Shruthi's eyes were a unique brown - honey, but a kind of beautiful honey. Now they were weary and staring at some distant world beyond the cold white walls of the hospital.Suddenly, as if jerked out from there, they slowly moved towards the frail figure of her mother, who had finally given in to exhaustion and had dozed off in her chair. Life had been like any other fifteen year old's, till a week back. A severe headache had suddenly assaulted her during basketball practice and she swooned. Who knew that, what she thought were headaches due to being in the sun would need a complicated brain surgery? It was scheduled at 9 am the next day.
Her eyes now moved to the white glass table in the corner of the room. The peacock shaped blue vase held some yellow flowers. She hated yellow - had always had. Now they seemed to foretell something sad and unfortunate. She was a child, yet old enough to understand the complications of what was going to happen. The table on the left was covered with bouquets and cards - Friends, classmates, relatives had been visiting her regularly wishing her and trying to get her spirits up. She was surrounded by love.Yet they haunted her - those yellow flowers. They gripped on to her psyche as if they had invisible tentacles. They seemed to scream at her "You are doomed. You are gone. " and laugh in ruthless,cruel mirth. A nurse came in and administered her a sedative and she slowly drifted off to sleep.
The next thing she knew was being gently woken up by the chief nurse. It was around 6 30 in the morning. After exchanging a few pleasantries, the nurse explained the procedures that they would follow before wheeling her to the OT. "I will come back in a few minutes" she said with a smile and departed. The white of her uniform moved away from Shruthi's vision giving way to the vase at the back. Shruthi's pulse quickened with excitement. She felt a sweet surprise and a kind of beautiful calmness. The yellow flowers were gone. The peacock vase now had roses...roses in different shades of red and pink...They were beautiful and bright. She felt good. She felt alive.
Her eyes now moved to the white glass table in the corner of the room. The peacock shaped blue vase held some yellow flowers. She hated yellow - had always had. Now they seemed to foretell something sad and unfortunate. She was a child, yet old enough to understand the complications of what was going to happen. The table on the left was covered with bouquets and cards - Friends, classmates, relatives had been visiting her regularly wishing her and trying to get her spirits up. She was surrounded by love.Yet they haunted her - those yellow flowers. They gripped on to her psyche as if they had invisible tentacles. They seemed to scream at her "You are doomed. You are gone. " and laugh in ruthless,cruel mirth. A nurse came in and administered her a sedative and she slowly drifted off to sleep.
The next thing she knew was being gently woken up by the chief nurse. It was around 6 30 in the morning. After exchanging a few pleasantries, the nurse explained the procedures that they would follow before wheeling her to the OT. "I will come back in a few minutes" she said with a smile and departed. The white of her uniform moved away from Shruthi's vision giving way to the vase at the back. Shruthi's pulse quickened with excitement. She felt a sweet surprise and a kind of beautiful calmness. The yellow flowers were gone. The peacock vase now had roses...roses in different shades of red and pink...They were beautiful and bright. She felt good. She felt alive.
Beautiful story.
ReplyDeleteWell captures the anxiety before an event as important as brain surgery.
ReplyDeleteVictimized
Aha! And who got the red and pink roses for her!?! We need to know that and much more. That's a lovely story, Jayashree!
ReplyDeleteMost of the time it happens, something we hate , disturbs us a lot. That too during our bad time. Loved the narration
ReplyDeleteI second Ranjana. loved the narration.
ReplyDeleteMovingly narrated !
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