š November 10ā13 ā The Trekking Trip (Four Days)
Devgarh High School Annual Nature Camp
The school announced the trekking trip suddenly ā a four-day nature camp in the hills between Devgarh and Kanchanghat.
Every class 9 and 10 student was included.
Teachers insisted it was "team building and fitness."
But for Abhay and Ishanviā¦
it felt like the universe was sending them away from the crowds.
Away from witnesses.
Away where their powers had more space to breathe.
---
Day 1 ā November 10
The Hills Awake
Seven scooters from Nandanpur rode together toward the base camp ā
Raghav and Aariv leading,
Vaidehi with Vrinda,
Meera with Vivaan,
and behind them, Abhay and Ishanviā¦ both too aware of each other, even in silence.
Simran and her friends joined from Devgarh.
By the time they reached the foothills, the morning sun had begun warming the forest.
But Abhay felt a chill slithering through the breeze ā a chill that had nothing to do with weather.
The moment their feet touched the trail, the leaves rustled violently, like something invisible brushed past them.
"Did you feel that?" Ishanvi whispered.
He nodded.
Trees leaned slightly toward them.
The air thickened.
A small stream nearby stirred even without wind.
Natureā¦ noticed them.
---
Day 2 ā November 11
The River Crossing
The group hiked for hours, stopping beside a narrow but fast-flowing river.
"Everyone cross carefully!" the teacher shouted.
Students stepped on the stones one by one.
When Ishanvi stepped forward ā
the flame inside her wrist flared.
When Abhay stepped forward ā
the water rose.
Not violently.
Not dangerously.
But enough.
Little ripples curled around his ankle like familiar hands.
The stones beneath Ishanvi warmed slightly, drying instantly under her feet.
Vaidehi froze.
"Did you see that?"
Simran whispered, "It's happening againā¦"
Abhay panicked inside, but on the outside he walked normally.
Ishanvi didn't dare meet his eyes.
The river let them cross.
Almost like it obeyed.
Almost like it respected them.
---
Night 2 ā November 11
Under One Sky
After dinner, everyone sat around a campfire.
Laughter, music, jokes ā everything mixed into the cold mountain wind.
Abhay and Ishanvi sat slightly apart but close enough to feel the warmth between them.
A spark from the fire shot into the air ā and instead of falling, it hovered for a full second.
Then a drop of dew from a leaf floated upward.
Simran gasped.
But no one else noticed.
It was tiny. Quiet. Hidden.
Yet it meant something important.
Their powers responded even when they weren't touching.
Even when they weren't speaking.
Even when they tried to distance themselves.
---
Day 3 ā November 12
The Landslide Warning
The third day was the steepest climb.
They walked in a narrow line when suddenly the ground trembled.
A warning rumble echoed across the valley.
"Loose rocks! Move aside!" a guide shouted.
Students panicked, scattering.
A boulder slid down toward the group.
Ishanvi instinctively raised her hand ā
heat spread around her palm.
Abhay stepped in front ā
water droplets lifted into the air.
But before their powers could react fully, the boulder unexpectedly slowed on its own, hitting a tree and stopping.
Everyone breathed in relief.
"What luck!" a teacher said.
But Ishanvi and Abhay knew.
It wasn't luck.
Nature stopped the rock.
Nature protected them.
Nature watched them.
And not in a comforting way.
---
Night 3 ā November 12
The Fight With the Sky
Clouds gathered slowly.
Lightning flickered without thunder.
Students rushed into their tents.
Inside the dim glow, Ishanvi whispered,
"Are weā¦ dangerous?"
Abhay shook his head.
"No. But something wants us to believe that."
Outside, the clouds moved in a perfect circle ā
right above their tent.
Not the others.
It rained everywhere else.
Not on them.
Almost like the storm was choosing.
---
Day 4 ā November 13
The Final Climb
On the last morning, the group trekked to the highest viewpoint.
The wind was strong, but the view was breathtaking ā a carpet of green valleys and shining rivers.
As the students took pictures, something unusual happened.
Birds ā dozens of them ā flew in a spiral formation above Abhay and Ishanvi.
Perfect. Synchronized.
Like a sign.
Raghav frowned.
"Yaar, yeh normal nahi lag raha."
Vaidehi whispered, "First the landslide, now thisā¦"
Simran stared at them with fearā¦ but also curiosity.
The birds circled once more and then scattered like the sky finally exhaled.
Abhay felt cold.
Ishanvi felt warm.
And together, they felt one truth:
Nature wasn't angry.
Nature wasn't warning them.
Nature was judging them.
Testing them.
Seeing if fire and water could exist side by side.