The Feel I Get (TFIG)

Chapter 15 : Facing the reality

( Present Day )

I woke up as my phone rang. It was Dad.
"Hello ?", I said.
"Akshit beta... Are you okay ?", he asked me with a heavy voice.

"Ya dad, I'm fine."
"Come home son. I know you've lost someone so.."
"Avni's not gone Dad. I won't let her go."

"Didn't I tell you this when you were a kid ? when your father left too... There are 2 ways people react to a beloved one's death. One, people live in the guilt of not being able to save them for their whole lifetime..."

"And second, people move on. Like nothing ever happened. Like it didn't matter", I continued. "And I... I don't want to be either", I whimpered as I ended the call.

The screen displayed the time of 1:06AM. What the hell was I doing for an hour ? Sleeping ? I looked around. No one.

The bulb above the ICU door... It was off too. I knocked on the door. No replies.
"Anyone there ?", I asked. The silent hallway seemed to haunt me.

I decided to check in. I opened the door silently. The room was deserted too. Avni lied still on her bed. Head bandaged, all the chords and wires of the ventilator were removed too. Her eyes were closed. Her red lips, dry and cold. I slowly went towards her.

"Avni ?", I whispered. "Avni...", I said besides her. Held her hands in my hands, I kissed them lightly.

"Av...", I tried to say but tears escaped faster than my words. "Avni !", I yelled, trying to wake her up.

"Avni, wake up !!", I shook her. No response. I felt her face. No breathe.
"NOOOO !!!!", I screamed. "You can't do this ! You promised me... We will be together for lifetime. You just can't break this....

Please Avni !! I beg of you. Wake up."

I'd become mad now. I tried to do everything that could possibly bring her back. I tried to attach all the chords back, but didn't know where to start.

"Speak up !!", I yelled.
She didn't reply. Her lips still. My legs faltered. I fell down to my knees.

"It shouldn't have ended like this. It shouldn't have...", I felt nausea overcoming me again. What difference did I make. Avni still died.... I'm nothing. I was nothing without her. I finally felt that void Maanav was talking about.

The silence was killing me. Suddenly, another cold breeze sent chills down my spine.

"My gift... You didn't see it", I heard a voice.
I stood up and looked around. No one. "Avni ?", I said.

Nothing. Avni was still.
"Who's there ?", I yelled.. "I asked who's there ?", No reply still.

"I'd planned it for weeks..." I heard it again. It was definitely Avni's voice. How could I not recognise it ? My glance went to Avni's smooth little hands. Her right palm...

Something written on it. Ya, she had this habit, of writing things on her hand so that she doesn't forget anything.

I turned her palm over gently. Written in black, it was Avni's own handwriting :

"Get the teddy bear from the cupboard.
Carry it with you in the bag throughout the party.
And ya, don't forget to give it to Akshit"

Teddy bear ?
"I'll be right back", I told Avni as I headed towards the door.

The receptionist looked horrified as she saw me running through an empty hallway. "Mister, what are you doing here, at this time ? It's 1 AM ?!!"

"I don't care", I said as I ran to the parking lot.

I searched for my bike. It was tossed in the corner. I tried to start it. But it didn't. There wasn't anyone around. I rushed through the hospital area.

The watchman caught me off guard.

"Hey, you there wait !!", he yelled.
"Sorry man, I can't", I said as I increased my speed. Soon, another guard joined the chase.

They caught me. "What are you doing here at 1AM ?", They demanded. "Let me go", I yelled. This all ended up in a terrible fight.

"LEAVE ME ALONE !!!", I screamed as I landed a punch on one of their faces.
"Stop it !!!", They yelled as they both held their heads.

"I... I didn't do anything... I didn't do anything", I repeated as I ran out of REDZ.

There was no one on the road too. Just some random cars, some trucks rushing through. Dogs barking. I started to run. "I'll save you Avni", a voice inside my head said. "Again !"

I was running towards Plexon... "Just a few metres more... Just a few metres", I kept on telling myself. I was deeply exhausted. But still, I was running.

Some dogs started chasing me, but they too quit after sometime..
But I didn't.

I entered the building after a long struggle. A whole lot of people staring at me as I ran through the campus. I tried the elevator but it was occupied already.

I went across the stairs. The doors of most of the rooms were open, and yet again, everyone staring at me.

At last, I saw Priya's room. Open. She was crying terribly. She saw me. "It's all ruined", her eyes seemed to say. I hurried to the next floor.

Several voices could be heard. The door was still open. All my friends had left. But there he was...

Avni's dad. But he wasn't the one who worried me.
It was him. Maanav. What was he doing here now ?