It takes a few seconds for the blur to settle and become a clearer and sharper image. I am standing barefoot in a park but for some reason I can’t feel the soft blades of the 4-5 inch grass around or under my feet. I rub my feet along the surface of the ground, and that’s when my eyes settle on a head. She’s far away, by the gate of the park tens of feet ahead, but I’d recognize that stance any day. What is she doing in this town? Hadn’t she moved to a whole other state long back? She turns in my direction. I freeze. I’m in a daze. Should I avoid looking in her direction? Should I wave a hand and acknowledge that we’re not strangers? I don’t know if I can handle it if she approaches me. Her head tilts when her eyes fall on me. A sense of familiarity comes through in her and she starts walking in my direction. ‘Shit!’ I want to run but my feet are rooted to the spot. ‘No, no, no, this can’t be real!’ I shout inside. I’m not prepared for this—to talk to or even face her. “Hey there…Dev, right? Remember me?” she gives me her signature finger-dancey hand-waving. The kind that some models do, you know, wiggling each finger simultaneously. WHAT…ON…EARTH?! I…am…stunned. (rest in caption) #shortstory #encounterstory #YoStoWriMo (continued) And this astonishment is much more powerful than all the stun curses ever used in Harry Potter combined. Wait, why did I reference Harry Potter? Weird. “Hello. Anybody home?” she waves her hands at my face. I resist the urge to grab those hands and somehow, I manage to utter, “I’m good, thanks.” “Pardon me?” her eyes are fixed on me, confused.
