Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter 4 - Waiting for Dawn

Location: Hospital Waiting Area

Time: Early Morning

The hospital waiting area buzzed with a tense energy as Rahul, Rohit, Virat, Arya, and Arjun gathered, their concern for Meera palpable.

"Do you think she'll wake up soon?" Rahul asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"She will," Arya assured, though her own uncertainty flickered behind her eyes. "Meera's a fighter."

Just then, a nurse walked by. "Officer Arya," she said, pausing to offer a brief smile. "The doctor will be out shortly with an update."

"Thank you," Arya replied, her heart racing.

A silence fell over the group. Rahul struggled to digest the fact that his little sister was a secret agent. How had he not known?

"Will she want to talk to us?" Rohit asked, breaking the stillness.

"Of course," Virat replied, confident. "She'll want to know we're here."

"I wish I'd been there sooner," Rahul confessed, his voice thick with regret. "If I'd just reached out..."

"Sometimes, we don't have control over those things," Arjun said, steadying Rahul with a firm gaze. "What matters is that we're here now."

To ease the heavy silence, Arjun shared a memory from their training. "I remember during our last field exercise, Meera pushed herself beyond her limits. We were supposed to scale that cliff in under an hour, and she did it in thirty minutes. I was struggling to keep up, but she just kept encouraging me. 'Come on, Arjun! It's just a little higher!' she kept shouting. She was relentless."

"Typical Meera," Arya said, chuckling softly. "Always wanting to be the best."

Arjun nodded, his expression softening. "Another time, during hand-to-hand combat training, she faced off against one of the toughest recruits. Everyone thought she would back down, but she didn't. She held her ground, and after a tough match, she actually pinned him down. When I asked her how she managed it, she said, 'It's all about strategy and confidence. If you believe you can win, you already have.'"

The group fell silent, reflecting on Arjun's stories. The laughter and tears mingled as memories of Meera flooded their conversations.

Suddenly, the door to Meera's room swung open, revealing a tall doctor with greying hair and a serious demeanour.

"Are you family?" he asked, his eyes scanning the group.

"I'm Rahul, her brother," he replied, anxiety coursing through him.

"Meera is stable but still unconscious. We've treated the internal bleeding from a gunshot wound to her abdomen. She has several broken ribs and a concussion from a fall. Recovery will take time, but she's responding well," the doctor explained, offering a glimmer of hope.

A collective sigh of relief swept through them.

"When can we see her?" Arya asked, her anticipation palpable.

"Once she's more alert, we'll allow visitors," the doctor replied. "Take care of yourselves in the meantime; it's a long road ahead."

They nodded, and Arya turned to the group. "You guys should take a shower and come back. We'll be here for her."

Rahul hesitated, unsure.

"Stop overthinking, Rahuliya! We'll be back before she wakes up," Rohit insisted, playfully smacking Rahul's shoulder.

Virat glanced at Arya and Arjun, noticing their dishevelled appearance. "Don't you think you both need to freshen up?"

"We're fine, Mr. Kohli" Arjun replied firmly.

"Call me Virat," smiled Virat, as Arjun nodded.

As the trio headed out, the atmosphere lightened, a flicker of hope igniting within them. Outside, Rahul sat on a bench, his hands covering his face. The weight of the situation bore down on him.  

Rahul's Residence

Early Morning

Athiya, who had been quietly sitting beside him, placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "She's going to pull through," she said softly. "She's strong, and you being here means everything."

Rahul looked up, his eyes red. "I should have known. I should've been there."

"None of this is your fault," Athiya reassured him. "Meera chose her path. What matters is you're here now."

He nodded, guilt easing slightly.

 A little further away, Rohit, Virat, Ritika, and Anushka huddled together, strategizing.

"We need to keep our minds off this waiting," Anushka suggested, her eyes darting between them. "Sitting here is driving me crazy."

"Agreed," Ritika chimed in.

Virat added, "How about we go to the hospital together? Rahul's going to need us."

Rohit rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I'm in."

As they nodded in agreement, Anushka turned to look at Rahul, still deep in conversation with Athiya. "Let's give him a bit more time."

Hospital Hallway,

Early Morning

Inside, Arya leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching the door to Meera's room. Arjun stood beside her, contemplative.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Arya asked, concern etched on her face. "She'll be fine," Arjun replied, though uncertainty lingered. "But I know how much she hates hospitals."

Arya nodded, recalling the countless times Meera had expressed her anxiety about medical environments.

 Even minor visits for check-ups had sent Meera into a spiral of nervousness. 

She would often joke, "Hospitals smell like fear," trying to mask her unease with humour. Yet, it was no laughing matter; Meera dreaded the sterile walls and the omnipresent reminders of fragility that came with being in a place meant for healing.

Time passed slowly, but the atmosphere grew lighter with each shared memory and hopeful plan. 

They reminisced about how, during their training, Meera would jokingly insist on avoiding discussions about injuries or hospitals, preferring to focus on the mission at hand. 

Her friends had always teased her, saying, "One day, you'll have to face your fears, Meera!" Little did they know that day would come sooner than they imagined.

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Here is a update guys, i hope i am not boring you with a lot of emotional stuff. It's just that i feel it is necessary for the depth required for the plot. 

If you guys feel it is going excess, please let me know, i will change it.

Also, do you guys like the story? Give your feedbacks