~Jolt of the Bolt~

Deepa watched as the man tossed and turned on the couch. He didn't wear those strange clothes that moment, but she was sure that this was the same man who she used to notice staring inside that café. A glance around the room confirmed her suspicion. There, in the corner hung a big round hat and the strange looking rags.

"No..."

The sound jolted her gaze back to man. This was the third time the man had shouted since she woke up. Though how she woke up here in what she assumed was the house of this man was still a mystery to her.

Pain shot back in her head as she remembered that freak accident. The accident which had compelled her to use her powers again. But that wasn't the worst thing. It was the fact that even after years of practice; she was still unable to control them, still unable to call her end game.

And once again, her powers had got innocents in danger. A feeling of depression washed over her as she remembered the girl sitting in that café. Had she killed her? Or was she safe? The last thing she remembered was her car shattering that glass and her head banging on the steering. It was all blank after that.

There were a lot of unanswered questions. And the only person who could answer them was tossing and turning on the couch.

Confusion had gripped Deepa's soul when she woke up. The warm bed under her back wasn't her own, the fan staring back at her wasn't her own, the dim blue lights that lit the room weren't her own as well, and neither was the room. Confusion had slowly made way for fear. Kidnapped!

That was the conclusion that her mind raced to in an instant. But there were many things that were against it. First, there was no sign of restraint at all. She wasn't tied, nor gagged, nothing. Even the pain in her head, she knew was from the accident. So she wasn't beat up as well. It was an unusual kind of situation.

The lock of the door had clicked open on the very first attempt. No guards outside, no one watching over her, no restrictions at all. No, she wasnt kidnapped.

Then where was she? Was it a dream? Was she still asleep? Or is this what people called heaven?

Still in a state of shock, she had soon found the kitchen. Hunger had overcome all the feelings that were there. For the next half an hour, Deepa had just concentrated on eating. Only when the tummy finally grumbled full had she left the kitchen to explore the rest of the house.

She had just stepped into the main hall when she had heard that first scream pierce the silent night.

Since then, she had just been sitting in front of that couch watching the strange man toss and turn on it. One moment he would mumble in an almost inaudible voice, and the very next moment he would delve in a quiet and peaceful sleep. And then suddenly out of nowhere came those screams adorned with pain.

"No, no, no..."

Fourth scream. It was similar to the earlier ones, but still it felt a bit different. She didnt know why, but it stirred something in her.

Deepa walked the short distance and sank on her knees by the couch. It was a cold night, yet the man was sweating profusely. His fist was clenched tight and the eyes almost bore back in the skull. They seemed to hold back whatever emotions that dared to come out through the dreams. His resolve seemed like the final barrier that stopped his nightmares from becoming reality.

Deepa's actions weren't her own after that. Her hand found its way to the forehead of the man. It was an innocent gesture. Like a mother consoling her child that everything was fine. Like a father laying a protective hand on the head of his daughter. It was a purely innocent gesture. And yet it felt different.

Because the moment that her fingers touched the man, she instantly felt a jolt run down her spine. Deepa didn't understand what happened in that miniscule second, but the next thing she knew, she was shoved back hard, that already throbbing head banging hard on the wall, again.

The world went black for Deepa once again.