Lightning crashes-Where? When? Are you Sure?

It was close to 4 am in the morning. I opened my eyes to check on my current co-ordinates, but an unusual fog seemed to have covered the whole area like a blanket. The incessant humming of the engines became loud once again, but that did not seem to bother me much. Knowing well, that there were two more hours before hitting my destination, I sulked back into the semi-sleeper seat trying to get more sleep.

I wasn't quite sure, but there was an uneasy feeling in me and I could smell some sort of tension in the air. I started realizing that the bus was going at a slower pace than usual. I didn't want things to spoil my sleep, but as much as I tried to eschew it, the feeling kept coming back to me. I rolled myself to the non-window side and wide opened my droopy eyes to see what was going on. I could hear whispers and mumblings from the back of the bus. My co-passenger sitting in the aisle was wide awake and was trying to look outside. There was lot of intense in his ogle. A lady in the diagonally opposite seat was trying to make a call. I was thinking, why would she want to call someone at such wee hours in the morning? I started to become more conscious to my immediate surroundings and was wondering if I was missing something that everyone seemed to be already aware off.

I tried to peek outside my window to see what was happening, but the visibility wasn't very good. I managed to figure out that vehicles on the opposite lane too, were going slowly. As I was opening my window to find out more, I heard a distant rumbling in the sky that seemed to come my way (or rather our way). It was followed with a second rumbling but this time, of a higher magnitude. It doesn't take any more investigation to arrive at the conclusion that nature was unleashing it fury and probably it has already unleashed a bout of it a few miles ahead-the result of the slow moving vehicles seemed to be an indication of it. The wind was strong making the trees sway wildy. I felt the chill wind hit hard on my face.

Just at that very moment, a sudden burst of energy from the skies above, triggered the panic button in many a heart. A straight streak of lighting stuck the a nearby open field (or atleast that is what I thought it to be) with such force, that it looked like a New Year's welcome where a dimly lit dance floor was suddenly flooded with dazzling lights. Within seconds, there was an ear splitting thunderous clap. For a moment I could feel the bus reverberating in the impact of such an outburst. Some of the inmates in the bus left out shrieks that sounded like tiny aftermath of the big badaboom lightning. I didn't know how to react. I was too stunned. The sight of "nature unplugged" was still sinking in me. I was telling myself to remain calm. There wasn't much to be done in such a situation but maintain one's composure. I offered a silent prayer for the well being of everyone and patiently waited to reach to my place. A few more lightnings, followed with heavy thunder echoed across the skies. A few more mumblings were heard and a few more panicked. The situation was clearly becoming worse and I started becoming squeamish and fervently hoping for the dust to settle down. As the bus moved on slowly, I peeped out of the window once again. The admonishing clouds hovering above the bus was no pleasant sight to witness. I shut the window, closed the blinds and sat back. Not having much to do, I shut my eyes too, hoping to get some sleep. Not sure when I slept or how I slept, but I did happen to sleep.

Suddenly, I heard a voice "Madiwala check post". I probably heard it twice or something and woke up with a jolt. I saw a few people wriggling their way out of the bus and getting down. There was a rush of autos and auto drivers flocking the entrance to the bus, hoping to get their day's "bhoni" (if you are not sure about the word, ask anyone from Chennai and they'll tell you). I moved the drape to see the weather outside and I was startled and stunned. The azure sky and a dry and clear outfield threw a surrealistic backdrop. I had to rub my eyes properly to believe what I was seeing. A couple of hours, the sky was painted in a completely different color that would have indicated a wild rage. But now, there was saintly silence outside.

Wait! Now, was it a figment of my imagination or a real vagary of the weather? I didn't have a convincing answer. I very badly wanted to ask my aisle neighbor as to what happened to the menacing storm, but I decided to shy away, fearing that he could give me a totally confused look, laugh at me and ask me to stop dreaming. But hell no, I wasn't dreaming. I was pretty sure, I saw the lightning, I heard the thunder, I felt the wind. How could all this be a dream? I wasn't convinced but I couldn't get a second opinion to convince myself. I had to get an answer, an explanation, but whom should I ask?

The same voice came again, "Jhonson Market". Damn! I had to get down. I quickly took my bag, moved out of my seat and walked towards the door. My destination had come and the bus stopped. I got down, but quickly wanted to turn back and ask the driver,"So, how did you weather the storm?". But as soon as I was out of the door's way, it shut and the driver stepped on the accelerator. The bus moved on and soon was out of my sight.

I stood there for a minute, and then moved. I went home and just sat for a while, thinking about the whole episode. As much as I raked and ransacked my brain, I couldn't really figure out whether it was true or it was just my imagination that ran amok. I still don't have an answer for this and really doesn't make sense to look for one anymore. What my mind saw as a reality, my eyes refuted it as a fake. I believe it, I don't believe it. I am confused (as always!)