Vikram did not think. His body moved before his mind could process what was happening.
Just a few steps from the child, he leapt forward. His arms caught the little boy.
In one smooth motion, Vikram landed on the other side of the road. It was a long jump, a perfect arc, clean and effortless. Only after landing did he realize what he had just done.
He looked down at the boy in his arms, still trembling.
"How did I jump like that?" he thought.
Suddenly, the screech of tires tore through the silence. Vikram turned. The car had stopped a short distance away.
The driver climbed out, breathless, and ran toward Vikram.
"I'm so sorry, sir. I swear I didn't see the boy until the last second. I hit the brakes, but it was too late." His words stumbled over one another. Fear was clear in his eyes. He knew exactly how close it had been.
The child pulled away from Vikram's arms and ran, terrified. Vikram watched him disappear into the dark.
"I really didn't see him. I'm sorry," the driver said. No one blamed the driver.
Everyone understood it had been beyond his control. The driver got back into his car and drove off slowly.
Ayaan rushed over, eyes wide. "Bro, how did you even do that? One jump, that far?" He gestured wildly, half shocked, half thrilled. His words weren't really questions, more like disbelief turned into sound.
Vikram didn't answer.
"What do I even say?" he thought. He had no explanation, not even for himself.
Rishi stayed silent. His eyes were fixed on Vikram. Distance. Timing. Speed. Everything replayed in his mind like a slow-motion scene.
"A normal human body doesn't react like that," he thought clearly.
"Maybe just adrenaline," he whispered to himself. But the word didn't convince him this time.
Aarohi came running up next. "Vikram, are you hurt?"
Her voice shook slightly, fear seeping through her concern.
Vikram shook his head. "I'm fine," he said softly.
They all started walking back toward the hostel.
Aarohi stopped for a moment, glanced once more at the road, and then followed them quietly. After dropping her near her hostel, the boys returned to theirs.
Inside his room, Vikram locked the door and leaned against it. His heart was still beating fast.
"How did I do that?" he whispered to himself. His voice trembled slightly. The fear had arrived late, but it was real now.
In another room, Rishi sat on his bed, replaying the jump in his head.
"It wasn't adrenaline," he muttered. "Then what was it?" He took out a notebook and began scribbling rough calculations of Vikram's jump.
Across the campus, Aarohi stood alone on her balcony, staring down at the street. The image of Vikram's leap looped in her mind. She opened a book and tried to calculate it too, but the numbers made no sense. There was no logical explanation.
That night, they all fell asleep with unanswered questions in their minds.
The next morning began like usual. Vikram and Rishi were walking down the hostel corridor. Normally Vikram would joke or talk nonstop, but today he was quiet. Rishi noticed. The silence between them felt heavy.
He finally stopped. "Vikram."
"What is it, Rishi?" Vikram asked, pausing.
Rishi looked him straight in the eye. "Something's been wrong for days. What's happening to you?"
Vikram stood still for a few seconds before he spoke. Slowly, he told Rishi everything.
The flickering lights, strange voice , impossible jump. He left nothing out.
Rishi listened without interrupting. His face showed no disbelief, no trace of humor. When Vikram finished, Rishi asked only one thing.
"Vikram, doesn't it feel like something's trying to protect you?"
The words hit Vikram deeply. He froze.
He had never thought about it that way.
The fear inside him shifted into something unfamiliar, something heavier.
Later, while sitting in the hostel common area, Rishi spoke softly.
"Let's stop guessing. Let's start observing. If we connect the dots, we might find a solution."
His voice was calm, almost steadying. Vikram nodded, then went straight to his room. He opened a new notebook and wrote the date on the first page. His pen hesitated. His fingers trembled slightly as he began recording the first incident. Each word he wrote turned his fear into something he could face.
The rest of the day passed normally. College, lectures, laughter. When classes ended, Vikram, Rishi, and Aarohi walked back toward the hostel.
They met Ayaan and Sunny near the ground. After dropping Aarohi at her hostel, the boys continued.
"Hey, how about we go out for a bit?" Ayaan said eagerly.
Sunny added, "Yeah, chai and noodles. Let's take a break tonight."
Rishi and Vikram exchanged glances. No words, just understanding. "Not today," Rishi said.
"Yeah, I have some research to finish. Let's plan for another day," Vikram added.
Ayaan shrugged. "Fine, you two stay busy in your labs," he laughed and started Vikram's bike. Sunny hopped on behind him.
Back in Vikram's room,
Rishi leaned forward. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure," Vikram replied.
"Did you ever think this could be black magic?" Rishi asked quietly.
Vikram hesitated, then nodded. "I did."
"So did I," Rishi said, shaking his head.
"But it's not."
"Why?" Vikram asked.
"Because black magic destroys. It harms people. But this... this thing saved you. It saved that child. It's working in reverse."
His voice was calm, but serious.
Vikram opened his notebook again, reading through the incidents, trying to find a pattern. The clock struck ten. They decided to call it a night and left for their rooms.
As Vikram walked down the corridor, his phone vibrated. The screen lit up with a name.
Aarohi.
The moment he saw it, his heartbeat spiked. He hesitated before answering. Something already felt wrong.
When he picked up,
Her voice came through, breathless and panicked.
"Vikram… someone's following me. Please, come fast. I'm running right now."
Her words broke through the static, filled with fear. He could hear her footsteps in the background.
She tried to tell him her location, but her voice trembled.
"Vikram… please hurry…"
And then the call cut off.
"Aarohi!" Vikram shouted into the phone, but there was no answer.
For a moment, his mind went blank.
"Keys… where are the bike keys…" he muttered, searching his pockets frantically.
Rishi understood immediately.
"Ayaan has them," he said.
Vikram's fist hit the wall hard.
"We can't wait for them," he said sharply. Then he ran.
Rishi followed, but within minutes he was struggling to keep up. Vikram's speed didn't drop for a second. His body moved with impossible precision.
He reached the road outside campus faster than he thought possible. The street was dim, the lights flickering weakly.
Aarohi was nowhere in sight.
Vikram steadied his breathing, his heart focused, his eyes scanning every direction.
Moments later, Rishi arrived, out of breath.
"Vikram, what—" he started, but Vikram cut him off, pointing ahead.
"Rishi, look there."
At the far end of the street, something moved in the shadows. The air around them grew heavy.
Vikram's pace quickened.
Would he reach Aarohi in time... or
was the night waiting to test him again?