Diary: Whispers of the Heart

Diary: Chapter 22*** Catastrophe

During the study holidays, I made sure to visit Pallavi's house for 2 hours every day and we practiced our common subjects for the semester - Math and C programming. As of the night before the first exam, we had practiced all the topics almost twice, even by-heart the important questions. Joy had slippedinto amber mode and was not talking to anyone. & I went to sleep early to have my beauty sleep before the exam.

Early morning, the warden knocked on all the doors with an announcement - "If anyone still has not received the hall ticket, collect it from the Admin Office as today is the last day of receiving it."

Suddenly a rush of adrenaline brought me back to my senses. - Shruthi had not taken her Hall ticket yet, which meant she had to come to college today, though her first exam was scheduled for tomorrow.

My exam was scheduled for 2 PM, but I reached college at 11 AM and wandered around the office area, where they handed over the hall pass. I had collected my hall ticket already but I sat down near the admin office, in hope of seeing Shruthi.

It was almost 12:30 when I saw Shivani and Sabeena entering the office. I looked frantically around but no signs of Shruthi. I waited for them to come out of the office and asked playfully -

"Hello, Seniors! How are you?"

"Did you hear about Shruthi?" - Shivani exclaimed sad, ignoring my question.

"No, what happened?" - My heart skipped a beat.

"She met with an accident" - Sabeena pitched in.

"She was coming to college in her scooty today morning and was hit by a BMTC bus. These drivers should be jailed I say." - Shivani said

"Is it serious?"- I asked slowly. Words were not coming out of my mouth

"Yes, that's what I heard. Theyhave taken her to Apollo hospital"- Sabeena said with a sad face.

"These BMTC buses are killers yaa!!!, that's why I don't drive my scooty to college"- they both discussed among themselves and walked away.

I felt darkness around me. Have no idea how long I stood there after they left. When I came back to my senses, I ran toward the hospital. I don't know how many KMs I ran and then realized I should catch an auto. It was school closing rush hour and thus auto was stopping at every signal. Tears were getting difficult to contain and the more I tried, the harder it got to breathe.

I barged into the emergency room and searched every bed but there was no sign of Shruthi.

Then I came out and searched for her at the reception.

Accident case? Shruthi? 19 years. She was brought here this morning? Where can I see her? Please help me - I begged

The receptionist checked the system twice and said - "No one is admitted here."

"Can you please check again?" - I shouted, attracting everyone's attention.

"Morning accident case girl, is it? She is taken her for an X-ray at the second floor radiology. Admission not done yet." - a passing by Nurse told.

"What is wrong with you? Do you want to see a doctor first?" - She looked at me with concern.

I wiped my face with the shirt's sleeve and realized that my nose had bled a little. I ignored any advice and climbed up the stairs to the second floor in one go. I moved toward the big board - Radiology. But before I could get inside, I saw Shruthi being wheelchaired out of the X-ray room by an attendant accompanied by her mother, laughing at something.

I felt so weak in my knees for the first time and suddenly realized the agony my body was going through after such a stressful run.

"Avi, what happened to you? What are you doing here?" - Shruthi asked with surprise.

"I just came here for acheck-up. Nothing serious but how are you?" - I lied.

"I had a minor accident. Got fracture in my left elbow and bruises in legs." - she said while showing her bandaged arm.

"But didn't you have an exam today?" - she asked

Oh shucks!!!