Emotions Redefined: Chapter 1
This is the first of a 9 part short series.
Fear
1. A strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion caused by actual or perceived danger or threat.
2. A phobia, a sense of fear induced by something or someone.
Aksh turned his mobile silent. He wondered why his mom reacted. He just didn’t make it to his grandma’s place. He had promised his mom, he would, but his IIT coaching sir, announced a test the next day & Aksh was in no mood to give up on his only chance to nail a hit-trick of top marks. He therefore decided to stay back and study. He wasn’t that social anyway. But somehow his mom refrained from understanding that. To avoid any possibility of further calls from his mom or even his grandma, he found a smart way out. After about an hour of studying, he took his usual break. He picked up his phone to ask mom how long she would take, only to find shocking 15 missed calls in last 10 minutes.
“Mel-o-drama here I come”, he said to himself.
Much to his surprise none of those calls were from his mom’s phone. Most of those calls were from his dad and a few from Malhotra uncle and aunty. He called back his dad wondering what might have gone wrong. After a ring or two his dad picked-up.
“Aksh are you fine?”his dad asked with a shaky voice.
“Yeah, why do you ask?”
“He is fine.’’said his dad as if talking to someone else.
“Dad, what’s wrong?”Aksh said.
“He is fine Rudra, he is fine” his dad continued.
“Dad?”Aksh couldn’t understand a thing.
“Calm down Sid. I am pretty sure even she is fine.”Aksh found this voice familiar. It was Malhotra uncle. Only he would address his dad as Sid. Aksh could hear him say “Calm down, let me talk to him. Okay?”
“Aksh listen do not panic. Your mom met with an accident on the way back home. A truck dashed into the car. Now I need you to reach to the hospital near our place since they are taking her there. Complete all the paperwork so that as soon as she makes it to the hospital her treatment can start. We will try to be there as early as possible, but it might take at least 35 minute beta. Please handle the situation there. Soumya (Mrs. Malhotra) will reach in 15 minutes.” Malhotra uncle said in a shaky voice.
Aksh couldn’t believe what he just heard. He could hardly utter a word. Sensing it Malhotra uncle said “I know you are in shock, but it’s time to act son. We will reach soon.” Aksh tried standing up but this news had made all the strength in his body disappear. Still gathering all his strength he picked the keys of his dad’s bike and locked his place.
As soon as Aksh made it to the hospital, he grabbed the hand of the first nurse he could see and said “My mom met with an accident. They are bringing her here. Please make a doctor available.”
“Complete the paperwork. We will take care of the rest.” she said in a plain voice. Aksh completed all the required paperwork. Malhotra aunty noticed him standing near the entrance and came running towards him. Hugging Aksh she started crying. Aksh wanted to join in but he controlled himself.
As defined: ‘Men don’t cry’
He could hear the ambulance siren and both of them turned towards the entrance. The hospital staff hurried towards the ambulance with a stretcher and Aksh could notice his mom. He could notice everything, ‘his mom being laid on stretcher, stretcher being dragged into hospital, Malhotra aunty weeping, Malhotra aunty informing hospital staff about completion of paperwork, a stranger present at accident scene taking to Malhotra aunty saying a truck dashed into the car and the driver died on the spot’, but he didn’t want to believe it. His eyes were fixed on his mom. He could feel his legs were losing strength and he took support of a wall. As soon as the stretcher passed next to him, he saw his mom, lying in a pool of blood. He turned away. Aksh couldn’t face it. The last time he had seen something similar was long back.
‘He was woken by the cries of his mom. Aksh was hardly five then. His mom kept on crying and weeping out of pain. His tiny bed was next to his parent’s bed. He climbed on the bed only to notice stains of blood. Aksh turned away his face. He couldn’t face it. His dad who was bathing, came out running, listening to his mom’s cries. The look on his dad’s face turned black and blue. It was as if he had seen ghosts. His dad knew what might have gone wrong, but he didn’t want to believe. “Aakriti hold on, I will get a taxi” said his dad. He was too young to have understood it then. Later he got to know that his mom was pregnant then and he had lost his would have been sibling and his parents their second child.
He thought he had dodged that terrible feeling well and wouldn’t have to face it again. Hardly did he imagine, that fear would strike back a hundred times stronger…..
Fear
When you don’t want to believe anything happening around and just want to run away.
Read the next chapter here
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