This War Of Mine 2

Karma is a Bitch 0.2

SAPAN
I knew I wasn't dead for now. I could feel my hot breath in the oxygen mask over my mouth, the revolting odour of anaesthetics, drugs, and phenol. I had this strange feeling that my skull was cracked open with a rock. There was this clip kind of thing which I figured is pulse measuring thing fixed  my thumb, connected to something else which I couldn't turn and see because well I couldn't.(Leave it at that. Thank you.)
My eyes slowly lifted up to bedimness and bright light blinding my vision. Near the door I could make out a blurry figure.
Samantha.
She came closer to me, and squeezed my hand, her eyes bloodshot from crying.

SAMANTHA
I bit my inner cheek to stop myself from crying after that conversation with the Doctor.
~
"Are you Samantha D'Souza?"
"Yes. Any major issues doctor?"
"Might be."
"What is it?"
~
"Hi" he breathed.
"Hey. You'll be fine. Just stay with me please."
"Hm. What...do(creak) I--?"
"You have nothing. You are fine. Just some blood loss."
"Tell (breathe) me..."
"You uh lost a lot of (pause) blood and you uhm have the rarest (creak) blood group so, uh.. They are still searching. And...."
"And..?"
"You(breathe) have uhm (swallow) an operation scheduled in about two minutes...,,-----"
The heartbeat monitor hit a flat line as a loud noise filled my ears. He was having a spasm oh no
"DOCTOR! DOCTOR HE'S CRASHING!"
~
"Paddles."
He used the gel on it for god knows what.
"Charging."
The surface came in contact with his chest wall, as his body threw itself up and fell down.
I didn't realize that my wails were getting really high. The decompression was done about 3 times and finally, finally he regained his breath, thereby restoring my life.
~
"Set up the room for the intervention. I'll sterilize and be there in 2."
I wasn't able to look at them digging into his brain. It was 9:30 in the night, and Roshan came in.
"Hey. Have you eaten anything?"
"No."
"I'll drop you by Advika's for dinner. Stay the night and come tomorrow morning."
"No."
"Samantha, don't be adamant. You need rest."
"No."
"Listen." He took a breathe. "You need to be well for him to be well okay? Come with me."
I know I know he is a cent percent right. I'll come back again.
I followed him in silence.

Roshan's POV
My hand instinctively went to my right pocket where I'd kept the ring.
Not there.
Oh yes. Now I remember. Sapan had acted out to me that he needed it. I'd given the blood smothered ring to him, his reason being the ring giving him the optimism he needed.
I wouldn't blame him, for all he wanted was to survive for her, himself, and them.
Samantha followed me in silence as we walked back to Advika's place.

SAMANTHA
The chilly winds of the 9th hour of the night were sending shivers down my spine. I was on Roshan's heel when this winds lifted me up, and took me back to the night of my birthday, a bittersweet birthday.
I was upset, we'd fought with silent glares and unspeakable words. But tonight, I was left alone, with nobody to bicker, with no manifestation to live, with the thrill in my life temporarily lost.
They must've been done with the digging of his brain now I guess.
~
It was 10 as Roshan bid goodbye and left me Advika's doorstep.
*tight, emotional hug at the door*
"Samantha. Are you okay?"
"Hmm." The hug was so tight and warm that it forced out all my emotions and I cried, cried my all out as her arm pulled me inside.
~
"Eat."
"No."
"Yes eat."
"No eat."
"Samantha. Eat."
"No I don't feel like it Adv. Quit trying."
"Don't think you're acting smart, stupid. He wants one thing from what I know. And that's you. If you are well, he'll automatically be just fine."
"That's not true. But he will stay around. For a long time."
"Don't act coy you tweeny little.., Look you know that, I know that, literally the whole world knows about y'all and your renowned love story. So just shut up and eat or die and let him suffer. Or better, I'll just spoon feed you."
"No no geez fine. You had to be so convincing. Fine." I scowled.
I ate this totally bland porridge, which honestly I would've thrown up without the berries and apple.
I got up to leave.
"Where do you think you're going at 11:40 in the night darling?" She mocked
"To the hospital. Where else?"
"Wouldn't it be closed?"
"24 hours genius." I spat at her ignorance.
"Ohhh. But not now Samantha. It's late."
"No, now."
"Can you listen to me for once for Christ's sake? Roshan is over there. You. Stay here."
"How do you know he's there?"
"Because, uh he texted me?"
"When did you get his number?"
"Oh it's not anything you think! He gave it so we could talk more about your proposal."
"Okaay? But I am still going. I need to see him please."
"Okay ugh. Shall I come?"
"No no. Do not tell Roshan"
"Yeah okay. Be careful please."
"Hm." I said and grabbed the copy of Romeo and Juliet.
~
The monochrome scarf he'd gotten for me, draped my neck, sweeping my face as I walked the lone roads of the city. The eerie silence of the night, crawling in the bats in the sky adding an air of melancholy. The rustle of the leaves, due to the faint winds, making you aghast. My sneakers squeaking as I proceed. My eyes going back and forth cautiously. That perpetual feeling of protection having Sapan beside me lost. Gone with the winds like ash.
~
I reached his ward, void of his parents. I tiptoed in, to find Sapan in deep sleep. It was dark in the room and I knocked something in the dark.
"Oops. Sorry I didn't mean to wake you up."
"No(pause) you didn..'t wake me (breathe) babe." His smile gleaming in the darkness.
I turned on the light and he hid his eyes, his head now a gauze wrapped mess. I went and sat next to him, his hand linked with mine.