Chapter 2

Back on my own saying "Things never happens just to happen.. it always happens for a reason which can be felt/connected only when you pass miles away from it"

Sea breeze are heavy and the ocean seem to be not normal that day... as Vetri and Maruthu the fishermen from Nagerkoil are 100 nautical miles away from the shore; That was not the usual day they normally experience deep in inside the OCEAN; They even did not see any ships or any other launch in their view... clouds are getting dark...."Must be the sign of cyclone" Vetri said to Maruthu..."May be.. can you check on the radio if any announcement on any cyclone" said Vetri....

Maruthu and Vetri are from a small village Alur which is close to Nagerkoil town.. They both knew each other from childhood, in fact they were school buddies too.. After 10th standard board exams Maruthu was left with no option to make some money for his living. few days before the final board exam, Maruthu father went missing in the OCEAN.. and till date he do not have a clue on whether he is still alive somewhere or eaten by the giant fishes in the OCEAN. Later Maruthu went on as a helper with the same fishing company where his father used to work. Years later Vetri also joined him in the same company and now they are in charge of a launch boat in which normally 4-5 men’s go on for fishing. But on this odd day only Maruthu and Vetri were on board and into the ocean for fishing.

Radio is of no help... all he could hear was bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.. What else they could do in the middle of the ocean with no one in their view.. and weather not in their favor, in fact no light too.. all they could see in the dark ocean and some lightning from a far distant. "Looks like we cannot do much fishing today, let us prepare some food for dinner" said Vetri.. without any denial and completely agreeing to vetri, Maruthu immediately went on to lower deck of the launch and opened an ice box which was filled with some freshly catch fishes that are put on freeze. Maruthu picked one thick and long fish, weighted on his right hand, came back to the upper deck.

Towards the end of the launch, normally in this breeze situation, the smoke of the engine will be double... Maruthu slowly went near the engine and took the grilled iron sheet that was kept on the side of the engine, floored the grill sheet on top of the engine where the normal temperature is above 90 degrees.. kept the fish on top of it, flipped it 3 or 4 times after equal intervals and now he has the fish fully cooked and ready to eat!

Maruthu and Vetri sat in the drivers deck with the freshly grilled fish and pre steamed rice; suddenly a very bright light stricken from the sky directly into their launch.. all they could see is a very bright atmosphere… something like a space with a very bright light…without anything in between... after few seconds a big sound that is very typical to a lightning. Vetri and Maruthu were scared to death. They were very sure it was a lightning that just hit their launch, but only thing they were not very sure is, whether they are still alive or not.... Maruthu made some sound "Vetri, what is your name”… “I am vertri" said Vetri.. seems to be a predefined code words between them to be invoked during such situation.

After few minutes, they are back to normal and very surprising nothing happened to the launch. This is the first time in the history of mankind, lightening directly hit on a launch and nothing happened! They both came out of the drivers deck and quick checking all around the launch for any sign of impact or damage created by the lightening.. to their surprise none found. after few minutes of search they could see slight smoke coming out from the corner of the launch... nothing major.. slight smoke… wait ….there is a symbol indicating 333 that is like engraved with slight smoke like switch off candle tip.. fresh and smoking... looks like the lightening made this engraving of 333...