Captive

Chapter-17

Rubab was rushed to the hospital by her classmates. They contacted her family who didn't waste another moment. They reached the hospital in a hurry.

A doctor was inspecting Rubab's brain images. He did an fMRI and noticed a few unusual things. There was something wrong with Rubab.

" Your daughter had any accident before?" the doctor asked Rubab's parents.

Runa and Selim shared an unexplainable look. They thought their daughter had recovered but they did not know the situation had worsened.

" Yes," Selim looked downwards.

The doctor cleared his throat," I need her medical history. Otherwise, I can't treat her."

Selim looked at Runa who shook her head in approval. Selim diverted his eyes at the doctor.

" Three years back she met with a fire accident. In that accident, she fell from a two-storied building and injured her head severely," Selim started narrating.

The doctor nodded his head," Yes, I realized that just looking at her brain images. I want to know the after-effects. What kind of medication she was recommended?"

" Almost for three months, she was admitted to the hospital. She was unconscious the whole time. There were no movements in her except she was breathing. The doctors used to give her nutrients through her nose," Selim continued saying.

Runa sniffled," Sometimes it used to feel as if we are feeding a corpse. My daughter.........." she covered her face with her stole.

" We couldn't afford to keep her in the hospital for a long time so we brought her back in the house. We kept her on medication recommended by the doctors. For the next eight months, she was unconscious until........" Selim paused for a few seconds.

The doctor questioned," Until?"

" Until one day she started moving her limbs. We were surprised and happy at the same time by her sudden response. Just in one week, Rubab gained her senses back," Selim's eyes dilated with sudden happiness.

" But, she forgot us," Runa spoke.

The doctor diverted his eyes at her. Wiping away the tears she raised her eyes at the doctor.

" After gaining consciousness, she could not recognize us. Except for her name and where she lived she could not tell her relationship with us. She forgot a lot of things. A lot of people," Runa continued her narration.

This time Selim interrupted," Except for that we also noticed a lot of behavioural changes in her. She used to be a talkative girl but after this accident, she became timid and less talkative. She also started suffering from severe dementia."

" When we consulted a doctor he told us that she was having neurological problems. He recommended us some medicines and advised us to not pressurize her to remember her past life. He told us that it could lead to permanent damage to her brain. So, we did what we were told. He also assured us that she will remember people once she starts meeting them. The doctor assured us that slowly everything will be alright," Runa finished explaining Rubab's situation. She wiped away a fat drop of tear using the back of her hand.

Selim questioned the doctor," What happened to my daughter, doctor? Will she be ok?"

The doctor opened his mouth to say something when a nurse barged inside," Doctor, the patient........."

" The girl named Rubab.........." the nurse caught her breath holding the doorframe.

Selim and Runa lost all colour from their faces. They stood up hurriedly and rushed outside the doctor's room. The doctor followed them with the nurse.