Heal Me or Let Me Die

Chapter - 8

Inside the silent room, Xiao Zhan's mother was moving around restlessly. She was looking upset. Her eyes were constantly staring at Xiao Zhan who was fast asleep but didn't seem comfortable even in such a deep sleep. His pupils fluttered and small beads of sweat formed on his temple and were lost in his hair, even as a low, inaudible sob escaped his lips. Every little movement of her son in pain used to break her heart.

Xiao Zhan had been taking sedatives and pain relievers for three days, yet, none were helping to ease his pain. His pain did not subside. It hasn't decreased even an iota. Leave alone the matter of its complete disappearance. Mrs. Xiao watched him struggle every day... crying, wailing, screaming, and pleading.  Every time he woke up, he was in great pain.

Mrs Xiao was breaking day by day watching his son in misery that she was unable to take away. Her naïve heart wanted to seize all his pains on her if it had been possible. During these years, she prayed to all Gods, to all deities to cure her son but her prayers were never fulfilled.

Maybe no one listened to them or there was no divinity left in the world! It's all just a myth that someone from heaven always hears the prayer of a pure heart. All his prayers have gone unheard.

All these thoughts that were going through his mind brought tears to her eyes. She too was exhausted, her weak body giving up but her motherly heart was still held together by a thin thread of hope.

There is hope that maybe a miracle is going to happen.

Still praying in her heart, she went to Xiao Zhan's bed to wipe the sweat that had accumulated on his face, which he was not aware of due to his unconsciousness. But his body reacted to every spasm of discomfort when he felt pain in his back, even in a state of unconsciousness. Mrs. Xiao took a wet cloth from the small basin on the bedside table and gently wiped his face.

Xiao Zhan didn't move at the touch, his eyes showed no sign of feeling anything. He was lying lifeless like a log. Mrs. Xiao finally started crying, seeing him like this, she was crying quietly. Pale skin, hollow eyes, skeletally thin body, and white lips. Those lips that were often covered with the brightest and most genuine smile have now forgotten to smile.

What could be more sad than this? The smile of the most cheerful boy was lost in the vicious game of destiny.

As soon as she thought of this, a scene flashed in her memory.

On a bright day, the morning turns messy and chaotic due to impatient Xiao Zhan running around the house reminding everyone to be ready on time for the event. He himself was wearing a navy blue formal suit with a white shirt. He was very excited like a child who was going to have a picnic at his favorite place or to play in an amusement park.

His charming smile did not leave his lips even for a moment. One smile of his and no one hesitates to fall for his charm... put his family aside. Everyone was moving at his command while he was instructing them with his smiling face as if they were puppets and his smile was their master making them dance on it with the curl of his lips.

Weird!! Isn't it? Indeed, it is.  But what could they do when his smile was the only source of their happiness?

Everyone was happy to see his excitement.

It was his graduation day and he had literally dragged everyone out of the house to their cars.

“Wait, A-Zhan. Why are you in a hurry?” Mrs. Xiao pulls him back to prevent him from moving forward. Xiao Zhan looked at his mother in disbelief for stopping him.

"Mama, we're getting late." He started hissing as he tried to move on. But Mrs. Xiao didn't let him go. She held her firmly.

“The ceremony will start at eleven and it is only half past nine. Your college is only half an hour away by car. We still have plenty of time to go. We are not going to be late.” She replied, putting some sense into the mind of her impatient son, who for God knows what reason, was so anxious to go there first.