Mist

Her eyes were wide open staring the white ceiling, straight. And then she blinked once, twice, one side of the lash touched the other, she felt it this time.  She thought she can do something more than just throwing back her eye lid. Her fingers trembled; Shalini slowly raised her right hand, then the other, totally surprised! She got up from the bed, looked around, smelled the medicals and nausea was inside her head now. She wanted to move out; she could walk again her heart prompted. In those white stained cloths she felt exhausted but at the same time she was happy that she finally woke up from a long sleep. The thirst was over her throat now.

She banged the door and found her trainer outside. Dhriti, her physical trainer was stunned seeing her. Shalini’s eyes shot up; confused! She caught Dhriti, had millions of questions on her mind but was still quiet. She just couldn't spill it into words. Dhriti took her in and calmed her down. She was behind Shalini's responsiveness. Shalini knew what she was suffering from. A Locked-in Syndrome; she was paralyzed from tip to toe. All what she could do was see and listen. For years she was tormented by fate.

Dhriti carried forward some treatments and was convinced that she overcame the syndrome. It was a miracle. She then informed her family. 

Shalini was in her ward waiting for her family like always. She went closer to the window and opened it, the sun rays fell on her feet, and she shook her feet and tried feeling its warm touch. She glanced at the white clouds from the window unlike the ceiling. She saw the nature at its best. She saw the breeze blowing up her hair. It was her time now.

What was next she thought! It was time to fulfill those dreams she dreamt of she thought. And now things were in her hands. The joy was taking over her. She was in the ninth cloud.

Her eyes were stuck on the clock, waiting for her family. Her mom and dad, her little brother, she was dying to see them all. She smiled remembering those juvenile days with her brother. She wanted to hug her mom and dad, and sense them. She wanted to hear her mom. She was overwhelmed. She was sitting at the corner of the bed, smiling. She closed her eyes; her mind a distorted smoke of thoughts and memories. Realism and memories intertwined.

Slowly the door opened and at the other side her family arrived. She looked up. Her mom came and sat next to her on her bed. Her mother silently asked Shalini, how she was. There was no response. Her brother waved her, still she didn’t react. There was pain in their voice. Then finally she heard and responded.  She blinked. She was shattered; the smoke was filtered. She kept staring the white clouds or was it the white ceiling? A drop of tear rolled from her left eye falling over the sheet, leaving it wet. Darn! Almost! She blinked again… 

Dated: 21 Aug 2011