Anatomy of Love (Complete)

Chapter 35

Raunak, driving at a fast pace, turned his steering wheel to the left, in an attempt to crash Rishab's car. The impact of the strike was intense. Rishab was unable to control his car. He pressed his foot on the brakes to stop it. However it ran over the footpath, hitting the garbage bins before stopping. The air bags immediately deployed and Rishab could feel the impact of it bursting on his face and chest.

It took him some time to register what was happening around him after the car reached a standstill. He looked around to find people around his car. They were asking him something and talking among themselves. But his ears were ringing so he couldn't really understand them. He removed his glasses that had broken from the impact. His face hurt, especially his jaw. His chest and hands were in pain, especially his left wrist. His leg was stuck and probably broken. He tried to open the door but it was jammed.

The people by then, had brought tools to pry open the door. It took some time and during this time the police and ambulances had arrived. The people helped him get out, once the door was opened. They asked him if he was feeling better, offered him water but he declined after his eyes had fallen on the scene in front of him. On the road he could see the mangled remains of Raunak's car.

Rishab didn't wait to be checked, he limped towards the car.
“Are you alright? Sir, you need to be checked? Aap ambulance mein chaliye.” The policeman kept talking to him but it went deaf ears.
He went to the window of the car. Raunak was badly injured, bleeding from his head, face and other parts.

“Sir, aap hatiye. We need to get him out.”
Rishab didn't listen and went on to check him. Raunak was conscious but his pulse was weak. Rishab checked for any penetrating wounds. There weren’t any.
Raunak looked at him and muttered, “Ri..Rishab...”
It was hurting to talk, still Rishab said,“Keep.. your.. eyes open. Don't.. close.. them. Remain.. awake.”

After they pulled Raunak out and laid him on the stretcher, Rishab started to check him. He looked at the wound on his head. He then ripped his shirt off and saw a bluish red big patch below his ribs.
“Sir, aap kya kar rahe hain? Let us take him to the hospital. Aap bhi chaliye, dusre ambulance mein.” The policeman told him.
“We.. go together. He.. is having.. internal bleeding. He can.. crash. I’ll... go with him.”
The men looked at each other's faces.

“No, sir. We have two ambulances here. The ambulance people will take care of him. Waise bhi yeh pagal aap ko marne ki koshis kar raha tha. Why do you care about him? And you aren't any doctor..”
Rishab cut him short, “I am.. a doctor. I am.. I am .. Rishab Khurana, Dr.Rishab Khurana. And that's.. my brother.. he..  my brother, Raunak. Can't let .. him die. Take us to..  KK Memorial. Jaldi!”

Rishab got inside the ambulance along with Raunak. Raunak kept staring at him as he groaned in pain. The ambulance staff started wiping the blood and bandaging the wound on his head. Before he could dress Rishab's wounds, Raunak grabbed Rishab's hand. His breathing was getting shallow.
“I.. I can't.. breathe.”
Rishab put his ear on his chest.

“Tension.. Pneu..mothorax….” Rishab mumbled.
“Ten minutes mein pahunch jayenge.” The ambulance driver said.
He looked around and said, “He doesn't.. even have.. 2 minutes. He.. needs.. Needle decompression .. immediately.”
Rishab thought for a second and pulled gloves, betadine and cotton from the shelf inside.
“I need a.. 14 gauge needle .. saline.. and a 60 ml syringe..  now.”

Rishab wore gloves and applied betadine on his chest. He touched his ribs to find the area to do the procedure.
“Raunak, .. no anesthesia.. this will hurt.. please bear it.. okay..” Rishab said to Raunak and then turned to the ambulance staff, “please .. iska haath.. pakdo.”
“Sir, yeh kya kar rahe hain.. kuch ho gaya toh..”