Frozen Lightning Over Kofte and Peppers

Deep shadow swallows the weathered wooden table in Rajkot, leaving only the tray of kofte and grilled peppers illuminated by a sharp rim of light. Charring marks darken the skin of the peppers, while the meatballs glisten with oil under the sudden flash. Above the food, a jagged bolt of lightning hangs suspended in the night sky, its white-blue branches frozen mid-strike without fading into darkness. Raindrops catch the electric glow, hanging motionless in the air as if the monsoon shower itself has paused. The steam rising from the hot kofte twists upward, meeting the static electricity of the frozen storm. one drop of oil rests on the rim of the clay plate, reflecting the branching lightning above.