Chapter 3

After the lights went out, the world seemed to stop. Amita's heart sped up, if she wasn't scared before, she was terrified now.

"Ch-Charlie?" Amita called out weakly. She knew he wouldn't have left, couldn't have left but she was so scared, it didn't matter if it made sense or not

"I'm here Amita" Charlie spoke "I'm going to take your hand now so don't jump" Amita felt Charlie take her hand and she instantly felt a little calmer

"I know this is the understatement of the year but…I'm scared"

"Its ok. How about we try to find some flashlights?" Charlie offered giving her hand a squeeze

"Ok" Amita said weakly again. She had had a dream exactly like this once but for some reason living it was a lot different then dreaming.

Charlie stood up and pulled Amita up with him, who at this point was squeezing his hand so hard that it was starting hurt. With Charlie leading Amita, they made their way very slowly to the desk. Charlie and Amita opened all the drawers and finally in the last one Amita found one

"Oh my god! I found one!" Amita said. She sounded as if her life had depended on finding that flashlight

"Does it work?" Charlie asked praying that it would. He didn't mind sitting in the dark. It made him want to tell ghost stories, which made him feel like he was twelve again. However he knew how scared Amita was and to make her feel slightly better that flashlight needed to work

"I don't know. Hold on" Amita said. She prayed that it would turn on. She pressed the button down. Nothing. "Charlie! It doesn't work!" Amita said breaking into tears, the thunder was booming louder then before and it was barely twenty seconds between each one. "I've-I've never been so scared. It-its never been this bad"

"Shhh. Its okay Amita" Charlie said rushing to her side and taking her into his arms. He stroked her back while she sobbed. She was shaking "Come on let's sit down" Amita didn't seem to hear but when Charlie held her at arms length and started to sit Amita followed his lead.

"I'm s-sorry I'm just s-so s-scared" Amita sobbed again there was barely a pause between each thunder clap now

"It's ok. I'm here Amita" Charlie scooted closer so he could hold her. Amita, not caring what Charlie might think, climbed into his lap and leaned against him thankful for the strong presence

Charlie didn't know how long it had been before Amita had cried herself into exhaustion and fell asleep but it seemed mere minutes. Careful not to disrupt her, Charlie leaned against the desk trying to make himself comfortable for what he knew was going to be long wait until the storm ended and the power came back on.

Charlie waited until he started to ache from sitting in the uncomfortable position and Amita's watch said that it was seven o'clock till he made the reluctant decision to wake her up.

"Amita" Charlie whispered. It was almost lost in the still present thunder

"Hmm…Charlie?" Amita responded. This wasn't a dream. Charlie and I really are stuck in the library on campus.

"Yeah. It's seven and the power is still out and the storm is still really bad. I need to shift to get to my cell phone. Just hold on" As he shifted Amita woke up a little and it seemed to hit that she was in her thesis advisor's lap. She was about to move when Charlie put his arms around her again. She fought with herself…that is until she heard the thunder again. She started to shake and Charlie held her closer. He dialed the phone "Hey dad"

"Charlie? Oh thank god! Where are you? Are you ok? I was worried you would've tried to beat the rain home"

"I'm fine. I'm in the library"

"That's good" Alan sounding more relieved

"I just wanted to let you know I was ok and that I'm going to be here until the storm blows over"

"What? I'll get Don to pick you up"

"No, Don doesn't have to pick me up, let him stay there"

"Are you sure?" Don's voice drifted from the back round in agreement

"Yes, I'm sure"

"Ok. I'll call you when the storm calms down enough for Don to get"

"Dad, you don't have to make Don do that"

"Yes I do, they say this is a very large storm system and that after this storm there are many more coming and I don't want you to be stuck in the library for days"

"Ok dad, call me when the storm calms down"

"Be careful. I love you"

"I love you too" He hung the phone up and laid down, taking Amita down with him. She thought for a moment about this position and what it meant for the two of them but it was abruptly ended when thunder filled the library. She was still shaking so Charlie started to stroke her back. She relaxed instantly and fell asleep. Just as content, Charlie soon drifted into a peaceful dream.