Book 4 in the Proposal Series.
YUGANTIKA IYENGAR
"You cannot fight your doom. It will fucking destroy you, Pookie."
She laughed, wrecking it deep within her guts. A voice that could slice through all the weak hearts. "No one can bring doom on me."...
(God of medicine and healing, associated with health and wellness.)
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Nothing in this world wanted Yugantika to have a peaceful sleep.
First, it was the infernal beeps. Next, the smell of antibacterial products that could knock out a horse. Then, there were the constant buzzing and the hushed conversations of people who seemed to think she was a soundproof barrier. Why on earth would anyone chat around someone trying to sleep? Their shoes clinked on the tiled floor, the door swung open and shut like a malfunctioning carnival ride, and there were feather-light touches on her face that had her ready to swat and scream. Her eyes refused to cooperate, but her traitorous hands—those rebels—ignored her commands. Weren't they supposed to be her loyal servants, obeying her every whim?
Apparently not when they felt like they were made of concrete. Her tongue was the only muscle moving, tasting the bitterness of her own saliva. Her throat was as dry as the Sahara, yet the pressure on her abdomen had her wishing she could spring to her feet—if only her limbs would cooperate.
"She's awake, it seems," came a distant, dreamy voice. Yugantika wanted to nod, scream, or at least give a weak squeeze in response, but her lips were sealed. "See, she's trying to open her eyes. Can you hear us?"
Oh, yes, she could hear them loud and clear. She would respond too, as soon as her body decided to follow orders. Somehow—she'd call it a miracle because opening eyes wasn't exactly magic—she could see little flashes of light in her vision. Hopeful, right?
A grimace escaped her lips as she tried to focus on the dimly lit room. Kudos to whoever envisioned her misery. Blinking heavily, she noticed an elderly woman peeking at her with an expression that could only be described as sheer fascination. It was as if the nurse had never seen a human being before. She looked oddly thrilled to meet her. No one had ever been that excited before.
Water. That was the first thing Yugantika's brain screamed for, but her bladder had other plans. "Wash...room."
The nurse's wide-eyed understanding was short-lived. "You've got a dispenser bag attached; you can pee in that."
Yugantika's face must have transformed into a portrait of disgust, judging by the nurse's resigned sigh.
"Can you hold it for another two minutes?" she asked. Yugantika blinked in reply. "Great. Let me free you and help you to the washroom."
If there was any remaining shred of dignity in her, it was now a distant memory as she imagined the nurse seeing her most intimate parts. She squeezed her eyes shut, determined not to let the noise and movement disturb her. Once free, she saw the nurse placing the bag on a corner table.
"Now, on a scale from one to ten, how much of your body can you feel?" the nurse asked, her voice soothing amid the beeping machines.
"Six?" Yugantika ventured, hoping against hope that she wouldn't have to use the bag.
