Arin and Maya squeezed into the long line outside the stadium's main entrance, the crowd buzzing with excitement. The silver arches of the stadium gleamed in the afternoon sun, promising a day to remember.
A cheerful inspector greeted them at the checkpoint. "Hello, folks! Hope you enjoy the games," he said, scanning their tickets with a quick swipe.
Arin's eyes sparkled. He could barely stand still, his energy contagious. "Of course! It's Bibol! I still can't believe we're here." He kept trying to peek over the heads in front of him, hoping to catch a better view of the stadium.
Maya just shook her head, smiling at her boyfriend's enthusiasm. Sometimes he really was like a little kid.
The inspector grinned. "Boxing fan, huh? I'm rooting for Tree. That kid's got lightning in his fists."
Arin laughed, not backing down. "Bibol's still the champ. Let's see who wins!"
They exchanged mock-serious "I'm watching you" gestures, making Maya roll her eyes and giggle.
"You act like a kid sometimes," she teased, nudging Arin as they moved forward with the crowd.
He puffed up his cheeks, pretending to be offended. "You hate it?"
"Oh, please," Maya said, nudging him back. "It's why I like you."
Arin's grin softened. "That's true."
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out, cutting through the noise. "ARIN! MAYA!"
They turned to see a middle-aged man waving from down the corridor.
"Dad!" Arin called, waving back.
His dad pointed toward the passage leading to the boxing arena, looking excited.
"Sorry we're late, Dad," Maya said as they hurried over, weaving through families in matching shirts and kids waving foam fingers.
Arin's dad greeted them with a warm smile and gave Arin a playful tug on the ear. "Why do you always make her run after you, huh?"
"Ow, ow, sorry, Dad!" Arin laughed, rubbing his ear, cheeks turning pink.
Arin's dad turned to Maya. "Don't worry. He'll learn his lesson one of these days."
Maya grinned and glanced at Arin as they joined the flow of fans heading toward the arena entrance. The air was thick with excitement, the smell of popcorn and hot dogs mixing with the distant tang of sweat and anticipation.
Then, without warning, the stadium was plunged into darkness. Every light flickered out, and the crowd fell silent.
"What the—?" Arin's dad muttered, looking around.
"Why did the lights go out?" Arin asked, his voice echoing in the sudden hush.
A nervous ripple ran through the crowd. People shifted, whispering. A power outage at the Olympics? Something felt wrong.
Before anyone could react, a piercing scream echoed from outside.
"AHHHHH!"
"What the hell?" someone nearby shouted, panic in their voice.
The confusion grew. People stood up, craning their necks to see what was happening. The darkness made everything feel more chaotic, voices overlapping in anxious whispers.
"Arin, what's going on?" Maya grabbed his arm, her eyes wide.
"I don't know," Arin said, squeezing her hand, looking around.
"Dad, go find Mom and Shri," Arin urged.
His dad was already fumbling for his phone. "Where are you going?" he asked as Arin started moving.
"I'm going to see what's happening," Arin replied, determination in his voice.
The noises outside grew louder,
Shouts, running footsteps, more screams.
"Why did it get dark so suddenly?" a woman said, holding her baby
"What's that in the sky?" an old man looking up, fixing his glasses
"It's not an eclipse, is it?" a teen boy asked his dad
Arin's dad nodded, tense. "Meet me near the parking lot. Stay together."
People around them pulled out their phones, screens glowing as they tried to record whatever was happening.
"I can't believe my eyes," someone whispered, filming the chaos beyond the arena.
Arin and Maya finally broke through the crowd at the entrance, breathless. The world outside was unrecognizable. Just moments ago, the sky was bright and full of Olympic promise. Now, it was swallowed by darkness, blackness that seemed to pulse and shift above the city.
They froze, staring up. A massive, jagged tear had opened in the sky, a growing black circle that devoured the light and stars. The air felt heavy and electric, and a strange hush fell over the crowd. People stood rooted, their faces lit by the ghostly glow of their phones, looking up online for some answers, news headlines, anything they could get their hands on. Some edged toward the exits, but most were paralyzed by fear.
Maya clung to Arin's arm, her hand shaking. "A-Arin," she whispered. "What is that?"
Arin couldn't answer. His heart hammered as he stared upward, unable to believe what he was seeing. The murmurs of panic grew louder, mixed with shouts and the distant wail of sirens.
Suddenly, the stadium speakers crackled to life, the announcement echoing over the chaos:
"Attention, everyone. Please return to your homes immediately. All Olympic events are now on hold by order of the state. Please evacuate the area in an orderly fashion."
The message only made things worse. People started pushing toward the exits, frantic and uncoordinated.
"Arin!" a voice called.
He turned to see his younger sister, Shri, weaving through the crowd, her face pale with fear. Relief washed over him. He hugged her tightly. "Shri! Thank God. Where are Mom and Dad?"
She pointed shakily to the far side of the plaza. "They're over there. I lost them in the crowd."
Shri looked up at the sky, her eyes wide. "What's going on?"
Arin shook his head. "I don't know. But we need to find Mom and Dad and get out of here."
The crowd surged toward the parking lots and city streets, voices rising in panic as traffic snarled and horns blared. The air was thick with fear, shouting, crying, the shrill ring of cell phones as people tried to reach loved ones.
Arin grabbed Maya's and Shri's hands, pulling them close as they fought through the chaos. The urge to escape was overwhelming.
Something had Shifted in the air.