Neel Dervin and the Dark Angel by Neeraj Chand Page A

greeting him, looking him over carefully. “You didn‟t
feel weak or ill, did you?”
“No way.” Neel assured her. “I‟m telling you, mom, I‟m totally fine.”
     
“Well, hopefully you‟re on the mend.” his mother sighed, giving him a hug. “Go and
freshen up. Tea will be ready soon.”
    Neel went up to his room and tossed his bag on his bed. Without bothering to turn on the
lights, he sank onto his bad and stared up at the ceiling. In the privacy of his own room, his
mind returned to those memories. He saw a dark tunnel winding endlessly into the distance.
He saw a room filled with scientists and leaders. He saw a punching bag flying across the
room.He saw a bird‟s eye view of the world around him as he rose higher and higher off the
ground. He saw a treadmill pushed past its limits and begin to burn. He saw himself seeing
things in a room so dark a normal person would have been blind.
For a long time, fourteen year old Neelanchan Dervin sat alone in the dark comfort of
his room as the images played themselves over and over again in his mind.
     
* * *
    That night, Neel sat in the living room watching TV with his mother. She was watching
the news and he was pretending to be listening as well, while he was inwardly experimenting
with his brain speed. He felt much more confident now about his ability to control his mind,
and Doctor Fahim had told him that there were even better methods that he would be taught
over the course of his training. For now he concentrated on keeping his heartbeat slow and
steady as he breathed deeply.
    The doorbell rang. Neel got up and went to the door. Dusk was falling rapidly, and the
street was quiet and empty. Outside their front gate stood a handsome young boyof Neel‟s
age, with wavy dark hair and a slim, tall build leaning on his cycle, a huge grin on his face.
    “Shouldn‟t you be looking sicker?”
the boy asked. Neel grinned as well as he went to
open the door. “I saw you lying in the hospital with bandages all over. Seem to have healed
up pretty quickly.”
“Not quick enough to come back to school yet.” Neel said as he opened the gate to let
Aryan in.“I don‟t have to face Ticolo for at least a week.”
     
“So, are you still sick or something?” Aryan asked as he parked his cycle inside the
main gate. He turned to Neel with a frown.“Still on pills and stuff?”
    “
Nah, this is just a precaution.” Neel said, leading him into the house. “It wasn‟t
anything to worry about in the first place. Just a dislocated shoulder and some cuts. The
doctors fixed me up all right. I was going to call you tonight. I need to catch up on the school
work I‟ve missed.”
“Nothing major‟s happened at school.” Aryan said. “Ticolo‟s driving everyone nuts of
course, but that‟s nothing new.”
     
“Yeah, like I said, definitely not missing him.” Neel laughed.
    “Neel?” Aryan stopped before stepping through th
e doorway. Neel turned back to face
him. Aryan walked up to him slowly and gave him a hug. It was a highly unusual gesture, but
the seriousness in Aryan‟s voice held Neel. “I‟m really glad you‟re okay, man. I‟ve never
seen anyone in such a bad shape like you were in at the hospital.”
“It‟s over now, dude.” Neel said quietly, hugging him back. “And I really just want to
forget about it.”
     
“Right, let‟s forget about it.” Aryan agreed, clapping him on his back as they finally
stepped into the house.
     
They went into the living room, where Neel‟s mother sat flipping idly through the
channels.
     
“I was wondering when you were going to visit.” she said, smiling up at the two boys as
they entered. “Hello, Aryan.”
     
“Good evening, Auntie.” Aryan replied with a smile. “I wanted to come yesterday, but
dad said I should let him rest.”
     
“Well,I‟m glad you‟re here now. Neel was so bored sitting in the house all day he went
out alone to the bridge today.” his mother said.
     
“It