Chapter 2|Accident

'Wait ma sa, can you handover your phone to Nandini. She isn't picking up my calls...',she was perturbed by his question. A cold bead trailed down the arch of her neck. What will she say now? A new wave of terror started creeping inside her heart paralyzing her every muscle...

'She...she's gone to her friend Riddhi's house', she bit her tongue, barely able to lie. 'Where is her phone then?!', his voice turned cold as a freezer as if sensing something to be off.

'There a...are wedding preparations going on in her hou..house so she might be assisting them. She's not your babysister anymore, stop c..'

'She's adult but not for me. She's still my babysister and she's answerable to me for everything!!', his steel voice boomed resounding in her quitetude chamber. She could hear her own pulse beating wildly in her ear, her erratic heart felt as if it would leap into the pit of her stomach. His icy voice sent jolts of shivers down her spine, how many and how much lie she'll have to utter to get away with one truth..?

Next morning...

Daksh adjusted his foot on the gas pedal, tightly gripping the steering as his hooded gaze was anchored on the man holding a checkered flag in his hand standing on the track, the adrenaline pumping elevating his heart rhythm as he was doing the burn out, his tires emitting a dense smoke shielding the view of the racing track.

He lined his car with the adjacent cars on the starting line, excitement and thrill of the uncertainity of time of flag being waved is what enlivens his mood, electrifying every fibre of his body. Getting the signal, he pushed his foot on the gas pedal as he sped off fiercely, mercilessly spearing through the blanket of air as dust particles danced in it's lap, the burn out tires providing the friction to keep the tire on the pavement.

The crowd broke in whistle, howling and hooting as the hubbub gets gradually diminished in the cacophony of the screeching tires. The pressure of overtaking the front Porsche and McLaren made him increase the speed enormously, his tires dragged against the gravel bed making sparks fly off the rubber, he noticed the curb and tried to drift his car but...

His car flew off the tire barrier, turning over multiple times due to the high speed..

Daksh's body was fastened with the seatbelt preventing his ribs from getting severe injuries however he went unconscious from the bashing of his head against the steering, notwithstanding the fact that it was covered in helmet.

His drooping head rested against the steering wheel, blood trickling down the hair soaking his white Armaani in red stains...dense fumes erupted from the wrecked car lowering the visibility to peep inside the tinted glass.

Ambulance rushed, rescue personnel dragged his body out of the demolished front of the vehicle. His limped body quickly transferred over a strecher and rushed towards the city hospital, siren blaring in the traffic rush as it tore between the automobiles. He has lost a lot of blood...developing a high chance of him slipping in coma.

The heart rate that was shooting all time high under the enigmatic rush of flight and fight hormone has temporarily swept into a state of bradycardia. His pulse was dropping at an enormous speed making the paramedical staff alarmed about the potential of him going under the state cardiac arrest after the severe haemorrhage. 'Keep the ER ready! We have an urgency!!', the paramedic said over the phone with someone, cold sweat forming on his forehead since he recognised the man who is one of the major share holders of his hospital where he's employed.

On reaching near the hospital premises, he was instantly rushed inside the ER with a group of doctors and nurses swarming around his immobile body..'He's suffering Asphyxia!!', one of the doctor's stressed pushing the cotton pad on his injured head as he was pushed inside the ER ward.

...

'Ma(mum), it's okay! I'll arrange the fee anyhow..don't stress yourself!!', Saanvi tried to console her mother who kept sobbing over the phone. Her mother has a history of heart attack, taking so much of load isn't good for her health. 'Ma..calm down! I said I'll arrange it, don't cry for such tiny problems..', she cooed softly.

'How will you arrange? Again borrow it from your friends? Have you ever thought how you're gonna lend it off', she yelled in sheer frustration. 'If I won't be able to pay back, you could do it...afterall I can proudly say that my mother works to educate me and she ain't unemployed!!', Saanvi tried to banter up to lessen her anxiousness but her words sealed her mouth shut. She still hasn't narrated the whole incident to her daughter, it'll negatively affect her studies..!

'Ma..is everything good there, why are you sounding so tensed? Is something bugging you up?', Saanvi's voice turned edgy sensing the eerie silence on the opposite end. Her mother never took so much pressure so why is just a small fee agitating her nerves?

'Y..yeah I'm fine. No need to worry about us, just focus on your final mid terms', her mother's voice strained and the line disconnected. She isn't stupid to believe that everything is alright, her sixth sense alarming her but she's right. Whatever the issue is, her exams are at hand and the urgency is to study. She doesn't want her parents to continue working under someone, be it king or queen!! Royalty status for the riches, she secretly at some extent despised it..

She was treading on the gritty gravel foot lane returning back from the tiresome day in her College where she studies medicine.

The gleam of the orange hue casted over the river bed, sparkling the clear waters as the dusk fell in all it's glory,

Etheral and pious just like the admirer of it. She strolled in the local market looking for some groceries and bird food as she has recently pet a sparrow that she discovered wounded near the pavement in a moribund state.

Picking up all the essentials from the market, she arrived at her hostel in late evening around 6. She stepped towards her room when a girl came crashing towards her, 'Sav!!! Leave these things.. come here!!', her screech felt like countless pins spiked her ear hole.

'Ah..!', she couldn't keep her feet when the girl started propelling her unwilling body to an adjacent room.

'See this!!', she screamed in glee showcasing her few selfies that she clicked with a patient. 'What's so special?', came her inaudible whisper.

'The patient!!', she squealed zooming the picture..

First of all what's with this shrill irritating scream of hers?! Second that she just bobbed her head internally wanting to fly to her room because the face of the patient was covered in bandages, don't understand what was she trying to show that I haven't seen? Even if the patient is relative or VIP, his face ain't conspicuous enough to identify or rectify his identity clearly!!

'Divya, are you thrilled so much because it's your first week of posting in Emergency service and you encountered some celebrity?', she questioned sighing noticing her senior's face electrified in sheer exhilaration...as she was busy gaping at the pictures somewhat consuming her precious time.

'No dumbo, he's a prince of some kingdom in Rajasthan!! I can't believe he's admitted in my hospital!!!', Saanvi shook her head seeing her friend loosing some of her leftover sensible nerves over a mere picture. What would be her reaction if the prince asked her on a date? She giggled internally seeing her friend day dreaming, her face visibly gleaming in radiance..

'Divya..Divya...Divya!!!', she shook her shoulders harshly pulling her out of her reverie. 'Hmm?'

'I'm going back in my room. I have to study for my mid terms', she silently slipped away from the scene, trudging with her heavy and weary steps..It was yet another tiresome day in her life.

Inhaling the familiar faint whip of roses and cinnamon that struck her olfactory receptors the moment she stepped inside her temporary haven, her knotted senses loosened as she felt the soothening euphoria hit her like an ebbing tide. She loves her space. It oozes out strong aesthetic vibes, too cozy, warm and surreal.

Plodding her worn out and drained self on the bed, she unlocked her phone with a click. A message notification poppep on her screen, Your application has been accepted. You can join from tommorow onwards, 5:00 pm.

Words couldn't fathom how her face lit up in zillion candles. Finally she can work beside studying and being burden on her parents anymore. A tranquility masked her countenance instead of running like a frenzy in excitement, a calmness that sucked out her inner turmoil.

She warmed some water in her electric mug. Pouring the blistering hot water in a cup, she dipped the tea bag and sat near the window, staring at the dappling charmer proudly gleaming in silver radiance, it's divine and etheral glow more profound amidst the strech of twinkling diamonds who also bow down to the maiden beauty.

A subtle night breeze knocked her awoken senses into the welcoming arms of drowsiness..her eyelids droop, book fell from her lap as she surrendered her consciouness to the spell of slumber...