Struck By Lightning

Levina stared out of the window with fear in her eyes. A storm was beginning. Rain, thunder. Lightning. Rai noticed her fearful expression. He became instantly concerned.

"What's wrong?" He asked her.

She shook her head. "Memories. So many painful memories."

Rai thought for a moment. "Of what?"

Levina sighed and glared at the sky.

"I was struck by lightning." She said.

Rai didn't respond. After a moment, Levina looked at him. She saw that he was waiting for her to explain what she meant. Seh wanted to, but it was always hard. She took a deep breath as she thought about what she was going to say.

"Every year from my birth until now, I have been struck by lightning," Levina explained, "Every year. No matter where I am."

"Can't you run from it?"

"No." She said. "We've tried."

"We?"

"My family. My father, my brothers, sometimes, my friends." Levina began. "We've tried so many times to run, to hide, but the lightning always finds a way to get to me. It evens penetrates through buildings."

Rai was confused, but also intrigued. " And....the lightning doesn't kill you?"

Levina took a deep breath and sighed. " No. Never."

She paused for a moment. Tears slowly filling her eyes.

" But every time I get struck by lightning, someone close to me, someone I love, dies."

Tears were flowing down Levina's cheeks. Rai felt sorry for her. He touched her arm. She sniffed and rubbed her eyes.

" Last year, during a big storm, I fled. I ran as far as I could away from my home. My brothers ran with me. They drove me to a house that was hundreds of miles away from mine. Thankfully, there was no storm there. We thought we were safe." She said.

Levina walked away from Rai and walked to the window. She glared at the raging sky. Levina began to cry again.

" But the storm arrived within the hour. It seemed as if it were looking for me. My brothers had put me to bed and when they realized that the storm was there, it was too late. We could no lunger run."

Levina stopped. Rai could tell that she no longer wished to continue. His curiousity complled him to venture further. So he did.

" What happened after that?" He asked.

Levina looked back at him. Almost to question him. He looked at her with soft and comforting eyes. She looked back toward the window and took a deep breath.

" My brothers tried their best to protect me. Leon held me in his arms. Lev leaned over me in a protective stance so that the lightning would hit him instead of me. They knew this could bge the time. Despite their efforts, the lightning struck and penetrated through the building, throught Lev, and hit me. I woke up and screamed at the top of my lungs. I shook and struggled in pain. My brothers were screaming as well."

Levina paused for a moment when she saw lightning in the distance. Rai saw it too. He looked up at it with wide eyes and then looked at Levina again.

" What happened after that?" Rai asked quietly and sincerely.

Levina took a deep breath and sighed.

" My brothers and I laid on the bed in shock. Leon comforted me as I cried. The storm passed within the hour as quickly as it had arrived. After a few moments, we decided it was time to return home."

Levina paused. Her eyes filled with tears.

" When we walked in the door, we discovered that my mother was dead."

The tears ran down her cheeks. Rai looked at her with sympathy.

" Because of me." She whispered.

Levina spun around to face Rai.

" My mother died because of me!" She sobbed.

Rai shook his head, grabbed her, and tried to hold her.

" No." Levena tore away from him and walked to the window.

Rai looked at her, standing perfectly still. He was trying to think about what he could do, what he could say. Rai walked up slowly and stood behind her.

" Every year, I get struck by lightning. Every time I do, I survive, but someone close to me, someone I love....

....dies."