It was raining heavily, and all the roads were covered in mud and dirt. I was walking alone. It was late at night, and as I was traveling towards a village, there were no vehicles on the road. Lightning, however, was flashing across the sky. I had my DSLR film camera in hand, and I couldn’t resist the urge to take photos in that atmosphere. There was little chance of capturing a photo due to the lack of light, but taking pictures by the flash of lightning had a unique charm. The landscape stretched out before me with a plateau and mountains shining in the lightning. But I only had three shots left in my roll, having nearly exhausted it during the trek. Just three chances!

I moved to the side and raised the camera to my eye, waiting for the lightning. Nothing happened for nearly half a minute. As I lowered the camera, a lightning bolt flashed. Fate, they call it. But now I was determined to capture it. I stood firm, sleeves rolled up. The lightning was so fast that it disappeared before I could press the button, leaving me in darkness. After 3-4 flashes, I was relieved that the negatives weren’t wasted. I raised the camera again, and within the first five seconds, lightning struck. But alas, I was a split second too late. One frame wasted, and again, complete darkness.

Some lightning flashed faintly, but the rain had soaked through my shirt, chilling me to the bone. My body was shivering. Now for the second chance! My hands trembled, but I held the camera steady. Fully focused, I peered through the viewfinder. A rumbling sound, a few fireflies, and then a loud thunderclap with lightning spreading across the sky. I pressed the shutter, but the aperture closed too quickly. Another wasted shot. Only one frame left. One last chance!

I adjusted the shutter speed to increase the chance of success. I stood ready, camera to my eye, like Arjuna aiming for the eye of the fish. Ignoring the fireflies in the bushes, I focused solely on the lightning. And there it was, a massive flash of lightning with a thunderous roar. The longer shutter exposure captured it perfectly. “Yes!” I exclaimed. But then, in the next moment, a smaller flash revealed a leopard at some distance.

With a mix of joy, fear, and excitement, I ran towards a nearby hut. Sweat and rain mingled, running down my body, and I couldn’t catch my breath. Suddenly, the light came on, and the fear returned, coursing through my veins…