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The ring of keys clattered in Nalini’s hand like wind chimes. [Color=#dcd0ff]"Come on, I know it’s one of these."[/color] She fumbled between various house keys to find one with the smiling melon sticker on it. [Color=#dcd0ff]“Ah.”[/color]

She unlocked the door and let the light of the warm afternoon sun shine across the foyer. It was the first time she had been to Morgan’s place since the incident. She used to hang out here all the time, but now it felt like she was tiptoeing around in someone else’s is home. 

[Color=#dcd0ff]“Hello? Morgan are you home?”[/color] she called out into the apartment.

The lights were off and shadows draped across the room lazily, doing a poor job of avoid the sun. She knew her way around despite the darkness, but it felt different this time, almost like she was intruding.

Stepping into the foyer was like stepping into a memory. A knob shaped patch marred the wall behind the door from when they brought in a Christmas tree for the holidays. Even in the dark she recognized the wine stain on the carpet. A nostalgic smile tugged at her lips as she remembered their anniversary date. Summer rain was everywhere and they played in the puddles like children. Morgan was dorky and sweet as usual. The power went out when they got back, and they spent the entire afternoon together in the dark, making few messes to pass the time.

She flipped on the lights, stepped out of her shoes, and made her way to the kitchen. Out of habit, she found herself rifling through the contents of the cabinets and pantry, sizing up potential ingredients for dinner.

Morgan walked down the hall and heard Nalini going through the cabinets. Must be getting ready to do a dinner. Recently life had not been kind to either of them and they were in a rough spot but today he was going to try and apologize. Sneaking up behind her he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck then gave her a little tickle as he whispered, [color=limegreen]"Hello there beautiful."[/color]

A warm embrace and sweet words. She hadn't realized she needed it, until she got them. Part of didn't want him to let go. Even if he didn't say anything, the touch of his rough hands was all she needed. She wanted to bask in the giddy energy bubbling in her chest. She still loved him.
A mild laugh, low and sultry escaped her as a familiar thrill raced along her spine.

Smiling and stepping back he gave her room to move. [color=limegreen]"I umm...I'm…"[/color] he tried to get the words out but wasnt sure what to say so he tripped over them and instead said, [color=limegreen]"I'm close to finishing the newest project. I can't wait to show it to you."[/color] He gave her a smile and then turned to grab a few pots and pans that she would likely use to hide his embarrassment.

[Color=#dcd0ff]“A new one, hunh?”[/color] She crooned her neck to glance at him suspciously. She was a little disappointed that was the first thing that came to mind, but she casually went back to littering the counter with spices. [Color=#dcd0ff]“I’m looking forward to it.”[/color]
It was just like her younger brother, Arvi, always lost in the depths of something complicated, and he easily lost track of time.
She didn’t mind the fact that Morgan had almost no common ingredients to work with. It was a challenge to see what she could make with what little she had: ramen from the pantry, yesterday’s takeout, a paltry squeeze of mustard, no ketchup, some soy sauce, half a dozen eggs, a bottle of beer, and a fresh pack of swiss cheese. She moved with lithe grace as she whipped up an egg sauce and began soaking the noodles.
[Color=#dcd0ff]“You really need to eat more greens.”[/color] She said nonchalantly as she leaned forward and stole a kiss.[Color=#dcd0ff] “But this’ll do for now.”[/color] She met his gaze with a smile. [Color=#dcd0ff]“So, how was your day?”[/color]

He smiled back and felt a tingle as she kissed him. His mood darkened slightly as he remembered that she could literally kill him with a deep enough kiss let alone anything more. He sighed and then gave a weak smile as he watched her cook. 
[color=limegreen]"It was decent. Finally went back to classes and it seems the school isnt even back in complete shape. From there I went to the shop and kept working on the thing I have been working on since the incident."[/color]
They probably should have avoided the subject but it came out of his mouth regardless. 
[color=limegreen]"I know I should eat better. I'm looking for a job since I won't be able to keep up the shop after this project."[/color]
The incident had drained the rest of the account his grandfather had set up for him. Due to all the medical bills it went fast. Morgan wasn't afraid of work but he wasn't sure what he could do with his new powers. 
[color=limegreen]"What about your day?"[/color]

[Color=#dcd0ff]“It was alright”[/color] She said, noncommittal. Nalini was lost to in thought. Painful memories flashed in her mind. The lifeless stare of  a lost friend was the most vivid. It had been weeks, but the reminder that she survived and others didn’t still stung. 
Some of her cheerfulness drained away.
[Color=#dcd0ff]“I think I’m going to take a semester off. I’m not sure, if I want to go back just yet.”[/color]

[color=limegreen]"Take a semester off? Really? What are you going to do? You should keep busy shouldn't you?"[/color] He began to sound agitated because he didn't know what would happen all of a sudden again. He thought they would try to move on. Though she had a dead friend and he wasn't moving on either...making a suit to compliment his powers. He was doing the opposite of keeping things normal and moving on. He was angry and wanted to do something about it. 
[color=limegreen]"I know that you're gonna deal with things your own way but what are you gonna do? Would you move in here?"[/color]

The rapid-fire questions set her teeth on edge. She felt cornered. [Color=#dcd0ff]“God what crawled up your ass and died? I’m just saying I think I should take some time off and figure things out. What’s so bad about that?”[/color]

He ran his hands through his hair pulling at it. [color=limegreen]"Nothing I'm just worried! I need a plan and I thought we would just keep going somehow. I've always had to keep going so it's just my go to. Is it so fucking wrong to want to know what you might have in mind!?"[/color] He turned and pounded the counter lightly.

[Color=#dcd0ff]“No, but you’re clearly in no mood to talk about it calmly.”[/color] Nalini threw her hands up in exasperation and sighed. Cocking her head, she eyed him warily, like this Morgan was somehow a completely different person from the one she knew. It worried her. [Color=#dcd0ff]“What’s gotten into you, Morgan? Seriously, what’s wrong? You can tell me.”[/color] Despite her earlier irritation, she kept her tone soft. 

He sat down in the floor losing himself in a memory of meeting her all over again. Then breaking down on her about losing all the people in his life. 
[color=limegreen]"What's wrong? What's not wrong? My life has been one disappointment after another. Sure there are small good bits in between but it's like nothing wants to stay good. Parents never wanted me, then they were murdered for god knows what, grandpa died and the incident. The only thing good was you! Now I can't give you so much as little kiss with out it risking my life. Not that I wouldn't give anything to be with you again but I know how much you would hurt. I'm just so damn angry at the world, criminals, and the fuckers that caused the incident!"[/color] He began to shake and sob. Then came up stood and looked her in the eye.
[color=limegreen]"I just want something to go right and be normal. Don't you?"[/color]
It was a stupid thing to say and he knew it as soon as it left his lips but the words hung in the air.

Nalini’s chest tightened. She pursed her lips in an attempt to hold back what she knew were going to be tears. It wasn’t her choice to become a walking biohazard. [Color=#dcd0ff]“You think I want this either?”[/color] She began, her voice cracking. [Color=#dcd0ff]“What the fuck even [i]is[/i] normal, Morgan? What is a normal life, hunh? Because I sure as fuck don’t know anymore!”[/color] She screamed to keep herself from sobbing.
[Color=#dcd0ff]“At least you didn’t kill your parents. I’m at risk of killing mine on accident. A single touch, Morgan! I haven’t hugged my father in once since it happened. I can barely kiss you. Its a fucking nightmare! The world’s rotten and we both want what we can’t have. That's reality.”[/color] Hot ears began rolling down Nalini’s blushed face.

[color=limegreen]"I didn't mean it hasn't been hard for you. I know it has probably more than anyone else that I know of so far that's been affected."[/color] He sighed while wiping the tears from his face. He took the gloves that they found and put them on. With them on he wiped the tears from her face. 
[color=limegreen]"The food is going to burn if we don't watch what we are doing."[/color] He took the gloves off and put them in the little bio-bin they had bought. 
[color=limegreen]"I have some beans in the freezer. I forgot to tell you."[/color] He hung his head not knowing what else to say and lost in thought. 

[Color=#dcd0ff]"It's fine."[/color] She said with a note of resignation.  [Color=#dcd0ff]"I'm already making something."[/color]
She mixed together a random soup stock and brought it to boil. A combination of eggs, beer, and cheese went in as well, and in time it looked less like leftovers and more like Mystery Ramen Alfredo. It smelled phenomenal, which brightened her mood a little.  
The bubbling and churning of the pot filling the silent void between them. Her hands did the work as her mind wandered from memory to memory, some fond and inviting, others gut wrenching and unspeakable, fueling her nightmares for years to come.

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A restless wind blew across the courtyard, bring a refreshing coolness despite the heat of the mid-day sun. 

The cafeteria was crowded and noisy. A throng of students had formed disorganized queues around the various stalls selling food. The dull roar of idle chatter permeated the air and forced everyone to casually shout at one another. Nalini sat cross-legged at a small table by the window. She wasn't the biggest fan of people in general, but she somehow felt at home in the chaos. The rap tracks playing through her headphones helped drown out the noise too.

Nalini was incognito today. She liked attention, but not all the time, and definitely not when a paper was due. With intentionally frizzed hair, thick glasses she didn't need, and no make up, she was dressed to unimpress. And, if someone got the bright idea to get too close while she was studying, she believed the ten pound cudgel in the shape of a textbook would persuade them otherwise. It had the weighty title "Cultural Anthropology". She hoped most people read it as "Run Away Quickly". She took a sip of her iced latte as she scanned the pages, scribbling notes every now and then. 

Almost thirty minutes had passed before anyone summoned the courage to bother her, even during the lunch rush. A short girl with purple shoulder-length hair that looked like it had been dipped in hot pink dye sat down at her table. Nalini looked up from her book and met the girl's eyes. They were bright and cheery and regarded her with mild terror. Nalini saw it, but said nothing and patiently waited to see if she would do anything else besides smile nervously. 

Everyone else had the good sense to strategically avoid her, so anyone crazy enough to walk through her imposing aura of "fuck off" deserved a little respect. They got more if their brain didn't melt in the first five minutes of talking to her.

[Color=#ffe5ff]"I hope you don't mind."[/color] The girl spoke at a near shout to overcome the noise. [Color=#ffe5ff]"...There's nowhere else to sit. This place is so crowded."[/color] She said, adjusting her volume. [Color=#ffe5ff]"My name's Bobby. What's yours?"[/color] 
She made the kind of reflexive smile people use when they feel awkward and are trying to be polite.  

With a mix of calm intensity and subdued admiration, Nalini's expression did the talking for her. Her raised brows and heavy gaze silently posed questions like "Who are you and why are you sitting within 10 feet me?" and "How many hours did you spent on that perfect ombre fade? It looks immaculate."

Nalini pulled out one of her ear phones, music blasting from the speaker, and spoke in a clear even tone that cut through the din, [Color=#dcd0ff]"Sorry. I didn't hear anything you said, but you're more than welcome to sit there, Bobby."[/color] She said with a genuine smile and promptly put her ear phone back in. 

Bobby's expression loosened with the effort of thought and her brows knitted together in confusion. Something didn't add up. [Color=#ffe5ff]"Wait...If you didn't... How did you... ?"[/color] Her words piled together and died tragically as her train of thought derailed off a bridge and into a ravine. She eventually collected her thoughts from the wreckage. [Color=#ffe5ff]"If you didn't hear me at all, how did you know my name?"[/color]

[Color=#dcd0ff]"Magic."[/color] Nalini said dismissively.

[Color=#ffe5ff]"Riiight. [i]Magic[/i]."[/color] Her sarcasm was obvious. Bobby's pouting face sank into her palm as she prodded her salad tray with disinterest. She could faintly hear the deep bass notes from across the table. [i]Whatever she's listening to is really loud. Can she really hear me over that and the rest of the noise in here?[/i]

[Color=#dcd0ff]"How about this?"[/color] Nalini began. [Color=#dcd0ff]"I'll make a deal with you. A fair trade. I'll tell you my secret, if you tell me one of yours."[/color] Nalini gave her an expectant look.

[Color=#ffe5ff]"I don't even know your name."[/color] She countered.

[Color=#dcd0ff]"Fair. It's Nalini, Nalini Nortman. My dad owns Ingonyama on 81st street in Manhattan. Y'know, the restaurant?"[/color]

Bobby wore a blank expression; the name wasn't familiar. [Color=#ffe5ff]"Sorry, I don't know it."[/color] She admitted finally.

[Color=#dcd0ff]"Nevermind that. Are you in?"[/color] Despite her best effort to hide it, the edges of Nalini's mouth curled into a grin.

Bobby seemed to consider the offer for a moment, then clicked her tongue and sighed. [Color=#ffe5ff]"Fine...But will you promise not to laugh?"[/color]

Nalini nodded.

She took a baited breath as if she was preparing to jump off a cliff, then took the plunge. [Color=#ffe5ff]"I don't know about you, but in our high school they had this really stupid sexual orientation class. Sometimes they hand out pamphlets, but our teacher decided to hand out condoms too, and then tried to give us a lecture on how to use them properly. Except... she [i]stapled each one[/i] to pamphlet. Like, seriously? I hadn’t even used one at that point, and I still knew that!"[/color]

Nalini was trying desperately to hold back her laughter, but a giggle snort came out her nose instead.

Bobby continued, trying to ignore her. [Color=#ffe5ff]"I told her she wasn't helping anybody because she just ruined all of the condoms. She wouldn’t listen, and once some of my classmates started cracking jokes, she started yelling at me. They sent me to the principal's office, and somehow I got suspended for day because my teacher was an idiot. It's the only time I was ever in trouble in highschool."[/color]

Nalini hid her face with her textbook and started to shudder with mirth. Quietly restrained laughter leaked out against her will.

[Color=#ffe5ff]"Oh, come on! Your turn."[/color] She urged, mildly offended. Even as Bobby's cheeks reddened, she couldn't stop herself from laughing a bit too.

Nalini slowly collected herself and choked back the giggling fits. [Color=#dcd0ff]"That was [i]priceless[/i]. Mine is nowhere near as good as that!"[/color] She removed both of her earphones and let out some of her pent up excitement in a sigh. [Color=#dcd0ff]"Phew...Well, the tl;dr version is my dad and I used to watch people in the restaurant and make up stories about what they were talking about. It didn’t matter what their actual conversation was, we would just dub over it with whatever seemed funny at the time. A conversation about how some lady’s in-laws were doing turned into casual discussion about the mystical land of Shakti, and that someone’s brother got turned into a cheetah. My dad was always great storyteller.
When I was about six years old, he started going deaf in one ear, and the other was soon to follow. The doctor’s it wasn’t curable and he would need a hearing aid soon. So we changed the game a little. And story-telling started to include intentionally butchered lip reading as well. Like those guys over there are..."[/color] Nalini eyed a group of guys three tables behind Bobby. She stared at them intently, and after a long pause, one of them met eyes with her. She grimaced and wrinkled her nose in disgust. 
[Color=#dcd0ff]"They're debating who they would bang, kill, or marry between you, me, and the girl behind me. Trust me, you don't know want to know what they said."[/color]

Bobby turned and shot them a look of disapproval. [Color=#ffe5ff]"What a bunch of assholes."[/color] She stared back at her meal tray and huffed irritably [Color=#ffe5ff]"You know what... I've lost my appetite."[/color]

[Color=#dcd0ff]"Me too."[/color] There was no food on her side of the table

Bobby laughed and shook her head. [Color=#ffe5ff]"You're ridiculous."[/color]

[Color=#dcd0ff]"And you're way more interesting than you look."[/color] Nalini said with smirk.

[Color=#ffe5ff]"What's that supposed to mean?"[/color] She said acting hurt.

[Color=#dcd0ff]"Trust me, it's a compliment. By my estimate, you've got more than half a brain, probably a whole one, which is a hundred percent more than what most people have. That's like a two hundred percent difference."[/color] Nalini could barely hold her stoic expression without cracking a smile. 

Bobby face warmed and she fell into a pile of giggles and laughter. [Color=#ffe5ff]"On my god! Where did you learn to do math? It’s so bad, I’m not even sure it’s wrong."[/color]

Nalini shook her head knowingly, wry amusement widened her grin. Her phone chirped and displayed the time. She sighed and began packing her things, [Color=#dcd0ff]"I gotta go to my next class. If you don't want to be leered at by the dickless poachers over there, then walk with me. You can even lecture me subtleties of basic arithmetic or tell me how exactly you dyed your hair so damn perfectly. Honestly, I’m a little jealous."[/color]

Bobby looked at her with an incredulous smile, and then slowly nodded. [Color=#ffe5ff]"You're so strange. Fun, but strange."[/color]

[Color=#dcd0ff]"Better than being dull."[/color] Nalini countered with a matter-of-fact tone. [Color=#dcd0ff]"Anyway, let's get out of here."[/color]

The science building was a red brick monolith that huddled closely two others, and they were all linked by a covered sidewalk. It was a brief walk to get there, but the Nalini took the long way around just so they could have more time to talk. Their conversation was colorful and filled with laughter. Nalini's freshman year in college had been a harsh one until now, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad, if she had someone like Bobby as a friend.

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Nalini stirred in her sleep. Everything was hot, too hot, like she was lying in an oven. Tears of agony wet her lashes as the pain singed her nerves. The sheets clung to her damp skin uncomfortably. She tried clawing them off, but couldn’t. Her limbs wouldn’t respond, trapping her inside a body that wouldn’t move.

Hazy visions raced through her mind. There was shouting and screaming, distant and faint, which echoed and faded into a noisy oblivion. Hot colors burst in her eyes and gave way to a  roiling fog of red hues. Memories erupted one after another. Some she recognized, some she didn’t. But the one that always haunted her were the eyes filled with mortal terror looking back at her, pleading for help. It was Bobby. Her face was pale and haggard. A writhing liquid, black and foul, seeped from her eyes and mouth as she drew in short, ragged breaths. Words formed on her lips, but the memory was murky and always ended with deafening silence.

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Nalini knew she was in a hospital before she ever opened her eyes. The acrid scent of rubbing alcohol and musty bedding had been accosting her since she regained her senses. Just smelling the rubbing alcohol made her thirsty. She craved it, and it made her feel awful, strange. She struggled to open her eyes and was surprised to see a bizarre relief of ultra-blue hues dancing on the walls. It was dark outside the window, yet the paint still glowed. It revealed messy hand prints and old splatter stains, bright against the violet background. The flowers on the windowsill seemed to be from a distant alien world. Neon crimson and intense violet petals rimmed a collection of delicate stalks painted with moonlight. Even in the dark, everything was awash with vibrant colour. It was a bewildering sight.

Something was wrong. Her pulse began to quicken; panic accelerated it. Dread settled in as she struggled to sit up, barely noticing the plastic tubes hanging from her. It wasn't just the colors in the night that worried her. A terrible thirst haunted her. Her throat felt unbearably dry. A water bottle was left on a tray nearby. She reached for it, groaning with effort, and started chugging it. Even after she polished off the bottle… Nothing. 

A mild scent drew her gaze to cabinet a several feet distant. Thirst tightened her chest and closed her throat. She had no idea what it was inside, but she knew she needed it. The loud thumping in her ears drowned out the sound of her own thoughts. She padded from the bed to cabinet. 

Her attention fell upon a bottle of rubbing alcohol and, next to it, iodine. Acting on instinct she reached for them, one after another, and began drinking them to the last.

The rough taste scoured her tongue. Nalini's stomach lurched and twisted in disapproval. It felt like molten metal was churning inside her, but the pounding headache and her racing pulse both began to subside. The shock of realization froze her thoughts even as the strange craving faded.

[Color=#dcd0ff]"What the fuck am I doing… What's wrong with me?"[/color]