Dor Jo Na Toote (Sloth Updates)

7

Kartik (frowns)- Sirat? Kya hua? Tum thik to ho? Kahan ho?

Sirat (coughing)- Ghar mein aag lag gayi hai, Kartik... Darwaza jam ho gaya hai shayad, khul hi na raha.

Kartik (moving outside)- Main abhi vahan pahunch raha hoon, tumne firestation call kiya?

Sirat (breathy)- Kaafi der pehle. Mhara bataya pata samajh na aaya unko lagta hai, ab tak na pahunche.

Kartik (in the parking)- Sirat! Sirat. Hosh mein raho. Hosh mein. Tumne kuchh aur try kiya, kahin aur se, balcony ka darwaza? 

Sirat (breathier)- Sab band hai, mhare ko na lag raha main bachungi. Aag bhi badh rahi hai, aur dhuan bhi.

Kartik (starting the engine, connects phone with speaker)- Bilkul nahi, suna tumne. Aisi koi bhi baat na sochna allowed hai aur na hi himmat harna. Tum Sirat Marykom Shikhawat ho, itni saari pareshaniyon ka saamna kiya hai tumne, ye aag tumhara kuchh nahi bigad sakti.

Sirat (panting)- Main kaun hoon, ke karti hoon, is baat se aag ko kaun sa farak padta hai, Kartik. Ye to mhare ko bhi vaise hi jalayegi jaise kisi aur ko.

Kartik (honks at the car ahead)- Par jalne nahi de sakti tum, Sirat. Tumhare aas paas koi rumal ya towel hai? (dictates her to wet it and keep it over her nose and mouth) Ab isi se saans lo aur bas hosh mein rehne ki, zameen ke paas rehne ki koshish karo.

Sirat (breathy, muffled)- Aag badh rahi hai Kartik...

Kartik (taking a turn)- Haan? ...Sirat! Tum wahan ho to, jawab do. Sirat? (he slammed hands at steering wheel) Krishna ji, Sirat ka dhyan rakhna. 

By the time Kartik arrived, Sirat was rescued. Fire was almost extinguished. Yet, she wasn't conscious. The first-aid provided by the fire-fighters explained it was because of inhaling smoke. She was better than some of the more unfortunate people who lost calm and weren't able to call them in time, followed by unconsciousness due to carbon monoxide, and by the time their neighbours noticed and called for them it was too late. Instead, Sirat contacted them and yet by the time they broke inside she was unconscious.

Kartik (holding her hand in ambulance)- Hosh mein aa jao, Sirat. Please! Last time is jagah par Amma thi, usse pehle Ranveer. Aur donon ke liye hi kuchh nahi kar paya tha main, tumhein bhi aise nahi kho sakta. Tum chali gayi to... Please, hosh mein aa jao.

Sitting in a chair at the hospital corridor, he called back at office.

Manish (miffed)- Meeting khatam ho gayi, tum to beech mein chhodkar chale gaye vo to hum log maujood the vahan-

Kartik- Papa main hospital mein hoon.

Manish (frowns, glances at Akhilesh)- Hospital mein... Aisa kya ho gaya? Beta tum to thik ho na? Hum aaye vahan?

Kartik (sighs)- Main thik hoon, mujhe kucch nahi hua. Meeting ke dauran Sirat ka call aaya tha, us ghar mein aag lag gayi thi. Fire fighters time par pahunch to gaye the par usne smoke kuchh zyada inhale kar li thi... Abhi hosh nahi aaya use.

Manish (hums)- Thik hai, abhi tum uske paas ruk jao. Aur jaise hi usko hosh aata hai humein bhi inform kar dena. Ye vaise bhi aaj ki last meeting thi, hum log bhi ghar ke liye hi nikal rahe the.

Just as he disconnected the call, a doctor came out making Kartik stand.

Doctor- Unhein first-aid time par mil gaya tha to khatra vaise hi kam tha, lekin unhein abhi tak hosh nahi aaya hai aur otherwise bhi hum unhein overnight admit rakhenge taki unki health monitor ki jaa sake.

Kartik (gesturing at the room behind)- Kya mein usse mil sakta hoon?

Doctor- Sure, par dhyan rakhein unhein aaram karne den.