Nature's Comeback

25- A medium for fire

Lack of electricity and the atmosphere being too windy for the fire to be lit, the moonlight was the only factor that was helping villagers to find their path.

However, the clouds suddenly took over the sky, covering every ounce of the moon, spreading pitch black darkness everywhere.

A lot of curses and cries were heard as people started tripping and clashing with each other. With the only source of light gone, they all were left helpless.

"Everyone stop where you are," Gyaan commanded.

The whole village was filled with harmful objects that had flown when the windstorm had arrived. One wrong moment was enough to cause a series of deaths.

The villagers followed the command as it was a daily occurrence for them to be commanded by a young man. They all stood at their place, murmuring among themselves of what was about to come.

With clouds taking over the sky, the wind had picked up its pace too. They all knew that it was a matter of a few minutes before they all would be in the clutches of the windstorm.

"Ahana," Gyaan yelled out her name, hopelessly trying to find her in the dark.

"Present Sir," came her annoying response in return, which was followed by a chuckle.

"A little help please," Gyaan shouted, turning his head aimlessly, not having any clue about where they were standing in the crowd.

"I will kill him if he exposes my power to dozens of people," Ahana muttered under her breath, before shouting back her response.

"I need a medium."

Ahana needed something to light it up in fire. If she just aimlessly focussed her power in the dark, then there was a huge chance that a living person could end up being burned.

Hearing Ahana's response, murmurs started among the villagers.

"Medium as in a lighter or a candle, not the spiritual medium you fools," Ahana huffed, having caught the wind of the superstitious talks of these people.

In truth, Ahana had meant any non- living that could be lit up, but she couldn't just say that in front of the villagers.

"Lighter or candle wouldn't be effective in these winds," a lady spoke, and a series of agreements followed.

"It is an artificial fire invented by one of our fellow researchers. Wind won't affect it," Kriti lied on the spot.

"Ahana, I have a lighter but it is not working properly," Abhinav, Asha's father, said in a loud voice, hoping it would reach her.

"Its working is not important. The lighter would do," Ahana responded back.

She bit her lips in thought. She had the medium, but she didn't know its exact location.

"Everyone please be silent. Don't make any noise," Gyaan instructed, "Clink the lighter. And keep doing it. Everyone please, the only noise that should be heard is the clink of the lighter."

With Gyaan's guidance, Ahana focussed on the lighter's sound. She took a deep breath, trying to concentrate hard. It was the first time she was focussing on the object through her ears rather than her eyes. And she needed to be thorough.

"One more clink," she requested and soon a flame was ignited.

Villagers looked around, thinking how could someone start a fire from afar. 'Technology has reached too far,' was the only conclusion that came to their mind.

The fire had ignited but the flame was too small to lead the entire group.

Abhinav walked towards Ahana as the flame showed him the way, before handing her the lighter.

Taking the lighter, she raised her hand to look towards Avan, who had been sitting on his father's shoulders.

"Avan," Ahana whisper-called him.

"Yes Didi," Avan replied in a whisper too, looking down from his father's shoulders.

"Try to speak with your friends. I need many wooden logs. See if they could spare some," Ahana requested.

Avan nodded and tried speaking with his friends.

"I found them," Avan spoke up suddenly with excitement.

"Dad, let me down," Avan said.

Avan's Dad looked unconvinced. Letting the small body down in this crowd meant risking Avan getting lost.

"It's okay, Avan. Just tell us where we would find them," Neer said, understanding his father's plight.

Avan moved his hands in circles, gesturing all around the village. The logs were there but not in heaps at the same place. They were scattered all over. And for the twins to find them, Avan had to lead them there.

"Neer and I would carry him in turns. We won't let him down," Ahana proposed.

Avan's father was still in dilemma but Payal clutched his hand, telling him to let go. As much as she feared letting Avan go, she knew that staying here idly was more dangerous. The winds would kill them in no time. They needed to find a way out before that.

Neer picked up Avan and three of them left to search for the logs with the help of the small light created by the lighter.

"Wait!"

Before they could leave, Sameera stopped them. She joined them with a bag she had found lying around when she was out to help everybody.

"We will need lots of wood and you wouldn't be able to pick them all while simultaneously carrying Avan," Sameera stated as she joined the group.

Tej and Kriti took a step forward simultaneously, before glaring at each other.

"Copycat," Kriti sneered at Tej, before joining the elements.

Tej shook his head at the girl. It had been so many years yet the girl was still adamant on her assumptions.

Upon finding the first wooden log, Ahana immediately lit it up on fire so that they could see a lot better.

Collecting all the logs, they returned to the place where all the villagers were anxiously waiting for them.

Neer handed Avan back to his parents along with a wooden log that had been lit, while Kriti and Tej went back towards their group with another log.

Villagers had started crowding near the twins, fighting for the logs. Neer tried to calm them down but they all were beyond listening. They had barely managed to remain calm until now but their patience had run out, leaving the fear behind.

To say Ahana was irritated was an understatement.

"Go back right away or else I would throw away all these logs," she threatened fiercely.

The villagers still attempted to get a hand on the logs. "Throw water on all of these. These people aren't worth saving," she told Neer, before throwing her arms up in frustration.

"Doing this is only wasting your time. Make a group of 10-12 people. Every group would receive one log. And I will personally hand it out to you. So please give them a breathing space," Gyaan guided, while gently pushing away the crowd.

"I promise, no will be left behind," Gyaan vowed sincerely as he saw that the villagers were still afraid.

"Sameera, lead the groups. We three would come after handing in all the logs," Gyaan instructed.

"Me?" Sameera asked with shock. Reyansh or any other researcher was better for this task. How could Sameera lead them?

"Yes you," Gyaan spoke in a voice that was only audible to her and the twins who were standing close. "Wind is your power. Concentrate and sense the direction of this windstorm. Take these people in the opposite direction.

"Not even I know which place will be safe from this storm. Only you can sense it. Only you can lead the people to safety."

'So this was how it felt when power and responsibility came together.' Sameera had never felt so wanted in her life. This was her chance to prove herself worthy in her own eyes.