him as well.
He stumbled backward.
"Stay down," Dimitri ordered.
The two gunmen stopped.
The three attackers stared at Dimitri.
Then at the guns on the floor.
They slowly raised their hands.
"We surrender."
Dimitri kept his weapon trained on them.
Only then did he look toward Corvin.
"Corvin?"
Corvin was still on his knees.
He wasn't looking at Dimitri.
He was staring at the electrical panel. Sparks flickered from the damaged wiring.
His face had gone pale and he slowly lowered the pipe wrench.
The bullet hadn't hit him instead it hit the electrical system.
And Corvin knew exactly what that could mean.
A noise came from the hallway.
Footsteps. Fast.
Then a voice: "SECURITY!"
The gunmen looked toward the entrance. Three campus guards appeared.
"Drop your weapons!"
The first gunman raised his hands and the second looked toward Dimitri.
For one tense second, nobody moved.
Then one of the guards stepped forward.
"Drop it!"
All five attackers surrendered. The basement fell silent.
Dimitri finally lowered his weapon.
Lucy exhaled.
Corvin was still staring at the damaged wiring.
"That could have been much worse."
The guards secured the five men.
One of them recognized one of the attackers.
"You."
The man's face fell.
"We've been looking for him."
Marco's voice came through the radio.
"Why?"
The guard glanced at the man.
"He stole supplies from another university worker two weeks ago."
Marco's expression hardened.
"So this wasn't random."
Mei Lin's voice came through the radio.
"They were watching us."
Nobody answered.
The implication was enough. Favilla Hall was no longer invisible.
By lunchtime, the basement was secure.
Corvin stood beside the electrical panel, examining the damage.
"One section is ruined."
"Can you replace it?" Marco asked.
"Yes."
"Do we have a spare?"
Corvin shook his head.
"No."
Marco sighed.
"Add it to the list."
"We also need a stronger lock on the basement door."
"Add that too."
Dimitri looked toward the hallway.
"And someone needs to watch the entrance."
Marco nodded.
"Starting tonight."
Aisha crossed her arms.
"Finally."
Marco looked at her.
"You were against a watch system."
"I was against one that didn't include me."
"You weren't exactly in condition to spend six hours standing guard."
Aisha glared.
"I know."
Priya smiled.
"She's learning."
Aisha pointed at her.
"Don't."
Priya laughed.
For the first time since the attack, the tension began to fade.
The rules had changed.
From now on, nobody opened the door without checking who was outside. The basement stayed locked, radio check-ins happened throughout the night, and at least two people remained awake whenever the others slept.
They had learned that surviving wasn't just about having food, water, and shelter.
They had to protect them.
Later that afternoon, Lucy returned from the purification plant.
Corvin thanked her for helping them.
"Yeah. No problem."
"Why were you near here?"
"I was on my way to the purification plant but changed plans after I heard Mei Lin call for help."
Mei Lin looked at her.
"You heard that?"
"Emergency frequency."
Corvin invites her for lunch.
Lucy hesitated.
"You sure?"
Astrid placed another plate on the table.
"We have enough for one more."
Priya pulled out a chair.
"Sit."
Lucy smiled.
"Okay."
She sat down. For a few minutes, nobody talked about the attack.
They simply ate.
Outside, ash continued to fall.
Inside Favilla Hall, life continued.
But it was no longer just a place where eight freshmen were surviving.
It was something worth protecting.