This episode tells the story of my escape from a locked district. In this episode, my homecoming prospect brightened in an otherwise dark city, as I received an ‘exit pass’ to leave the district. But the opportunity came with conditions that taught me how to navigate difficult waters.

Episode 2 details China's pandemic resurgence, which canceled my homecoming and necessitated 36 days of COVID-19 testing. "The Swab's Tale" will give you a tour inside the testing facilities that came up overnight throughout the city, and why it became a daily practice for millions to visit these facilities once a day.

Returning to India from China after the pandemic: The 1st of the 5 episodes details my desperation to go home: the university’s reluctance to approve leave and my workaround to manage it, the exorbitant ticket prices, and the sleepless nights spent thinking about what I would do when I met my loved ones after three years.