In These White Halls

|• chapter - 36 •|

S H E H R Y A R

Time slowed down. I slowed down. Everything stopped as I saw her frail body fall on the ground. "Annayaaa!" I screamed as I felt myself running towards her, trying to catch her but it was too late. I gently picked her head up, placing it on my lap as Armaan ran towards us.

"Oh no! No- no- no- no-" I cried as she looked up at me with tired eyes.

"It's okay." She said. Her voice rough and pained. I looked down at the big red patch forming on her body and pressed on it to keep the blood from flowing out.

"No, annaya, please don't go away!" I begged her but I could see her fighting to keep her eyes on me.

"Armaan! Call an ambulance!" I yelled at him and wiped my tears away that were constantly blurring my eyes, preventing me from seeing her.

"Sh-h... don't cry-y." She whispered again, taking a deep breath and I felt my heart twist in pain and I ignored her. I was angry and worried and–

"Annaya stay-y with me!" A plea and a prayer, both escaped my lips, one reaching her and the other for Allah. Her eyes held so much love and pain but they were fluttering close, with every passing second she was weakening even more. The blood loss was heavy and I could feel my hope flying away. "Please-e don't-t go-o! I- lov-e y-ou-u An-n-nay-a!" I begged infront of her as more tears fell from eyes but she wasn't opening her eyes. Why isn't she opening her eyes? My whole being was shaking right now and my tears fell on her face like rain on the ground yet her eyes still remained closed.

The sirens of ambulance came closer and closer until they were here, picking her weak body up and then we were rushing to the hospital. Everything was a blur, a nightmare. I could see everything but I couldn't hear much, everyone's voice was muffled and distant.

Upon reaching the hospital both me and Armaan rushed in as they dragged the stretcher Annaya was on towards the OT.

"I- I can't operate." I stuttered as the nurse looked at me dumbfounded for I was the best surgeon here but right now, I was panicked. Too distracted to focus on something.

"GET DR. HASSAN RIGHT NOW!" I yelled at the reception and soon enough Dr. Hassan was there going into the OT as I waited outside.

Time passed by as I sat on the chair with my head in my hands as Armaan paced back and forth. My head was spinning and everything in me was hurting and shaking like an earthquake had hit me. The palm of my hands, covering my eyes were completely soaked in tears. Tears grieving my idiocracy for not pushing Annaya away, for not being there, for doubting her, for being angry on her. I was hating myself and there wasn't just one reason for it.

"Armaaan!" A cry broke me out of my painful reverie and I saw Annaya's mother rush to Armaan with her husband trailing behind. Their worried, pain and tear streaked faces only fueled my guilt more.

"Where-e's Anna-ay-a?" Mrs. Khan questioned her son who was continuously consoling her in hushed whispers and small kisses.

"Ma, she'll be alright! You know our Annaya, she'll be okay." He said with such certainty that he had me believing him for a second there.

"Inshallah-h. But-t how did-d th-i-s happen?!" She asked and Armaan looked towards me, asking for help. His turn of head directed all her attention to me and I took a deep breath before telling her everything. I was a prisoner, a killer who was giving out his verdict and my jury consisted of a pained mother, a distressed father and a very worried brother who didn't know what to handle and how to handle the situation he was presented with.

"I- Mrs. Khan-" I began but she cut me to it.

"Just tell me everything." She whispered audibly, wiping her tears away.