Volcanoes

Nitya and Ji-hun exchanged a glance with their eyes open wide, as if to convey to each other that they knew the volcano was going to erupt, but they were still ill-prepared for it. They gulped and proceeded to stare at the phone, waiting for Surbhi to calm down enough to allow Nitya to get in a word or two; or maybe even stop momentarily to catch her breath. They were so startled that it took both of them a few minutes to realise that two other people were in the room, listening in to the conversation.

Dae Jung and Ho-jin's faces conveyed no emotion for a few seconds, and then fear, surprise and concern arrived all at once. But they did not dare to say a thing, and looked on, their eyes oscillating between the phone and Nitya's face. Meanwhile, Nitya was listening on, as if the rounds of gunfire going off from the other end, was nothing for her.