New Lightning

New Lightning: Part 4

About half a mile, I stopped, panting, trying to catch my breath. Ringing echoed in my ears. This. Isn't. Real. Somehow, I had trouble believing it. I sat myself on the dry crippled grass and clasped my knees together. Why? Why, did I have to be the one struck by lightning? Why was I given more sorrow and fury then I already had? WHY WAS I THE ONE THAT HAD TO SUFFER?! IT RUINED EVERYTHING! THIS IS ALL MY FAULT! Lighting bolts danced in unison around me as if my mocking my emotions. I sobbed. All my fury, all my worry, all my guilt poured into those tears.

"Excuse me for interrupting, but what is the sobbing all about?" I whipped my head around to see a lady who probably were in her late forties or early fifties. She had blonde, yet short hair and was wearing a purple dress.

"Nothing," I sniffed.

"Nobody I know cries for no reason," she said in a delicate tone. I noticed her face had an admirable gentleness to it, but I wasn't in the gentle mood.

"Maybe I could help you?" she asked politely.

"Just please leave me alone."

"I could-"

"GO AWAY!" I shrieked. A lightning bolt appeared beside me and before you could say "disappear", it vanished. The lady glanced towards where the lightning bolt had appeared and smiled a motherly smile that warmed me to the toes.

"Come inside my cottage and I'll warm you up something to eat. We'll also see what we could do about that temper of yours," she added, smiling.

***

Bliss. Inner bliss... The homemade apple turnovers melted with warmth inside my mouth. My taste buds, itching for more, every bite comforted me with mouth watering deliciousness...Mmmmm... The texture....The taste...all in perfect proportion...

"Taste good?" she asked, interrupting my blissful moment.

"Mhmm... Dis es da best sing I ever tastad!" I exclaimed between mouth fulls.

"So, about the lightning-"

"I'd rather not talk about it," I grumbled after swallowing the bit of my apple turnovers. She nodded. I looked into her eyes. Her hazel eyes glinted in delight.

"Linda -(she told me her name while seating me down)- why are you even helping me? I terrorized an entire school! I mean, I almost set it on fire!" I pouted raising my hands in the air. Linda gazed into the bowl she held and had taken a sudden interest in it. A tear escaped from her eye.

"My...my son Aaron, he died in the war. He said in his...will that everybody should deserve a second chance. See, his friend...he was in the war fighting right along side him until he betrayed him. My son knew about the betrayal beforehand, but thought that his friend would think twice about it... No such luck," she cried. I patted her back.

"But I don't deserve a second chance," I replied uncertainly. She looked into my eyes.

"You can't cure the hurt with hatred. You must cure it with the goodness within your heart. I want people to take sight in my son's wishes. And now, I realize he was right," she croaked out. I wrapped my arms around her into a tight hug.

"Thank you," I whispered. She nodded, fighting the urge to cry.

"Now, shall we see what we can do about your temper?" she breathed out. I nodded. I appreciated the fact that she didn't say: let's see what we can do about your condition or: let's take you to a mental hospital. She walked me outside and sat cross legged waiting for me to do the same. Outside, the cottage looked like a cute little house from one of those nursery rhymes that consisted of white paint that covered the entire house except for the roof, the door, and the windows. The roof had a beige coloring and the door had a chocolatey color to it. I sat down beside Linda and gazed out to the other side of the hill which the cottage sat on.