Abha’s hands burst into flames, shocking both of them. His shirt in her fists burns to ash, and his head drops back onto the thin mattress. He screams, watching fire dance across his bare chest. Abha reacts by grabbing the back of his head with one flaming hand, while slugging him in the face with her other.

As the cot ignites, Sunil finally regains his senses and fights back. He shoves Abha off; she tumbles backwards, bumping her head against the metal bed railing on her way down to the concrete floor. She lays there, ignoring her pain while mesmerized by the flickering flames on her unharmed fingers.

Sunil scurries up to put space between him and the burning bed. As he frantically pats out the fire on his chest, he feels a crusty rock-like covering now clinging to his breasts. He feels around to discover similar growths on his face and behind his head, in the spots where Abha’s burning touch had assaulted him.

Amazed and horrified at his unharmed, yet bizarre, flesh, he looks over to Abha, still laying on the floor.