The Lightning in the Bottle - Chapter 3

A dim glow emanates from the backpack. Thin rays of light flicker through the zipper and streak across the room. The shadows that are created dance on the walls and they look alive to Jael.

Jael shrugs off the blanket that was just tucked in and shifts closer to the edge of the bed. Trying to be quiet, as much as a five year old can be, Jael slides off of her bed and hesitantly touches her toes to the carpet. She crouches down and then lies low, crawling towards her backpack. As she shuffles, each foot closer to the bag causes her to feel more and more tense. She can feel the electricity surrounding her. Jael's hand hovers over the book bag and inch by inch, she gets closer and closer. Her hands twitch as her fingertips graze the zipper. Jael quickly unzips the book bag and blinding light bursts from the bag, pushing Jael backwards from surprise.

Her eyes slowly readjust to the increased brightness. She peeks over the edge of her book bag and gets a more detailed look of the glass bottle. The container shimmers with restrained energy. A ball of lightning bounces back and forth vigorously. Bolts of electricity arc out, seeking to escape, only to enter back into the ball.

Despite the glass barrier, Jael feels the overwhelming power. It frightens, confuses and intrigues her. She decides that she is going to hide the bottle for safe keeping. She pulls out a wooden chest secured by a tiny combination lock. She unlocks the chest, removing a cloth already inside. Her stubby fingers clasp around the bottle for what is the last time in a long time. She gently places the bottle inside the wooden chest and conceals it with the cloth. She locks and returns the wooden chest back inside the closet. Jael forgets about the lightning in the bottle and won't see it again for another eight years.

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A little boy stares at his digital clock while he lays on his bed. "9:05 PM," the clock reads. He does the subtraction in his head. It's been over three hours since he was sent into his room. He isn't even tired yet. He isn't ever tired at night. 'How am I going to kill the time until daylight?' the little boy thinks to himself. He turns on his lampshade and it flickers for a moment. He pulls out a book from under his bed and reads. He switches books two times before looking at the clock again. "4:29 AM," says the clock. The boy still has time. Using some weird childish logic, he thinks about that girl he ran into earlier today. 'She must like me,' the boy concludes. He decides that he is going to try to be friends with her.

The link to the next chapter will be posted on October 21, 2015.