“I want to get home as soon as possible” the excitement in my voice isn’t new to me.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡov9CZzuXte
Every year I and my family celebrate the day we bought this house. 5th May. I have a father, mother and a little brother. I’m the eldest.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQQfUC0V9X
“Would you like to tell your details for this lucky draw coupon mam” the supermarket boy asked.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ928E9lKTHz
“Yes” cause I can possibly be the happiest girl in this world now.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LAjdoyKne
“Name”
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sfKNeYTcH
“Maya! Its getting late” mom called from behind.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD87dpl28Se
“Sorry dude! Fill yours in my stead”
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkjyAHQ7fo
“Great day girl” the boy shouted as I ran out.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBTx03e3p0
I went to my car and kept everything in the boot. Mom checked the list again before letting me close it. I drove down the alley and reached my simple and lovable house.
“Ma” I sighed as she kissed my forehead before sending me off.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB41J6WyMXf
“Come as soon as possible” she told this for the 1000th time from morning.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOYKjMjSIi
“Sure ma”
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiABhQBCx4K
The sun shone bright. The clouds moved slower than ever. As I drove to my studio my favourite song blared. I reached there just in time and ran into Grace. My colleague and friend who behaves nothing like her name.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTv68UVJu29
“Got a sunny soul?” she roared.
“Think so” I replied while taking the stairs while she waited for the lift.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3jdQMr6xt
I took no more than 5 steps before I fell badly on the railings. I still finally reached my studio before Grace. She edits all my drawings and posts them in social media. More or less she is my manager.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPYyS41MFK
The day was pretty cool until I received a plagiarism complaint from another artist Jay.
“IT IS MY WORK! Doesn’t he dare to accuse me like that” I shouted.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvyFWNrONt
“I’ll handle it” Grace’s brother assured. He was a lawyer.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj86KcsbdNE
My phone rang from the nearby room. I silented it. Once we sorted it I took my phone. Dad called me 10 times.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltfQ8HYpuq
“Damn. Sorry guys I got to leave” I rushed out and grabbed my jacket.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXBXXuQPK9
My car stood alone in the parking. As I got in I just found that I lost my keys back there. It wasn’t a wise idea to walk for 5 mins and go to the 4th floor and then get my keys and again come all way back. I took a cab.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxkcPe9WV2
I tried calling dad but he didn’t pick. I went home with the same excitement as morning. BUT.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HAr2SjrzK
* * * * *
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtiZjsTEMP
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46FC9S4CaH
Smoke devoured our street. Police sirens wailed. Awful pleas of ambulances echoed. I slowly got down. An unknown fear curled around my heart and it suddenly froze as the fire fighters brought my father and mother in stretcher. My mom’s nylon scarf stuck in her neck.
Neighbours tried to console me. But I wasn’t crying. I didn’t know why. My heart felt heavy as if it would sink inside the earth. I was not ready to accept the fact that my parents were NO MORE.
“It can’t be. It really can’t be” my voice broke. My heart felt like it stopped. Suddenly my heartbeat went high.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZX2s5tXOQ
“Where is my brother?”
I tried to go into that still burning house. A dozen of people pulled me back. My shrill scream rose above that chaos.
“Maya.” My aunt hugged me. “Oh my child! This should happen to no one. Be strong dear” she cried. Still not a single tear came out of me.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFlckDodVw
An hour passed. I stood still watching my burnt house and my parents. My aunt kept weeping beside me. Grace’s brother was talking to the police about my brother. Grace never left my hand.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPFQMse3JS
The fire fighters cleared the place. A car came. My cousin Jane rushed out of it. She hugged me tightly.
“I’m sorry. We have to go” she rushed me into the cab.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdJrN0MviO
After a not-so-long journey we reached a hospital. She pulled me out. Still Grace didn’t leave my hand. She took me to a room. A relief. Actually it was something good no, the only good thing in this evening. My brother laid there. ALIVE.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7Ua2O3VqE
“What happened?” my voice was barely more than a murmur.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblYTVNpVOV
“He got into an accident. Your parents were about to come here. They tried calling you but........” Jane stopped when the doctor called us.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2j97vAZ8JZ
“In what way the patient is related to you?” the doctor asked
“My brother” I spoke
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vAi8wOhNH
“He is under supervision. Only after observations we can conclude anything” He paused for a moment and continued “His body is so weak. He got some internal bleeding. We want you sign this so that we can proceed with the surgery.”
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIDHeHJFkH
He gave me the papers and a pen. I hesitated.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MAAJDxwt1
“It should be done as soon as possible mam”
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBWrXIkt7a
Once I signed it they allowed me to meet him. He laid like a doll. His eyes slowly opened. He removed the oxygen mask with trouble.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxTJ3M1esU
“Ma... Maya..... Take... ke... care of mom and.... dad....” He stammered.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVGK8nJy7k
The nurses took him inside the operation theatre as I held back the urge to tell him everything and lament. I held his hand tightly as a sign of affirmation.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHoFm6fXHQ
* * * * *
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbD9kFNgJAO
“Did she sleep?” Jane asked Grace.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBmLofc3Td
“She didn’t even blink” she replied. Still holding my hand.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLoGp7IMPD
HOW THE NIGHT CHANGES. Nothing can define it better. Morning, noon and evening flew in the blink of an eye. Grace’s brother called every hour to ensure that everything was alright. The operation got over.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCU48MYUcR
“He is out of danger” the doctor’s words were the only thing I yearned to hear. He smiled. “How will you take care of him when he wakes up? Go and have something or else I’ll have to arrange a bed for you near your brother” he teased.
67Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcjwb8eN8h
I asked Grace to stay back and went to the hospital cafeteria. I was about to order a coffee when Grace called. My phone fell and broke into pieces. I stood like a stone.
ns3.140.250.157da2
