Encounter

Rustle....rustle....

"Did I die?", I asked myself whether I was in heaven. And it was because, when I opened my eyes, I could see a beautiful girl staring right into my eyes. She was a true beauty that I had never seen. Her eyes seemed to draw me in and I could feel myself blushing. 

But she interrupted, "Nah, not dead yet."

"Where am I? Did you save me?", I felt overwhelmed and embarrassed as well for asking that question.

"Is it yours?", she asked me, ignoring my question as if I had never asked anything. It was my knife in her left hand and her eyes were fixated on it.

"Ye-Yeah.", I stuttered.

"I figured much. You are an idiot.", she bluntly told me. As much as she is beautiful, she is harsh and so rude! But I could not get angry at my saviour.

"Why do you think so?", I tried to keep myself cool. 

"You were out there with this garbage? You could have died! Nah, you should have died. It was my brother who saved your ass there. Maybe it would have been better if you died. " She was glaring at me but also had an anxious look in her face. I thought, she might not be how she sounded, as she was feeling anxious for someone whom she did not know at all. Or maybe it was just my imagination.

"Haha." I laughed awkwardly.

"Okay listen, you dumbshit. I will explain it in a way that even an idiot like you can understand. First point- you used a car battery, 12-volt battery, as a stun gun. Second point- you need a step-up transformer that will deliver 50,000 to 100,000 volts to temporarily disrupt the opponent's muscle control. Now the last thing- a capacitor that will store the electricity from the battery and release it quickly in a high-voltage pulse with the help of an oscillator" She explained in a rush while insulting me as a bonus. I felt as if a train passed through me. But as expected, I didn't understand anything at all.

"Now now, he just woke up, Nafia. Give him a break. How are you feeling?" A boy with the same face type as the girl joined, apparently his brother, I would guess.

"I am fine, thanks to you." I was thankful to him for saving my life and also for saving me from these lectures.

"Don't be so polite. And don't mind my sister, she is just obsessed with machines. So....what were you doing there? Did you kill that beast?" His eyes glowed as if they were demanding an answer which I obviously did not have.

"I don't know..." I replied as I myself was confused.

"What? Are you kidding me, man? You don't know if you killed it or not?" It was clear that he wanted to know something more. 

"I may have done it in a dream? I don't remember." I replied, with an unsure tune in my voice.

"Did you hit your head or something?" The girl added, seemingly annoyed with my answer. I knew she was a demon!!! 

"Sigh...Okay, take a rest and tell me if you remember anything. Ohh, I forgot to introduce myself, where are my manners? I am Nadim and this is my sister, Nafia." The guy extended his right hand towards me.

"I am Ref....Ref Isham. Thanks again for saving me out there." I took his hand expressing my gratitude.

"It's okay. Don't sweat it." Nadim patted on my shoulder.

Leaving me alone in the room, they went outside discussing about something. The breakfast was right beside my bed and a note that I should eat them. I could not help feeling thankful to them, not only they saved a stranger, but they also provided me with food where food was almost unavailable for them. Maybe that was why, Nafia didn't like me imposing them.

Taking my breakfast, I went outside and found them in the living room, the house was quite big, and a fireplace was there. They were quite wealthy before the event started, I assumed. But I could not impose them any longer.

"Hello, Nadim, Nafia. Thanks for everything but I think, I should go now. "

"You will go outside in this weather? Why not stay here?" Nafia fretted.

"Are you sure you will be okay?" Nadim warned me with his question.

"Yeaa, I guess...."

"This would not do. Let me walk you home, then." He offered.

"No need to go outside. Just stay here, you both." Nafia seemed anxious for her brother as she fretted.

"Haah...you heard her. Just stay for today, we will figure out something, and we still have a few questions to ask you."

"Sorry for imposing, then." 

Nafia felt relieved as she smiled, "Okay, let's have a talk, shall we?" She took a notebook and a pen with her. 

"You are...Ref, right?"

"Y-yea."

"Why were you outside?" It felt like I was being interviewed.

" Err....I thought I should find some foods."

"Okay okay...so did you bring this garbage with you to protect yourself?"

"Yea..."

"And from when have you had these blue eyes? When did it start- the crystallization?"

I was so stunned by this that I was speechless. Was it really that?

"Two years. But is this really crystallization?"

"I guess so. I am not sure myself. But I think it's mild or else you would have been dead by now." She shrugged.

" Any symptoms?" Nadim joined us.

"Headaches and dreams..."

"Dreams?"

"Nah, it's nothing much."

"Is he the dormant type?" Nafia asked his brother, Nadim with an eye of curiosity.

"It seems so. The beast's death....his blue eyes....Headaches...and dreams....I think it would explain. He might be like us. Ref, show me your hands. I need to confirm something."

"My hands?" I showed my hands while being confused by their conversation. He took my hands, "I will now send some energy to your hands. Tell me how you feel."

"Energy?? What do you mean?"

He didn't answer. I felt a sudden chill in my whole body. And a stone-like symbol started to glow from my right hand. 

"What is that?? It's like that stone." I cried.

He continued and the wind around me swirled around just like I saw in my dream. It condensed and finally an icicle was forming in my hands. I was just watching these as I could feel myself utterly speechless.

"Haah....Haah...Haah...." Nadim started panting heavily and fell down.

"Vaiya, what happened? Are you okay? Have some water. Here." Nafia came to him running, seemingly anxious, with a glass of water in her hand. He took it from her, and smiled at me. 

"This explains. You are a special one, just like us."

And I was still confused, but I felt some hope awaiting for me out there and the sound echoed, "Special". 

"Take a rest and tell me more about it." A smile spread across my face and I extended my hands to him.