𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐓: 𝐀 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐐𝐮𝐫'𝐚𝐧

chapter 42

Ayaan lay lifeless on the hospital bed, connected to various medical equipment with a bandage wrapped around his head. Outside the ward, Sabeeha sat on a bench, tears dried on her face. As soon as she learned about his accident, she rushed to the hospital, and silent tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

"Ya Allah, please... I lost my father and my mother, but please, not my brother. Ya Rab, please... I beg you for his life!" she whispered repeatedly, staring at the ceiling above her. Just then, a doctor approached her.

"Are you a relative of his?" the doctor asked. Sabeeha nodded and quickly got to her feet. The doctor led her inside. "We've done everything we can, but his body isn't responding. He's physically not that weak and should be able to wake up, yet we aren't getting any response," she explained. Sabeeha felt her heartache deepen.

"Maybe he has been suffering from some trauma that he couldn't overcome, and that led to this accident," doctor suggested, gazing at Ayaan's pale face as he breathed slowly. "Do you know what might have happened?" she asked, adjusting the medical equipment around him. Sabeeha shook her head.

"Let's wait until tomorrow morning. If he responds by then, it's a good sign. If not..." Sabeeha shot the doctor a fearful look. "Then what, doctor?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Then we may have to admit that he is in a coma," the doctor replied gently. Sabeeha's legs felt weak at the news; she looked at Ayaan's pale face, and tears rushed down her cheeks again as the doctor left her alone with him.

Sabeeha quickly took a seat on the bedside stool, holding his right hand. "Ayaan! Ayaan, please wake up... Ayaan!" she cried, unable to bear the thought of another separation; it was already too much.

"Ayaan, please say something... Respond to me. Ayaan, wake up for me...wake up for your special person, Ayan. She is waiting for you... You were about to let me meet her, right? Then please get up; I want to meet her!" Tears flowed continuously as she spoke, and she felt a deep fear wash over her when he didn't respond. His breaths slowed, and in desperation, she released his hand and rushed outside to sit on a bench, crying silently. After hours of weeping, her eyes grew heavy; she stared into space and eventually dozed off.

Her eyes abruptly opened at 3 a.m. She looked around, recalling the events from earlier. The hospital was still awake, with nurses bustling by. Weakly, she got up and headed toward the ward. As she opened the door, the sight before her took her breath away.

Ayaan was sitting on the floor, his back facing her. She watched as he went into prostration (sujood) and noticed the blood oozing from his hand, but he seemed oblivious. After a moment, he sat up, only to go back into prostration, and Sabeeha approached hesitantly, closing the door behind her. She came forward when he sat up, she witnessed his teary, red eyes and his flushed face-his tears suggested he had been crying for hours. This sight made her heart ache. She crouched down on the ground beside him, her tears started falling from her eyes as well

After a while, he completed his prayer (salaam) and went back into prostration, he started crying like a child, his body trembling. The medical equipment struggled to control the blood flow. While Sabeeha's heart shattered at his state, she didn't dare speak. Instead, she placed a gentle hand on his back. Suddenly, his cries stopped. He lifted himself and raised his eyes while looking at her, and Sabeeha was horrified to see blood oozing from his head. Words failed her as her heart shattered at the sight. Then, without warning, he collapsed on the floor, panic spreading across Sabeeha's face.

"Doctor! Doctor!" she shouted as the doctor rushed in. They both quickly laid Ayaan back on the bed. "What happened? Why was he on the floor?" the doctor began to inquire, noticing the dried blood on him.

"Doctor, he opened his eyes. He was conscious while I was sitting with him, but suddenly he collapsed!" Sabeeha explained desperately. The doctor began examining Ayaan.