So... Is This The End?

Back Together

Nasreen watched the two interns in their lab coats as they furiously worked on her knee with forceps and needle holders that actually looked like scissors. At first she was terrified to see the needle pierce right in through her skin but she didn't feel anything! It was just a vague sensation of pressure- the effect of local anesthesia. However, minutes into the process, she actually found it funny. The six inch cut was ugly, a mix of red and yellow. The sharp metal ends had lacerated deep. She observed the sutures getting stacked neatly one after another as the wound was being sewn shut.

Nasreen inhaled deeply and leaned back, resting her head on the pillow. The emergency room was impeccably clean and smelled clinical. She looked over at Christina who was hunched in a chair beside Sarah's bed.

Sarah had a chest brace on. She was still unconscious. Her breathing was labored. A nurse came in holding a CT Scan report and handed it to Christina with a smile. "No organ injury Ma'am. Your sister's lucky. Just normal pain medication"

"Thank you." Christina mumbled. She refocused her gaze at the sleeping Sarah. She looked peaceful.

Then the nurse came over to Nasreen. "It's better if you get a tetanus jab." She said as she inspected the cut. "I'll be right back."

"Okay." Nasreen nodded. The nurse left. Nasreen remembered how her best friend Fatima had once courageously volunteered to donate blood and then had made a ruckus on seeing the needle!

"Hey! Her eyes are twitching!" Christina exclaimed. "I think she's coming to. Oh Sarah!" She huddled in close to her and stroked her hair.

Sarah felt a massive throbbing in her head as she tried to make sense of the muddled voices around her. She struggled to open her eyes that felt like lead. A painful tingling shot up in her chest when she breathed in. Slowly it all started rushing back to her- the shrieks, the plane, her knee hitting her chest. Her eyes shot open as she bolted upright in her bed. Then she saw her exact replica staring fondly at her, a tired smile plastered across her face.

"It's okay Sarah, we're all safe now." Christina held Sarah's face in her hands.

"Chris!" Sarah whispered, her emotions in a mess. Two freaking years! She held Christina's wrists as she relished the touch of her palms on her cheeks. "How...?" She couldn't finish before Christina pulled her into a hug. Sarah felt numb. All the memories, the laughter, the fights, the pain, the separation all came crashing down on her. She slowly wrapped her arms around Christina. My Chris!

Nasreen couldn't help but cry as she watched the twins hugging each other. She forgot about the burning in her knee. Everything around her ceased to exist as she watched them quiver and rub each other's backs. Neither spoke a word as if it was unnecessary given the extent of telepathy that was already in motion between them, like an invisible yet immensely powerful spark zipping back and forth between the two souls.

Christina felt her insides would explode. The pent up emotions wanted to gush out. Being an aviator she had been into a lot of situations ranging from bad weather to mechanical failure. But nothing could prepare her for what occurred today. It was so psychologically and emotionally charged. She wondered whether it was Sarah that kept her going. She had expected just like a routine flight that they would get to their destination and would go their own ways. In fact it had happened before. Sarah travelled frequently on the job as a travel agent. But now Christina actually felt glad that today turned out to be different! They might not have been here at all in each other's arms! That's when the tears started flowing.

They pulled apart and just stared at each other, their eyes raining tears. Christina tried frantically to form words. "I was a witch... I knew that guy had dark secrets... yet I fell for him... I was young and brash... I totally cut you off... but now I've realized... you really wanted to protect me..." She poured her heart out as the sobs choked her voice.