Rewrite the Stars

21 | t w e n t y - o n e

As Sahasra attempted to close the door of the airplane, a grenade was thrown in her way and she blacked out.

Desh ye sikhata hai, himmatein badhata hai,
Thhokar se gir ke na tu rukna bewajah.

She somehow kept on breathing until she noticed an Indian plane coming towards her.

Inder came as backup after a while, but he was on time to rescue Sahasra. Unfortunately, the casualty was already dead when he arrived.

The terrorist who threw a grenade at Sahasra was shot by Inder as he saw him approaching the plane. As he flew towards the Indian base, he looked at Sahasra sadly — she had burns all over her body.

He wasn't a doctor but he was an experienced pilot. He saw that she was breathing but it was shallow.

- IN DELHI -

Nikhil was woken up by his mate Santosh. He looked at the time, "Dude, it's four a.m."

"Come out, URGENT!" Santosh left the room.

Nikhil was getting worried. He would never be called out like this unless it was a family emergency. Maa? Dadi? Sahasra?

"Sir...what happened? Maa and Dadi ok?" he went out and found his captain, who nodded.

Nikhil's face paled, "Sahasra?"

The captain shook his head saying, "They were on a rescue operation. Sahasra went back to rescue another casualty, but was unsuccessful. A terrorist threw a grenade at her and she blacked out."

"I-Is s-she o-okay?" Nikhil stuttered.

"She's critical. Third degree burns on 70 percent of her body," the captain informed and then patted his back. "Go Nikhil."

Nikhil ran out of the base and boarded the flight to Kashmir. Santosh, his mate, had already booked a flight for him.

- KASHMIR -

As soon as he landed, he rushed to the hospital to meet his wife.

As Nikhil sat in the cab, he was lost in thoughts of his wife, his hippo — Sahasra.
She's a fighter. She will get alright. Uska dil ziddi hai.

He reached the hospital and then ran to her ward. Half of her body was kept in a glass box, she was on oxygen support.

Breathing shallow, he fell on the floor. This can't be. Sahasra...

The nurse had to help Nikhil get up and make him sit on the chair next to her body. He saw that only her right hand and face were saved from bruises.

"H-hippo.." his voice broke.

He look her right hand and kissed it lightly. "Jaldi uth na please. Mazak matt karr," he caressed her face.
(transl. please wake up fast, don't play pranks)

"TU KUCH BOL NA!" he sobbed seeing her all silent and immobile.
(transl. JUST SAY SOMETHING)

You're always bickering and now there is complete silence. Your smile is gone. Please just wake up, Sahasra, he said in his mind.

Nikhil couldn't control his tears. He just sat there staring at her for the next few hours.

Sahasra felt like her skin was burning — she was in a lot of pain. She tried to move her body, but it just remained immobile, smelling like burnt tires.

Opening her eyes, she saw her body covered in glass. Her hand was tightly clasped with someone else's hand. As she looked on to the side, a smile crept on her face.

"Nikhil!!" she tried to scream, in the same excitement as she always showed whenever he came to meet her.

Nikhil, who had falled asleep, woke up and smiled. "Is it hurting?"

"Yes," Sahasra said. "It hurts alot. I smell like burning tires." She joked softly. Tears were pouring from her eyes due to the unbearable pain, but she still managed to laugh at her own joke.

"You cried?" she asked Nikhil, who nodded.

"Why? I'm alive yaar. Now go wash your face," she said and smiled.

"H-how can you be so strong?" he caressed her hands and started sobbing again.

"My khadoos coach taught me. He crossed his limits, but he taught me well," she grinned, but the tears didn't stop.

The doctor and nurse entered Sahasra's ward and asked Nikhil to step out. He was relieved that she was awake, and decided to call their Moms and Dadi.

"Maa, bring Dadi and Sahasra's mother to Kashmir, please. I'm booking your flight right now. Sahasra is not well," Nikhil didn't reveal the complete situation.

"Sab theek hai?" his mother asked, worried.
(transl. is everything okay?)

"Just come Maa, I need you."

The doctor didn't let Nikhil in, Sahasra was prone to infection and she was still critical. The medical professionals had to diagnose her internals and the damage.

Nikhil sat outside her ward, while Sahasra's friend Ramya went to pick up the ladies. As soon as they came, they sensed something bad and critical had happened.

Nikhil broke down on his mother's lap. "I can't see her in pain, Maa. She's so strong Maa — she has third degree burns and yet she was joking and smiling with me now."

"She is my strong girl. Nothing will happen to her. Doctor said she's critical, but she's stil fighting," Maa hugged her son back and she was holding back tears as well.

Sahasra's mother peeped in, and became devastated looking at the pains her daughter had to go through.

"You can go in and talk," the doctor came out. "She's improving."

Nikhil was relieved. He went it, she was awake. Sahasra extended her hand and said, "See, I'm a fighter," and winked.

Nikhil kissed her hand, "Once you get better, I'm going to train you harder. I'll be the worst teacher I swear. Bas tu theek ho ja. I can't seee you in pain. I heard whimpers when I was waiting outside."

"You..heard it?"

"Of course, meri jaan hai tu. I may be outside, but my ears are always here. Just fight a bit more. Doctor said you're improving."

"I know...now you can rest. Your eyes are so swollen."

"Nahi, you're in pain and you expect me to rest? NO WAY!" he scolded her.

"Nikhil I want to tell you something—" Sahasra said but then stopped herself. Should I tell him? She debated.

"Yeah?" Nikhil said.

Sahasra just lay there for a while, thinking about an answer and then said, "I wanna eat lava cake."

"Haan tujhe mein 10 lava cakes khilaunga. But just recover," he kissed her hand.

"Okay, captain," she smiled but a sad tear escaped her eye.

―“💌”―

Vote and comment if you're proud of Sahasra's fighter spirit<3