Another Half Of Me - Chapter 35

Dr Sunil sat down on his chair after his daily rounds. Looking at the list of patients lying at his desk, he realised that it will be evening before he can meet the girl. Hoping that the hospital staff was taking care of her properly, he picked up his phone extension and told the nurse to send the first patient.

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The nurse entered Roshni’s room and looked at her in disdain. Why has Dr. Sunil admitted this vegetable here? Shaking her head in disgust, she picked her up and shoved Roshni on the wheelchair.

“You are wasting one bed, do you know that?” she said to her. When Roshni did not reply, she clutched her cheeks and forced her to look up, “Of all the patients in the hospital, I had to get you.” She let go of her cheeks and shoved her head backward. Roshni’s head hit hard against the rails of the wheel chair but still she just stared in space, eyes bleak and blank.

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It was 8 in the evening, when Dr. Sunil finally finished with his appointments and administrative work. Being the head was definitely not a matter of joke, he thought. Picking up his things, he headed straight to the girl’s room. He neared the door and saw the nurse entering her room with dinner. Good, at least the hospital people were doing their duties properly.

Smiling, he was about to enter the room, when he saw the nurse offering Roshni the food. But, when she did not open her mouth to eat, the nurse ate the food herself. Shocked and disappointed, he stepped inside and took the plate away from the nurse.

Looking at her name card, he said, “Being the chief here, I can easily get you sacked for this. But, I’ll not do that. Realise now that she needs your help and one more thing, keep yourself in her shoes and tell me how will you feel if someone did this to you?”

Seeing the nurse hang her head in shame, he further continued, “I don’t want you to hang your head in shame. Feel her pain and then do your duty towards her. Before being a well-trained nurse, at least try and be a good human being.” Saying this, he gestured her to leave and started to feed Roshni, all the while talking to her, hoping that someday she will respond.

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“Bhaiji,” Rudy shouted in anguish as he rushed towards the balcony followed by Sid, Prashant, Amit and Karan. Rudy and Sid quickly picked up Siddha and placed him on the bed gently. Although, his right hand had stopped bleeding but there was no sensation at all in his body.

“Bhai!” Sid shouted shaking him hard.

“Prashant, his body is cold and he isn’t breathing,” Karan said, touching Siddha’s forehead.

“I know,” Prashant replied tearing off Siddha’s shirt and started to pump hard on his chest. He had realised Siddha wasn’t breathing the moment he had seen him lying on the balcony. His lungs must be filled with rain water.

“Guys, keep calling him,” he said, gesturing to Rudy to take on the pumping while he opened Siddha’s mouth wide to blow air. They continued with the CPR routine as the others kept speaking to Siddha. After continuous CPR for more than 5 minutes, Siddha coughed hard as water oozed out of his mouth. Coming back to his senses, he tried to sit up on the bed as the coughing subsided.

Relieved, all of them staggered to sit down on the bed beside him. Sid looked at his face and realised that his brother was least bothered about himself. He clutched his left hand and raised it to his face, but Siddha did not respond at all. Rudy got up slowly and crossed over to Siddha. Raising his body a little, he took off the torn shirt.

Prashant opened the first aid kit and began to wipe the water and blood accumulated on the wound. Small glasses pieces were still sticking inside his flesh. He picked up the anaesthetic syringe from his box and tapped Siddha’s wrist to inject.

“Don’t,” Siddha said in a voice filled with authority.

“I have to take off the glass pieces. It will pain,” Prashant replied trying to make him understand.

Siddha laughed out loud, the sound reverberating around the room.

Prashant picked up the syringe to inject but he brushed it away. When he tried again, Siddha shouted in a menacing tone, “I said, don’t.”

Sighing, he picked up the forceps and pulled the glass pieces one after another from Siddha’s palm.

Tears rolled down Sid’s eyes as he saw his brother not reacting at all to the pain he was feeling. He could see Rudy wiping blood away that oozing out as Prashant pulled the pieces, but still there was no response.

“Did you get the police reports?” Siddha asked Rudy.

Rudy stiffened as the question hit him. He looked at Karan helplessly. When Siddha asked again, he nodded.

“Who?”

“Sandhya and you,” Rudy said closing his eyes trying to block Siddha’s face.

“Everywhere it’s you and Sandhya. We tried our best to check if Manchanda was linked anywhere but nothing,” Karan said shaking his head wishing he didn’t have to disclose the truth to him.

Siddha smiled sadly. So, it’s proven, I killed you. Roshni’s last minute accusations rang in his ears. He glanced at the table in front of him and looked at Roshn’s smiling face. Are you happy now? You were right. I killed you: no one else, Roshni.

I killed you both.

Done with the dressing, Prashant looked up at him. He watched Siddha as his features hardened.

“Leave,” Siddha ordered.

Not knowing what to say or do, all of them started to leave. Prashant looked at him stepping out of the room. He knew Siddha was slipping to a depressed state of mind and before he drowned completely, Prashant had to something. 

Time to call dad.

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Roshni stared at the darkness around her. While her mind did not register anything but her heart kept on saying there was someone in the room. Slowly a face cleared in front and her eyes widened with recognition. 

It’s him. Kill him Roshni, Kill him, her consciousness rallied. 

Memories of blast, pain of losing the baby and Siddha’s betrayal pierced her mind.

Roshni started to scream as she saw him raising the knife at her. 

Kill him otherwise he will kill you. 

Unable to move, she screamed at the top of her voice. Her body twisted from one side to another as she clutched the side rails to get up. Banging her hand against the rails to open them, she kicked hard as the nightmare took hold of her body. Again she was inside the car burning and struggling to get out. The seat was sticking to the burned flesh of her back but still she struggled to break free.

The nurses and doctors rushed inside her room hearing her scream. Trying to control her flailing hands, one of the doctors asked the nurse to call Dr. Sunil.

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