by Divya Singh
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I just rushed out anguished. The severity of the risk of extinction of the human race was now completely unveiled across my eyes and it was devastating. I had seen the last level and did not wish to frequent it over again, not at least for now. As I was treading back to my room, I remembered about Despondra. My eyebrows got raised up in nervousness and I could not stop my feet that rushed themselves towards her emergency room. As I headed towards that room, I found nobody around, but heavy steps from behind made me turn back to take a look at who it was. It was ZA-vi-
ZA-vi: “Hello madam! Despondra has been shifted to a private ward and is out of danger now. Here! Follow me!”
We returned to the corridor before Despondra’s office and turned right towards the second room. There lay Despondra. But I was surprised to find that she seemed a little bit blue as if she had borrowed a little of my own hue. The door was closed and our conversations could not be heard by people in the room. ZA-vi smiled and looked at me; he obviously had read my thought.
ZA-vi: “She had lost more than half of her blood and was transfused with the same blue blood substitute, as yours.” I had smiled back then, sorry but it was a little amusing!
Suddenly, the door opened and two male doctors who did not care to look at us, ‘Visitors’ walked out of the ward. This was our time to go in and see her. We stepped in almost instantly.
She was pinned to the patient’s bed like I was some time before. She was conscious and in her senses, but still weakness spoke for her body as she turned her face to look at us. She gasped, to find us in her sight’s range. The woman who had debased and degraded my very existence was nothing like her own original self today.
The element of surprise in her eyes gave way to a guilt, like pain, soon enough. She was finding it difficult to look into my eyes as she knew that this was her turn to be in the Blues. Anticipating her incapacity to start a conversation I decided to lead it my way.
I said: “Hey Doctor! How are you feeling now? It was really hard to imagine you this way!” Soon enough my words froze, as I knew how important was it for me to have her recover back to normal. I was weak, filled with guilt, fear, and confusion; so I had to control my tongue from playing a role more widespread than it should.
The sight of the blue version of Despondra was not as amusing as relieving was her being alive and safe.
After a moment of calm at both the ends, dampened with guilt and shame, the feeble voice of Despondra rose. It was an exact contrast of what it was like earlier, which was identical to the fangs of a poison-spitting serpent, which gave rise to the civil war between us-
Despondra: “I am sorry Danielle, for having spewed hatred towards you. Can I ask for forgiveness? Can I beg you for pardoning me? I swear to the Lord that I will never hate you like that or people like you. I no longer hold on to any of the views I shared with you that day. Please forgive me!”
I said: “No doctor! I don’t have bitterness towards you. I have forgiven you. But I wish that you don’t hold hatred towards any kind of human life. I think being a doctor, no; doctor of all the doctors here, deprives you of having any such right to hatred towards mankind.”
Despondra: “I absolutely realize how wrong I have been. Mark my words; you will never see me like that again, ever. It is a promise to my Almighty with you as a witness.”
I was relieved: “That will be really good! Although yet have to be seen, still your medical credentials are a reflection of how great a doctor you are! With a good heart which sees all human lives equally and a doctor who treats all and sundry, equitably I can’t fathom what the limits are!”
After a moment’s silence sealed with her now pleasant smile, she chuckled-
Despondra: “I am a little blue and you are a little red now. We are pretty alike! Thanks to the blood donor you presumably met.”
It was hard for me to return a smile at my turn but I managed, somehow-
I said: “Yeah! I am actually very grateful to her. May she have an absolute fulfilling life.” I tried to look deep into her green eyes, with the guilt of having harmed her to death. The little hue of red I wore on my skin now was brutally snatched away from her, by me.
It made her a little blue, and our complexions were approaching towards an identical tone. As I looked into her eyes and she looked back into mine, I had begun to sense a slight bond between us two women, which could in future promise to expand into more, a friendship, a sisterhood or something the present would not reveal.
The eyes had held a glare of repentance, like a hailstorm which had the potential to batter and flush the guilt away. In revenge I confess that I had indeed gone, a few miles far away, been berserk and uncontrollable, but it did hit the aim it was intended to, without having to tag myself as a murderer and making Despondra realize the significance of a human life, be it of any kind.
It was akin to walking on the edge of a sharp sword, but still managing to avoid slipping. It was about time to end my day with a sigh of relief, with the pleasant knowledge of Despondra being safe. I decided to make a move and bid farewell to her and shatter the still comfortable silence.
I said: “Okay doctor! You must have some rest now and I must be returning to my cabin. I will keep paying visits to you often, that is a promise. Bye for now, until next time!” I jumped out of the chair.
Despondra: “Bye!” with a little befriending pure smile and soon the day was over for me.
Chapter 21: A brunch with Devon; Love You Are Not Welcome
