Trapped....(Part:6)

(.....continued from Part:5)

 I opened my eyes to the sound of the constant beeping of some monitor near my head.

From the smell of medicines....the intra venous lines....the white bed sheets and green curtains, I could make out that I was in a hospital cabin. I was too weak to get up. I didn't even know why was I here, and for how long.....

I turned my head towards my right side. Dad and ma were sitting on the sofa....a dejected defeated look on their faces. Their eyes seemed to have been sleepless for a few nights. A sudden pang of pain hit me hard....

"Ma.....", I called her, weakly.

Startled by my voice, ma and dad looked up, a light of hope adorning their tear washed faces, as if, this was the moment they were waiting for.

"What had happened to me, ma??...where am I??"

My voice brought a fresh gush of tears into her eyes, as if, this was what she was longing to hear.

"You are at Sanjeevni Hospital....", a bright cheerful voice spoke up.

I looked up to find a young lady in her mid thirties standing at the door, smiling radiantly at me. From her white coat and the stethoscope around her neck, I assumed her to be a doctor.

"...and you have been sleeping here for the last five days.",she continued, as she walked in to check out my reports.

Five days???....but why????

I looked at her, visibly confused.

"By the way, I am Dr. Smita Shetty, consultant psychiatrist...", she began, continuing to smile at me.

"Psychiatrist???...but why???...um, doctor...have I really gone mad, like they say??"

"Not at all dear...", she replied, kindness overflowing her voice. "Your mind has been working differently.....perhaps....and, probably you think a lot...we'll work on that together...but you are as much as normal as anyone of us. There is nothing called madness. Its just our minds funtioning differently..playing tricks with our head. And...."

"But then, why am I here???" I interrupted impatiently.

"You had attempted suicide...there were injuries and other health issues too, to take care of, apart from looking after your mental health, that I'll be taking charge of."

Suicide??....me???...what was she even talking about????

"You had tried jumping off a bridge into the river, but you have been saved, all thanks to your mother's maternal instincts, the phone you have left behind at home, and not to mention our medical staff, who had resuscitated you then and there. By the time you were brought here, there wasn't any major risk involved, again, thanks to the timely intervention. Perhaps you don't remember much right now. You have been put under sedatives, and various other medications are having their effects. You might not remember this incident much in future too...but then, its good to forget painful memories, right?? You are going to begin a fresh new life.."

I was too confused to speak. Irrelevant images flooded my head....

Water....water all around me......the current pulling my body....then the feel of my hand being held tight and pulled....dryness...breeze...some distant noises....thumping on my chest... I don't know...I could not remember anything....my mind seemed all muddled up...my head seemed heavy. I looked up at Dr. Shetty helplessly. She was busy speaking to my parents.

".....and don't worry aunty. With these medications things will improve. Ofcourse, there will be multiple therapy sessions over a long time, but I can assure you that Pranav or Aryan won't ever come back. But then......aunty, you and uncle would need to be supportive too, as I have told before."

Ma nodded in agreement.

"Doctor, who is Pranav??..who is Aryan???", I asked in a weak voice.

"Nobody." She smiled. "As of now, you take rest, follow the prescription and be regular in your sessions. I promise to tell you everything on the last day we'll meet. Don't worry, you are totally fine...and you will be."

I nodded sleepily as she turned back to leave.

"Um....by the way...", Dr. Shetty suddenly turned around to look directly into my eyes.

"Yes doctor...."

"Are you still feeling trapped???"

"I don't know.......I....I feel sleepy.."

"Ok....I get that..", she gave out a little smile of victory as she left....

(To be continued....)