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necessary to explain your
rapid recovery to your mother. We told her you crashed into Divya‟s sumo and suffered
minor cuts and bruises, and a dislocated shoulder. It saved her from a lot of worry which she
would undoubtedly have suffered from if she had known about the nature of the actual
accident. Remember the story.” Doctor Fahim stared at Neel and added gently. “And I advise
you not to tell her about your new abilities until we have had a chance to discuss them again.
Take care, Neel.”
The two left, leaving Neel alone in the room, with only his chaotic thoughts for
company.
    Neel sank back onto his pillow, the feeling of unreality intensifying in his mind. He
thought about what Doctor Fahim had told him, and what he had just done. The images in his
brain flowed at a blinding speed. His mind had started to accelerate again.
    The door opened, and Nurse Aarti entered. She closed the door behind her and came to
stand at his side of the bed. She said something, the words again coming out frustratingly
slow and indistinct.
Neel stared hard at the nurse‟s face, frantically trying to get his brain speed under
control again. After what seemed like several minutes to him, speed returned to normal again.
     
“I‟m sorry.” Neel croaked. “What did you say?”
     
“I asked you how you were feeling.” Nurse Aarti said, watching him with concern. “Do
you feel any sort of a discomfort? Any pain in your body? Lightheadedness? Nausea?”
    “No” Neel
said. It was true. Despite his mind being in a whirl, he was aware that
physically he felt better than he had ever done before. There was no pain from any wounds,
nor any aches in his body.
    “Well, you should let me know if you feel
anything wrong even slightly, all right?” the
nurse said. Neel nodded. She continued. “If you feel up to it, your mother is waiting
downstairs. I told her she can see you as soon as we were sure you were capable of seeing
visitors. I‟ll send her up now, shall I?”
    “Yes, thanks.” Neel said
. The nurse stood up and went to the door, closing it softly
behind her. Neel stared into space, concentrating on keeping his straying thoughts from
disrupting his brain speed again.
The door opened, and Neel‟s mother entered the room. A mixture of anxiety and relief
showed on her face as she hurried to his side.
     
“Neel” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. She bent and kissed his forehead
fervently. “Thank god you‟re awake. I was so worried.”
     
“I‟m fine, mom.” Neel said with a reassuring smile. “Totally fine.” His mother began to
look him over anxiously, checking his body for injuries.
     
“Really, mom, I‟m fine.” Neel assured her again. He remembered the story Doctor
Fahim had said they had told his mother. “I just twisted my shoulder a little.”
    “
Oh, you be quiet.” his mother whispered, her voice still tight with worry. “What do you
know? They‟re trying to make it out to be a smaller injury than it is. But why would they
have to bring you here in an ambulance if it wasn‟t serious? They had to operate on you!”
    “They‟re just being careful.” Neel offered. His mother ignored
him, and continued to
check his body. She leaned over the bed to examine his arm. The light from the lamp shone
on her eyes, and he saw that they were bright with tears.
“Mom.” Neel said in a low voice, placing a tentative hand on her shoulder. He tried to
think of something soothing to say, but nothing came.
    His mother stared down at him. Suddenly she folded her arms around him in a tight
hug. He could feel hershoulders shaking. “My baby!” she whispered, stroking his hair softly.
“Oh, my poor little Neelu. I was so afraidI was going to lose you.” She kissed his forehead
and hugged him again.
    Neel lay frozen on the bed, staring at the door in front of him. He did not hug her back.
To his mind had come the image of the rod breaking in his hands. And with it had come the
terrifying