Short Story: How do You See the Thunder? by Ekta Singh Chandel

Ekta Singh Chandel’s short story leaves the reader with goosebumps, questions and a unique perspective of looking at the thunder.

Under the dark sky, while walking down the lane which was never walked before, Alex’s ears stood straight when they caught a rumbling noise leaking out of a small dark hut. The sound was not close to any falling utensil, breaking glass, dull scraping of wood logs or feet drumming empty tanks. She had never heard anything this heavy. The sound felt totally alien to her ears, still, it halted her feet, pulled her ten steps back, away from her home, and made her peek in through the window.

            On three and a half-legged cot, a bald man was sleeping comfortably tucked under a red blanket. Alex wondered how was he even sleeping with his entire blood rushing towards his head. Was gravity working differently under his cot?

            Inside, it was dark but a patch of light from outside reflected off his face with a giant nose which appeared to be the source of the sound. The sound was incessant and that made her eyes dart to the clear night sky filled with stars, and then back to the giant nose.

            Has he swallowed down the thunder? She thought to herself. She remembered that there was a thunderstorm last week. Up in the sky, so far away from her, thunder already felt so dangerous. Thunder on the ground gave her shivers.

            What if this man had captured it inside him?