Page 149 - FATE & DESTINY

FATE & DESTINY

Choki scurried after me to the car. The fifteen-minute drive from Babesa to JDWNRH seemed to take ages. I
sped up, not stopping even at zebra-crossings. Only the horror gripped me.
At the hospital, I parked the car behind the old OPD building. “Lock the door, Ama!” I rushed upstairs, two
steps at a time.
Silence prevailed in the ward. From the door, I peeped into Dad’s room. They had put the screen around his bed.
Karma’s head could be seen above the screen. My legs trembled. I traipsed closer and peeped over the screen. There
lay my poor Dad in the bed, still and peaceful. No bulging eyes and no grimacing face. He seemed only to be
sleeping like he did at home.
Everything around was surreal. I couldn’t cry. I looked around nervously and muttered, “I can’t believe any of
this is real, am I dreaming?”
Karma leaned his head on my shoulder and sobbed. “He left us, Acho!”
It happened so fast. I knelt on the foot of the bed and lifted Dad’s legs onto my head, and burst out crying.
“Dad, I am sorry. I am very sorry for lying to you. Forgive me, please!”
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