The sound of rain hitting the roof created a constant soundtrack that night, a cadence that Paulo found comforting. Sitting on the couch in the small living room, he stared at his laptop screen, trying to focus on his work. But something about the atmosphere that night made him uneasy. The storm was approaching, and the energy in the air felt different, almost electric. He glanced occasionally at Herick, who was on the porch as usual, watching the dark sky fill with heavy clouds. Herick had always been fascinated by storms, especially when lightning cut through the sky.
Paulo turned his eyes back to the screen, trying to concentrate, but something was deeply troubling him. There had been something strange about Herick in recent days. Since Sofia's visit, his friend had been quieter, more introspective than usual. Herick had always been a reserved guy, but lately, his responses were short, and he spent hours staring into space, as if lost in thoughts Paulo couldn't reach. It was as if a part of Herick had disappeared.
"It must be the pressure from work," Paulo thought, trying to push his worries aside. He knew Herick carried a lot on his shoulders, even without admitting it. But there was something more.
Paulo sighed, closed his laptop, and stood up. He looked towards the porch where Herick was, still motionless, staring at the horizon as if waiting for something. He approached, feeling the light breeze of the rain coming through the open door.
"Hey, man, how's it going?" Paulo asked, trying to sound casual.
Herick didn't respond immediately. His eyes were still fixed on the sky, his mouth slightly open, as if hypnotized by the natural spectacle before him. Paulo furrowed his brow. The rain was now falling harder, and the sound of thunder echoed through the empty streets.
"Herick?" Paulo insisted, lightly touching his friend's shoulder.
Then it happened.
A lightning bolt cut across the sky with frightening speed, striking the ground just a few meters from where Herick was standing. The flash was so intense that Paulo instinctively covered his eyes, shielding himself from the bright light. But something made him peek through his fingers, and he saw something that seemed impossible.
The lightning struck the ground near the porch, but instead of simply vanishing, it appeared to extend into the air, reaching out to touch Herick. Paulo was paralyzed as he saw his friend surrounded by a sort of luminous field, a glowing aura oscillating around his body. It lasted only a few seconds, but to Paulo, it felt like time had stopped. Herick stood there, motionless, completely immersed in the light, until, as quickly as it began, the phenomenon ended. The lightning vanished into the air, and Herick fell to his knees, breathing heavily.
Paulo, still stunned, rushed to his friend's side.
"Herick! Herick!" He grabbed his friend's shoulder, shaking him lightly. "Are you okay? What the hell was that?"
Herick slowly raised his eyes, still heavy-breathing, but what caught Paulo's attention most was the look of confusion on his face. Herick looked around, as if trying to understand where he was.
"I..." he stammered, still trying to find the words. "I saw something... but I don't know what."
Paulo helped him to his feet, still feeling his body shaking from the adrenaline. Herick seemed disoriented, as if he had just woken up from a confusing dream.
"You need to sit down. Let's go inside." Paulo guided him back to the living room, where Herick slumped onto the couch, visibly shaken.
"What happened?" Paulo asked, concern evident in his voice. "I saw the lightning hit you! Are... are you okay? Did you feel anything?"
Herick rubbed his eyes, as if trying to clear his mind.
"I... I don't know. It all happened so fast. I remember looking at the storm and... then... that light. I saw a place, Paulo. A place that wasn't here. I don't know how to explain it."
Paulo felt a chill run down his spine. He had always believed Herick was a rational guy, someone who rarely got carried away by fantasies or supernatural things. But the expression on his friend's face was different now. He looked genuinely disturbed.
"A place? What place?"
Herick shook his head, frustrated.
"I can't describe it. It was like I was in another world, but... at the same time, here. Everything felt so real. I felt... something pulling me."
Paulo crossed his arms, feeling a knot of distrust form in his stomach. He knew Herick wasn't the type to make up stories, but what he was saying seemed absurd. Lightning, traveling to another world? It didn't make sense. Maybe the shock from the lightning had affected his head.
"Man, I think you just got scared. It was a lightning strike really close, and maybe your body had a reaction. It wouldn't be the first time someone has a strange experience after an electric shock, you know?"
Herick looked at Paulo, his eyes still glazed, but soon looked away, as if contemplating what had just happened.
"Maybe," he replied, though his voice carried a tone of doubt. "But it felt so real... like I was there. I'm not going crazy, Paulo."
Paulo sat down on the couch next to him, scratching the back of his neck.
"I don't know what that was, but I know you need to rest. Let's put it aside for today, okay? You almost got hit by lightning, man. Give your body a break."
Herick nodded slowly, but Paulo could see that his friend wasn't completely convinced. The look of doubt and confusion was still there, as if he was trying to understand something that simply couldn't be explained.
The hours passed slowly that night. Herick eventually went up to bed, but Paulo stayed awake, unable to stop thinking about what he had witnessed. The image of the lightning hitting Herick kept running through his mind. Something wasn't right. He tried to rationalize, to find a logical explanation, but nothing made sense.
And there was something else that deeply troubled him: Herick's behavior. He had always been the most down-to-earth guy Paulo knew. Someone who believed in science, in logic. But since that night, Herick seemed to be changing. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but Paulo was beginning to notice the small differences. Herick was more introspective, more distant. And it wasn't just the shock from the lightning. It was something deeper, something Paulo couldn't pinpoint.
The next morning, when Paulo went to the living room, Herick was already there, standing on the porch, looking at the sky with a lost expression on his face. The rain had stopped, but the air was still heavy, as if the whole environment was suspended.
"Did you sleep well?" Paulo asked, trying to break the silence.
Herick turned slowly, his gaze still distant.
"I... I think so," he replied, but there was something in his tone that didn't convince Paulo. It was as if he wasn't entirely present.
Paulo felt a pang in his chest. He couldn't shake the feeling that maybe the lightning had done more than just scare him. Something was changing inside Herick, and Paulo didn't know what it was.
But one thing he was sure of: this wouldn't be the last time they talked about that night.