Tere Bin

Chapter 19

The dim light of the hospital room flickered ominously, casting long shadows on the walls. Meerab sat on the edge of the hospital bed, her heart racing like the hum of fluorescent lights. After Naurez had left, a suffocating silence wrapped around her, thick and oppressive. Guilt gnawed at her insides for dismissing him so coldly, but she buried it deep beneath layers of her own misery.

She felt pathetic, a pitiful shell of the woman she once was-strong, unwavering, courageous. Frustration bubbled within, a storm of emotions that threatened to erupt.

With a sudden, harsh determination, she yanked the IV drip from her hand, causing a few drops of blood to pool on the pristine white bedsheet. The sight sent a chill down her spine. It felt like a comment on her current state-beautiful, pristine, but tainted by her own suffering. Each movement sent sharp pangs throughout her body, but Meerab ignored the pain, pressing forward nonetheless. She took shaky steps toward the bathroom, the world around her blurring.

Once she reached the washbasin, she splashed cool water onto her face, the coldness jolting her senses. She rubbed her face, trying to erase the tear stains that glistened on her cheeks like remnants of a dying storm. As she looked up into the mirror, the sight that greeted her struck her like a punch to the gut.

In the pale light, a woman barely recognizable stared back at her. Her eyes, once bright with hope and ambition, now looked haunted, windows to a soul lost in anguish. Self-loathing twisted within her as she examined the hollowed cheeks, the dark circles threatening to swallow her remaining vitality. She barely knew this woman-this frail figure enveloped in despair.

As the realization hit her, panic surged forward, and she stumbled back, her breath hitching in her throat. "Nahi, nahi, nahi," she gasped, feeling the walls of the room close in on her. Restlessness consumed her; the confines of this small room felt like a prison, its sterile scent suffocating. She could no longer bear the isolation that enveloped her.

She physically urged herself, trembling as she moved toward the door, her heart racing with every step. Desperation fueled her, and without giving herself a second thought, she flung open the door and stepped out into the unknown corridor.

Meanwhile, Bakhtu's routine rounds had kept him vigilant. Murtasim's loyal man diligently monitored Meerab, at Murtasim's orders informing him about her wellbeing and making sure she was alright from afar through the window of the room. As he came to check on her this time, he was met with an unsettling sight-the bed was empty. His eyes widened with concern. "Meerab bibi?" he called, the two words echoing hauntingly in the stillness of the room.

Unease tightened in his chest. He rushed to the room door, knocking gently. "Meerab bibi? Kya aap andar hain?" The room remained quiet. There was no sign of her. Growing more frantic, he called out to a nearby nurse, his voice rising in pitch. "Aap Zara andar jaake dekhiye patient andar hai ki nahi."

The nurse rushed in to check the room, her expression filled with concern and panic as she informed him. "Maine sab jagah dekh liya, woh bathroom mein bhi nahi hai," she exclaimed breathlessly, her breath coming in quick gasps.

Bakhtu's heart plunged. "Kya matlab woh andar nahi hain? Kahan Jaa sakti hain woh?" Panic surged through him, stabbing through his normally composed demeanor. He felt gratitude for the strict order given by Murtasim to keep a watchful eye on her, but dread consumed him now. Without waiting for another word, he pivoted on his heel and sprinted toward the waiting area where Murtasim and the family were gathered.