Chapter 3

Intake of six bottles of saline by this morning conveyed some positive reports. But still, aunt was not released from the ICU. Doctors ordered to keep aunt under observation, for at least two more days - a text beeped from Arpi di. After passing a day with overloaded tension, there we were on the way to grab some good news.

Thank god... - I gave a quick and short reply while experimenting with my practical topics.

That day, we were doing our last practical class, before appearing for the finals on 20th June '19. Theory finals were about to start from 25th June '19. It was the last day of my college life.

Entering a new place feels like why the hell I'm here, facing awkward moments with strangers. Leaving the same place after a couple of years make us feel the worst. Though the professors never missed a single day to shower their wrath on us but, our batch was somehow close to everyone's heart. Maybe because, during the way of adapting ourselves from children to students, the sensation of respect diminishes. But our batch still shone the trained respect toward everyone under any circumstances.

As officially that was the last day of our regular classes, so, everyone was busy hugging each other, wiping tears, and writing on each other's uniform. I was standing aside looking at everyone with a smile and thinking - One chapter closes here and a new chapter is already waiting for us somewhere else. Life is not that short; Busy schedule allows time to fly within a blink. That's how time teaches us to miss our closed ones because when we are with them, we are busy complaining, backbiting. But when we are on the verge to get separated, their importance and good side start popping up. Schools' and colleges' last days are like - Everyone cries for everyone, everyone promises to keep contact with everyone but alas, there remains some or one special friend in everyone's life who can be titled as the 'Friend Forever'.

A tap on my back brought me back to reality. I turned to find who she was but before I could scan, she hugged me. She was my best friend 'Neha'. We both were emotional lassies. We both knew, hugging others won't allow our tear to roll down but hugging each other would lead our teardrops to evolve. Finally, the two craziest and fun-loving fellows were sobbing.

"Hey, girls, the Earth had not yet destroyed and unofficially we are meant to meet again for our project work," one of our batchmates distracted everyone and there was a giggle.

At that time my phone rang. It was Arpi di. She said at a rush, "Hello Jupi, I would pick you up from college and together we will straighten our way towards the hospital."

I offended, "But di... I need to go to my room to get freshened up as it would be my turn to have a night stay that day. By the way, is everything alright? You are sounding worried."

"Yes... Yes... Don't worry... I'm quite tired of my busy schedule. Actually, one of my colleagues was going to drive to Fancy Bazar, so I thought I would reach to you. Then we would together follow up to the hospital, boarding an uber," she clarified with a positive response. I sighed out of relief.

I offended again, "No need di... It will be more tiresome for you. I will reach on my own. Text or call me when you reach the hospital. I will reach there as soon as possible."

*****

We lifted us towards to the first floor. Straight from the lift's door, there's a hollow entrance, filled with two lines of chairs laid opposite to each other. Nearly, six steps ahead three stairs were directing the door, engraved, 'ICU' on it. Uncle and his in-laws were sitting on the chairs.

While stepping near them we heard uncle speaking over the phone, "I want that particular blood group. Will you please inform me if there is anyone ready for donation."

Arpi di asked Supriya aunty, "What's the matter of blood donation?" "Your aunt is suffering from severe anaemia. During such a condition delivery is not possible. She needs blood urgently but doctors are saying that the particular blood group is not available in their blood bank," she responded, worriedly.

I and Arpi di also flared the news to our possible connections, immediately. We had only 24 hours to secure my aunt from entering the red zone again.

Suddenly, my gaze fell on Rohit bhaiya. He was sitting on the second last stair of the stairway towards the right side of the lift. I went near him for my selfish reason - to get any help in finding a blood donor. My footsteps allowed him to turn towards me. His thick, straight eyebrows looked stressed. Red veins were popping up from the sclera portions covering his bluish eye lenses. Wet eyelashes weighed his eyelids, leading to swelling up his eye bags. His perfectly thin shaped lips looked dry. A portion of it was covered with his moustache that curved down a French cut. It seemed like he didn't even gulp a drop of water through his neck.

I sat near him and investigated, "Bhaiya is anything wrong?"

He held my left hand and pressed it harder. He was heading downward, ignoring eye contact, which he never did before. It felt awkward, but I didn't oppose to get my hands out of his grip. I felt a water drop on my knuckle that defined the meaning of 'ignoring eye contact.' My numbness didn't allow me to utter a single word, after staring him sob. Let it be a stranger or whoever, tear-filled eyes provoke my regrets, enabling to provide any help. It is easier for me to pick up any of the possible ways to help him but expressing that numbness was far more difficult.

He bolted a lump and murmured shedding tears, "Between husband and wife's rivalry I don't want the newborn to lose his/her life."

"Will you please describe what's wrong between you two?" I interrogated.

He described, "Last night we fought. The only complaint she had had was I'm her life spoiler. She was not ready for a baby and I was the one to force on her. She yelled at the top of her voice and underwent excessive bleeding. So, there was an urgent need to shift her to the ICU. The doctors had emptied the last bottles of the blood of that rarest group from their blood bank. But she might require more. I'm the one with the same blood group but she won't allow a devil's blood to flow in her body. If she doesn't allow me to donate then I'll lose both of them."

I promised to help him by lying to his wife that I'll be donating her blood and convincing the doctors to tell her the same.

The best part about him was he always tried to keep his problem aside for a while and peep through my eyes to know the depth of my situation. He enquired, "It seems like you are also worried... Is everything okay?"

I elaborated about the conditions of my. Recklessly, he buzzed off someone without responding to my elaboration. "Hello... Will you please arrive urgently? Here's a patient of one of sister who is in a need of blood as soon as possible," he spoke over the phone and disconnected.

"Relax... Don't worry... I have called one of my friend who have the same blood group as your aunt requires. He will be arriving in an hour." He relaxed me.

I thought - He perfectly defines a true gentleman. How can his wife be too rude to him? Maybe it is declared by time how enigmatic a person is. It's a fact that one person is always enigmatic for the other; Unless we can peep into a stranger's soul through the eyes to feel the connection. And once connected, we get well acquainted with his/her negative sides.

                       *****

Shyam uncle offered fruit juice to Rohit bhaiya and the other guy after donating blood to Barsha and aunt, respectively. I narrated the whole incident in front of uncle. Rohit bhaiya refused. I ordered him, "Post blood donation, the donors need energy supplements. So, have it, without arguing." Uncle and his in-laws thanked the two real-life heroes. That day everyone left with a tinge of relief as both the patients were out of danger.

We headed towards the canteen for dinner. We took the same corner seat as earlier. While he was talking to the waiter, I was looking at the calm and silent scenario of the canteen - an opposite scenario as compared to the morning.

"So, what will you take?" Rohit bhaiya's investigation distracted me.

"A rice thali," I replied and again got started staring all around. After a while, I felt that Rohit bhaiya was staring at me. It's a girlish instinct. We can catch anyone staring at us from any distance. I turned towards him. Our gaze met. I didn't know why, but every time the eye lock moment occurs, my heart skipped a beat. Overcoming the trigger of my heartbeat, I started a conversation, "Thanks a lot bhaiya for everything. I wish after your baby is born, you and your family just stay happily ever after."

"I should thank you instead, for saving two lives," He continued, "So, Jupi tell me about yourself."

I told him, "I use to stay at rent near Reserve Bank as my parents keep on travelling for their business. I had spent some of the least time with my parents. I had spent my life in the house with my paternal uncle and grandma until I had turned eighteen. I had grown on my grandma's lap, who'd passed away two years back. She luckily didn't miss her youngest son's marriage ceremony which was arranged six months ago before her last breath. Sometimes it feels difficult to live a life without selfless love because every relation in this world is like - You do whatever I like and I'll start loving you or else, face hatred."

Meanwhile, our dinner arrived. Rohit bhaiya started mixing dal with rice using a spoon and continued the conversation, "Hmm... By the way, why don't you stay with your paternal uncle and aunt."

"Because my residence is far away from my college. Anyways, I have represented a lot about me. Now it's your turn."

"Well about me? I'm a mysterious person. You have to spend more time with me to flourish the inner me," his eyes sparkled as he grinned mischievously.

"Whoa... Someone sounds interesting."

Our dinner ended and we stepped out of the canteen. It was nearly 10 o'clock. The parking lot in front of the canteen parked a limited number of vehicles, which remain filled with vehicles, during the morning hours. Three ambulances were parked too. The road following the entrance was silent which was busiest, during the morning hours. He offered me a night walk with him, on the hospital campus. I approved the offer as it was better than waiting outside the ICU with those bloodsucker mosquitoes. He giggled for my reason for his offer's approval. We loitered around talking more and more.

He opened up the story with his wife. One-sided stories always sketch the narrator's perfect image. Anyway, whatever be the topic, it always felt like he was an influential speaker. His voice waves carried a blissful breeze, from the first day I met him.

Suddenly, my eyes got stuck on the word 'MORGUE', which was at the backyard of the canteen nearly three meters away from it. I shut my lips staring at that. He asked, "Jupi? Where did you get lost?"

I pointed towards the morgue and said, "Do you know I've got a dream to explore the morgue."

He laughed aloud and said, "You are crazy as hell."

I opposed, "Just now you said, you also love to do adventures?"

He laughed more loudly and said, "But I never craved for doing adventures with dead bodies."

I stared at him with my wrath filled eyes. He became serious and investigated, "Okay, tell me why do you want to explore a morgue?"

I replied angrily, "Because, I want to see those lifeless bodies and experience how it feels to stay around those lifeless. It would feel like a different world. Moreover, their bodies might depict their death mysteries too and who knows, they might hear us as well."

Somehow, he controlled himself from breaking out into laughter and accepted to become my partner in crime, as that was a restricted area. My anger was overwhelmed by excitement. Somehow we entered the morgue, without being caught by the security guard. As we stepped in, we felt a cool breeze blowing over. It was not a horror scene but a gang of bats flying over, blowing the breeze. The entrance opened into nearly, ten meters straight corridor with a wall on one side. The wall on the other side opened into three rooms. Those were the rooms of the lifeless. There were five-tube lights that didn't darken our view. We moved towards the rooms.

Unfortunately, no dead bodies were lingering over the room's floor. All were locked in their respective freezing drawers. I thought - Being alive, we are locked within our duties and after being lifeless we will be locked in those drawers. Whereas, when alive, our thoughts are always free to fly and after becoming lifeless, the soul can linger all around. In short, we can never get locked by anything or anyone.

Suddenly, there's a noise of something cracking. Out of fear, I hugged Rohit bhaiya and came out of the room. We saw a tube light had busted. I loosened my grip. Our gazes met. I broke the eye contact and apologized.