Socially challenged

Chapter 5 ( Final chapter )

Maira - I am ready with the coffee uncle , I don't want to interrupt , I just want to listen , please continue .
Aarav -  before reaching to the conclusion let me talk about the positives , Delhi never looked more beautiful after lockdown , the roads were clean , the trees were looking so beautiful , every leaf falling down from tree was like blessing from unseen world  , the air quality index was so good that one day , when three of us came out of the home , we got suffocated by the good air because in Delhi,  habit of living in a bad air was automatically generated within us , we could not bare a good air for a second , so we came inside our room .Everything was going fine , nature was healing our pain but how can politicians like my father and his friend let go everything normal . When everything was going normal , The most important event in the middle of pandemic was going to happen . The election , yes you heard right , election . Exams of lakhs of students were cancelled but election was about to happen , the election was more important than the careers of students , just when the cases started decreasing the rallies for election started happening , and guess what ? Illiterate people including bhavya's father started attending their rallies . Corona started laughing after seeing their confidence and arrogance , he started gaining back his lost confidence , this time corona was bigger and better than his previous version . India was about to enter the endgame. After elections,Everything happend according to the expectations . People started dying like mosquitos , but this time the difference was that  , yug was not having any motivations to treat anyone or go to the hospital, because last time when  he treated people they threw stone at him , politician put him in jail when he fought for Justice , people bashed him on social media for the things he did not do. In wave two I did not had any expectations from my dad as last time when I asked help from him for Dheeraj and his family , he was busy in spreading hate among people , instead he threw me and fahad out of the his home when I pointed finger on him. He threw out his own son in the pandemic and foolish people believe that politician really care for the country . This time the difference was , fahad was not protesting with Muslims , he realised that taking revenge of his parents death was not wise decision instead he thought it was foolish because in every religion there are monsters who kill innocent people of other religion , for revenge or for fun . We were tired , upset and depressed with our surroundings, so we decided to relax in the second wave of corona . we used to swing our heads together while listening to the tunes of Bella chao inside the room , it was fun .people were dying outside because of pandemic , politicians and protests but we were very relaxed , one day we decided to go for a walk and enjoy the environment . we three took a bath , wore a new shirt and jeans , combed our hair and  wearing our earphones in a cool way we went out for a walk . The volume was full ,we could not hear anything apart from Bella chao . We were enjoying every moment . After walking 2 km , we saw something and stopped , we reduced the volume , we saw people were begging for help , they were hopelessly shouting " we need ambulance " even looking at us they screamed for help , we three together shown them a middle finger  . After walking one more km we saw , 15 people died on road outside hospital , nurses were running here and there in rush , we stopped one nurse and gave her five star and said " eat five star and do nothing , enjoy , the situation is out of control , now it's very late , why to cry on spilled milk " That nurse did not support yug  when Dharmendra Singh took out Dheeraj's daughter's ventilator and oxygen cylinder instead she helped him . Yug said to her " just don't cry , leave this nonsense work of helping people , just go and vote him as he is contesting election " . Nurse did not reply anything . After 2 more kilometres, we saw farmers protesting , we showed them middle finger and then we stopped , we were waiting for someone to come and beat us , but they were so tired by protesting that no one stood . Otherwise they would have killed us . After Few km we saw students were protesting to cancel the exam . Looking at them we said " we wish exam happen and you all fail " . Yes here they abused us , we were really enjoying these moments. After 400 meters , we saw Muslims were still protesting , we showed middle finger to them also , fahad gave them double middle finger. Looking at the Fahad said " guys like you all , many Muslims are suffering , because of you,  I am not with my Muslim parents and neither with my Hindu  parents " , expectedly they knocked our face , blood started  coming out from our nose but we did not stop there , our trip was still not over . we walked and walked , after few meters we saw ruling party who believed in Hinduism were chanting something , we showed them middle fingers too , again as expected they slapped us tightly . Only one thing was common , the thrashing we got was only from people who believed only in their religion , rest were not violent . We could not visit goa but We enjoyed this memorable short trip . We were just smiling but sometimes the prettiest smiles hide the deepest secrets and the kindest hearts have felt the most pain , we three were actually very hurt from inside . No one supported yug when he was in jail , not even public , public even started pelting stones at him whenever he was not able to save their known ones , they even believed he motivated his Muslim friend for protest . Yug was just fighting for mismanagement and cruelty of countries leader that lead Dheeraj's family to death . My pain was different from yug , at least his family motivated him on phone but my father threw me out of the house for his political reasons , is Hindu Muslim topic is  more important your own son ? Fahad was also in the state shock that how his parents died and how again he was homeless when my father threw him out  . We were shattered and broken from inside . When we came back to our senses , we realised we did some thing wrong while walking , we realised that we should not have shown anyone of them a middle finger  as everyone was battling against some problem  , but we were just not too brave to say sorry , instead of saying sorry we ordered 1600 food with our savings and started distributing to the farmers , students , nurses , Muslims and Hindu and do you know what , they all accepted because we wrote on our T-shirt . " we are not from any religion we are just normal human so please accept it " we felt better after doing that . when we were returning back to our colony , we saw bhavya's father was very serious and was sitting on road , bhavya's mother could not lift the oxygen cylinder alone. We helped her to lift the cylinder , yug went immediately into bhavya's house to install the oxygen cylinder for her father . I , fahad and bhavya's mom were standing beside his bed ,  I said to yug " because of bhavya you did not let me slap him , if you have let me slap this uncle earlier than he would not have gone to the rally " , we three started laughing  , then we saw Aunty's face and stopped laughing , but fahad could not resist his laugh , he continued laughing . I asked him " what happen why you can't stop laughing ? ", he was laughing continuously and while laughing he told that he could not smell his own socks and then there was real silence . Uncle farted in pain and then yug said " I can't smell either " . Aunty was standing still , but I almost fainted by the smell of his fart and that meant only I was ok and negative among four of us . We got tested and I was not positive but fahad , yug and aunty were. Bhavya recovered that day and was released by the hospital . When she reached home she saw yug treating her father. She took this scene very emotionally , she was about to hug yug , I tried to stop her by telling that he could not smell anything , he is positive , but she got so emotional that she could not resist herself , she hugged yug and started crying on his shoulder , she asked for forgiveness , she was in guilt that she did not supported yug when he was alone . Yug kissed her on her forehead and tried to stop her tears . We stayed there with bhavya , unfortunately After few minutes bhavyas father lost the battle with his life , he died . No other relationship in the world is more special than father and daughter , she cried for hours on his shoulder , we did not even try to stop her tears , because we knew that a princess just lost her king . Bhavya started realising that no other person in the world is left , who could love her like her father  . We arranged private funeral for her father , after funeral , we left bhavya alone for sometimes , she was sitting in her room , she was thinking that if she would have done some real journalism by standing against government's plan of making luxurious Parliament House of worth 13000 crores instead of making hospitals in such a pandemic where thousands of people were dying because of shortage of beds , hospitals , oxygen and ventilators then her father would not have died like the way he died , she was always with the government , she was in guilt , the fire was burning inside bhavya , she wanted to show politicians the power of true journalism instead of sold journalism . After wiping her tears and washing her face ,  she came to our room with her Mic and camera , she again started crying and apologised to each one us for her previous mistake , she said " now I will show them what real journalism is and what journalist can do just stand with me ". We hugged her and promised her that no matter what we will stand with you .suddenly someone knocked the door , I opened the door and I was shocked like hell . She was Aaradhya my sister , she was in a bride get up   wearing lehnga , sindoor. she was null , she was not speaking anything , blood was coming out of her nose and head, her hair was scattered . Fahad Ran towards her,  took her inside and started asking her what happened but she did not say anything . We tried this for 30 minutes but she did not speak a single word , it was so frustrating that we forgot about who was tested  positive , who was tested negative , the situation was certainly scary for all five of us . Bhavya lost her father , yug and fahad tested positive , my sister aradhya not speaking anything . Fahad and bhavya immediately went out to take medicine from the store , I asked yug to bring water , yug did not gave any response , I asked again , he again did not reply , when I looked back at him , he was lying on the sofa , when I touched him I felt that the fever was very high , he was not able to speak , his body was burning . I immediately brought the thermometer from other room and  measured  the temperature and it was 102 degree farheinite   which was very high . Bhavya and fahad returned back . They gave medicine to aradhya and yug . After 20 minutes Aradhya started getting panic attack but this time she started murmuring "Please save him , they will kill him " , I asked " whom ? " she again said " they will kill him, please save him I will take you there " , I said "
Ok take me there , I will save him , " , Fahad said " don't go alone Aarav I will also come with you , I think it's not safe to go alone . " we told bhavya to stay with yug as he was also suffering from high fever  . Aradhya took us to the location and there we saw dead body of a man hung on tree , aradhya was shocked to see him . She completely broke down . She was screaming with tears . I hugged her and told her to stop crying and asked her who was he and what happened? .  she started telling the story , she said " he was my husband , we both studied in Uk , we fell in love together and then we got married after graduation , His name was Nawaz , he was a Muslim , we were so happy together , I decided not to tell our father anything about him as he would never accept this relationship , we both decided to marry each other in Hindu rituals . We stayed happily one year , but inside I was dying to tell our parents about Nawaz. So we decided to come to India . In order to impress papa I came in Hindu bride get up . To show how secular Nawaz is and how secularly we live together , to show we both respect each other's religion , So that he could accept him , we were very happy and nervous , we booked a flight to Delhi as we knew that my father is in Delhi , I called father at Delhi airport , and when we came out From Delhi airport , we saw politician baba came to receive us , papa did not came himself because someone from london called him and told everything about us , he sent baba politician who was completely against inter religion marriage . When we reached half way , they took Nawaz out of the car they started cutting him with knife , they even tried to kill me but I ran from there and came to you " Fahad frustratingly said " how , long ? , how long this killings will continue , how long innocents will suffer from the mistakes which is done by the terrorists , first Muslim will kill you then Hindu will kill you then again Muslim will kill you then again Hindu will kill you . But the fact is , no one could even touch the terrorists of both the religions, only innocents are killed . " It was raining heavily , fahad was already having high fever due to corona and his clothes were also wet due to rain which was not good for him . Aradhya told me take care of fahad and told me to drop her to airport as she wanted to go Gujarat to her mom , we dropped her by car . On the next seat fahad was feeling very uneasy , he started whispering in my ear  " take me to the hospital , I can't breathe properly , I took him to the nearest hospital and to my surprise there was a bed . He got admitted there , I was waiting for the doctor to come , I was sitting there with fahad  . Fahad told me to leave as he was contracted , I replied him " now it would have done it's work , I am roaming with you from 2 hours so don't worry , and if I survived after smelling your socks most probably I will not die by this small virus . We both started laughing badly in such a tensed situation and that's what best friends do  , other patient started looking at us , then fahad got little bit emotional he said " from childhood you always treated me like your brother, I lost my parents but you never let me miss them , I did not get my family's love but you always treated me as your family , just save me you bloody hero . We will party like animals in Goa , now just go doctor has came and look after Yug and come fast I am waiting for you " . when ever I get emotional I just start looking here and there , I could not speak  , I just told him " yes I coming with yug wait for us " On the other hand bhavya was with yug . This was the first time when yug and bhavya were spending time alone at home. Bhavya called me and said "  yug is alone , be with him , my mom needs me , she is also not feeling good " and saying this  she left . When I reached There I saw yug's face started getting pink due to very high fever and pain in the body , he was lying on the sofa . I told him to take him to the hospital but he denied . He said " conditions of hospitals are very bad , I am comfortable here , what about fahad ? " . I said " he is admitted in the hospital near airport " . I was looking after yug , I took revenge from yug by giving him kadha and apple to eat , I made a food for him but he did not eat because his fever was getting higher and higher , he told me to open the television to distract his mind but When I opened the news channel , my father was still giving  hatred speech, instead of talking about common people problems . I threw brick on the tv switched it off .Yug was not able to speak because his chest started paining , his hand was on his chest , I started searching the oximeter to measure his oxygen , I was not able to find it and then yug said  " while I was getting intimate with Bhavya on the sofa ,  it might have fell under the sofa " , I looked at him but again started searching for oximeter because I did not have time to abuse or tease him , he was very brave , even in such a high fever he got intimate with bhavya , even bhavya did not stop him after knowing he was covid positive , now that's called true love kiddos , I found oximeter and yes it was under the sofa . I Measured and  it was very low , which was not a good sign , yug said " my dear Aarav , we could not even do one trip together . " I said " we will do , don't worry , you just need to be calm and you will mange to save yourself . "  he said " I want to eat biryani of my mother's hand " , I said " don't speak too much , you will get everything you want , don't think too much " he said " when my mother called me and asked me to come home  . I should have gone there , please save me Aarav . I could not die like this and you have to save me , I don't want to become next Dheeraj , I want to die on my mother's lap and not in this sofa " I slapped  him and shut his mouth . It was hell of a day , my sisters husband got killed , my sister was suffering from anxiety attacks and no one was there for her  , fahad was admitted in hospital , yug's oxygen was drastically getting low and I was not in a condition to take help from my father or anyone else , I was all alone , but I was hopeful . I told yug " trust your friend , I will manage to bring a oxygen cylinder for you , just don't panic " saying this I left the room in search of oxygen cylinder. Emotions were high while riding a car to hospital , I went to nearby hospital ,  I saw many patients were on stretcher and hospital was not taking them inside , Seeing this I left from there , I got a call from nurses of the hospital where fahad was admitted , nurse said " he is very critical as his oxygen level is decreasing and we don't have so you have to arrange from any other hospital , he don't have much time ". I started panicking , I drove very fast but traffic was there  as bridge was still not constructed on time as promised by the government before election , I drove to another hospital but there also I did not get any oxygen cylinder , I got a call from yug , he said " when I will die , then you will bring ? " from inside I was scared but angrily I replied " don't you have trust on your friend ? Have some patience , and don't call again let me drive " I kept the phone . first time In my life I felt that I should have been a politician like Dharmendra and my father , after all I was the son of a politician , the thought came into my mind that I should steal oxygen cylinder from other patients but few days ago , yug was fighting for justice against same thing , I left from there . I went to atleast 15 hospitals but did not get any oxygen cylinder , now I was hopeless , scared and very sad . I was dying from inside . I was tiredly sitting inside the hospital , wiping  my tears as both of my best friends condition was so critical , they helped me so much when I was serious and when they needed my help they were  not getting it . I could not control my tears .From 1 hour one old man who was about  80 year old saw me , he called me and asked "what happened son , why are you so hopeless and sad ? , I replied " uncle my friends are dying , I need oxygen cylinders for my friends and I am not getting it from 2 hours " he told " take mine I lost my both son , wife and my granddaughter , I don't want to live any more,  I lived my life completely and I don't need anymore ". Yes I must say humanity was still alive  but I said " uncle I can't take your " , he replied and said " I am willingly giving you my son , really I don't want to live anymore you take it ", he called nurse and told her  to give his oxygen cylinder to me , I started crying while hugging him . Looking at Cylinder I was very emotional but at the same time I was happy . I would have refused Kohinoor for that oxygen cylinder . Mission was to arrange another cylinder as I needed two . Then I got a call from nurse , she said " if you will not bring cylinder within 45 minutes your friend fahad might die " just after second I got a call from yug and he said " I started getting the feeling that biryani I ate in 2019 of my mother's hand was the last biryani I ate , because my oxygen level has come to 20 , my hero , do some miracle and save me , I beg you, " . he was literally begging and while begging he was crying  , he was begging for his life . what's more painful thing for a friend . I did not have time to arrange another cylinder . I was scratching my head  , I just needed one more cylinder  , I did not wanted to save one of them , I wanted to save both but at that moment practically , I could save only one of my friend ,I had to make a choice quickly , so I did a thing which I never wanted to do , keeping my ego aside I called my father , no matter what but father's always help their children , it doesn't matter how much angry they are , so immediately I called my father , I asked him to arrange one oxygen cylinder urgently  , literally I begged him for one , he replied " you have gone against your father , for your friend and you are crying infront of me ? Don't call me again , " , we then he switched off his phone. I forgot that more than a father he was a politician , I was completely broken , I just did not have time to cry . On the other hand yug called his mother ,  he was talking to his mother and was telling her that he should have come , that his last wish is to die on her lap and on other hand fahad was battling for his life , he did not have any family to talk  , I was confused and depressingly sad , I started getting the scary feeling that I can save only one of them , I was about to make a hardest choice of My life , I had to make a hardest choice of my life quickly ,I was scratching my head and  was thinking yug or Fahad , yug or Fahad  , yug or fahad where should I take this cylinder . After 2 minutes I took a decision . The hardest decision of my life , the decision that changed this country forever , the decision which affected millions of people in the future . I sat in the car , put cylinder inside , started my car , taking the of with tears in my eyes , I drove towards airport to save Fahad , yes Fahad , and not yug keeping many things in mind I took this decision . I reached the hospital in 25 minutes exact , gave cylinder to nurse and made sure oxygen is given to him and then  left hospital  for yug , , I never drove the car so fast in my entire life as Fast as I drove from airport to my room .I reached home , went out of the car , rushed towards the drawing room , when I opened the door I saw tears were in the eyes of yug , drop of tears were on the floor , some call was going on an iPad , I heard his mother was screaming , she was trying to wake her son but  yug was dead , my yug was dead , my closest friend who supported me in my worst time was dead , my closest friend lost the battle , my closest friend was very brave , he fought till the end but died too soon , my friend died because of me . I was gone mad . I was just running here and there ,  I could not see that image of yug opening a wide eye with tears in his eyes lying on a sofa . I slapped him as he used to slap me , I shouted at him but then also he was not opening his eyes . I was searching Fahad's socks so that he could smell it and wake up as he only said ,dead can also wake up after smelling his socks . He was holding a paper in his hand , he wrote " whole life my mother made me feel like I was his prince but I couldn't even give her a saree , I will regret this all my life, my life gone in vain ......... " reading this , I bursted out into the tears. I was not a same person anymore .