The White Light Calling - 12

[iniyamalar]

Part :1

The hospital looked very busy this evening .The disinfectant smelling OP ward was too crowded that they had to practically push among people to get to the ICU.
As soon as she saw the big red letters- ICU screaming on a glass door, Selvi pushed it and ran in sobbing soundly.
Chemba and Oviya were still in ICU. They were not critical or anything but the chief doctor wanted to keep a special eye on them. Paandurangan’s status could also be a reason, Who knows?
Now, let us go ahead of this selvi and her sister and see what had happened to Chemba.


Chemba was pulling off the thin bed sheet that covered her. She was struggling with the IV line.

Meenakshi looked at her blankly. “What are you talking about my dear? You just got alright and.. Why..Where are you going now? You are not well yet and..”

“Have they found Vikki yet?” chemba interjected in the middle.
Meenakshi said a dull “No”

“Then I definitely need to go.”

“Oh. What is she talking athaan (husband)? How can she go? Tell something.” Meenakshi who in general is emotionally strong, was now speaking between sobs. But paandurangan looked surprisingly calm and collected.

“Dad. Can I go?”

“If you wish so, my dear” he said. Their eyes met and she could see the glint of pride in his eyes. She smiled.

“What?“Meenakshi was taken aback.

Mangalam opened her tear brimming red eyes, an inch wider. She cannot let this happen. She came near chemba and stroked her hand lovingly.

“My dear chemba you are awake. We are so happy. “

“Yes Aunty. I am alright” she smiled comfortingly at her beloved aunt.

“Oh sweet heart, I am glad that are you alright. Please stay with us baby. Your poor mother will faint again if you go back.”

“You and I both know that she is not that weak a soul. Don’t worry nothing will happen to me. I am very much alright”

“Alright? You have been talking gibberish just a while ago and you say you are alright?”

“what?”

“Oh..such nonsense you spoke for quite some time.”

“Nonsense?”

“Yeah..you called out some boopathy and then some mani. It was bits and pieces. You would suddenly say something and then fall asleep or faint I don’t know. You talked about Rani mangammal and some…prince. The hell, You even thanked Ravana. God knows how terrified we all were.” Her body shivered a little, remembering those moments.
Chemba looked at her and then her mother.

Now she understood why this mommy is looking so worried sick. Meenakshi stood beside chemba stroking her cheeks and pushing back those tiny hair strands that fell on her cheeks. She looked so weak now.

Chemba threw a glance at her father. He was looking at her and smiling. He knew it. He must have understood from the names. Her body tingled with goose bumps.

‘Nonsense? Were they really nonsense. Was I really hallucinating as madhan had suspected. Could this all be the reflections of those very minute memories in the back of my mind? Could they be the fragments of my wildest imaginations triggered by what mom told about dad and his fears? Could they be the reminiscence of my weird dreams? Those dreams…where they even real?’ Her mind was racing with various thoughts. But yet one part of her brain kept telling her to get out of this place and get back to him.

He needs me.. She thought. He needs me this time and she needs to get her cousin back at all cost.

He had promised her to get him back. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She decided to keep her mouth shut about this and looked about her. She saw her aunt looking at her with sad eyes. Tears started to roll down on her aunt’s face and her huge body shook in silent sobs.

“Oh..Aunty. Please don’t cry. I will go and get him back.”

“Oh no” Mangalam looked up shocked “please we don’t want to lose you too” she started crying.

“No..Don’t speak like that. Nothing would have happened to him.” her throat hurt now.

‘Oh..vikki..I will not let you down da anna(brother) and I will not let him down too. Not this time’ she thought.
Everyone knew that she was closer to her cousin than her own blood brother who is somewhere in Germany with his newlywed wife.

“Have they sent anyone out there on search yet?” She asked again.

“No. it was raining cats and dogs until a few minutes ago. They will probably start the search now. I don’t know what arrangements mama(sister's husband) had done. I hope to god that they bring back my son” mangalam looked at Paandurangan when she said that and he had his unwavering eyes at her lovely daughter.

“Don’t worry aunty. I will see to it.”

She tried to get up but the IV tube pulled at her.

“Sister..” she bellowed from the bed.

“Yes” the other duty nurse who was waiting outside came running in. “Doctor is coming please wait” she said.

“Oh let him take his own time, but you please remove this thing.”

“We need to give more glu..”

“Is this just saline or you are trying to sedate me with is?” Chemba cut her in middle.

“Right now? Just saline” she shrugged.

“Then please remove it. I am not dehydrating. I have a lot to do.”

“I am sorry. I cannot be a judge of that. The doctor will come in a moment and then, You can ask him ok?”She smiled and walked out slowly.

Meenakshi tried to cajole her daughter out of her plan but in vain. Manickam was talking with paandurangan about the rescue plans.

Chemba was restless. She had to move fast. She was squirming in her seat when the doctor arrived.

“Oh.thank god. Doctor look! I am alright. I need to go out. Can I go? Please?”

The doctor looked at her patiently before answering “Of course you can. No issues. Just be careful OK?”

“That’s it??” Meenakshi looked aghast.

Chemba marched out to see Oviya and Smitha who were in the next room.
Oviya was alright. So was smitha. She was too exhausted that she had fallen asleep in the nearby chair. When Chemba walked in, smitha woke up with a start. She saw Chemba and jumped up and ran to her.


“Oh chemba. You are all right.” She kissed her friend with tearful eyes and cried. Chemba smiled at her and hugged her tight.

“Yes dear I am alright. I am so sorry for dragging you all into this mess.”

“Oh. Nonsense. I will be happy to be with you and this chattering idiot even if it was hell.”

“Smitha..”she hugged her again.

“How is Oviya?”

“ She is just sleeping. They did so many tests and gave so many medicines. She is alright” she smiled.

“Do you know something Chemba? Madhan was right. It was the water. That’s what caused, you and Oviya to hallucinate.” Chemba looked at her sharply and then smiled.

“How long have been like this?”she asked Smitha suddenly.