ENIGMA

Resilience

As Karan pushed the needle into the wound, Inaya flinched violently, a sharp, agonizing pain shooting through her back. The wound was already inflamed and tender, and the sudden pressure of the pollneedle on the raw area made her gasp in pain. She struggled instinctively, trying to twist away from the intense discomfort.

“Ah! It hurts! Oh, owwww” Inaya cried, her voice trembling as tears welled up in her eyes. She tried to turn, desperate for comfort or escape from the searing pain, but Advik’s hands - firmly on her shoulder, holding her in place.

“Inaya, stay still!” Advik commanded, his voice firm but edged with worry. “I know it hurts, but if you move, it’ll be worse. Just a few seconds more—”

Her eyes searched his, filled with a mix of fear and desperation. “Bhaiyya, please, I can’t… it’s too much!” she whimpered, her face pale as her tears began to flow.

As Karan carefully pushed the needle deeper into the tender area, Inaya jerked again. She twisted and tried to pull away, her breaths coming in ragged gasps.

"I need you to stop moving!” Karan warned, frustration in his tone as he held the syringe steady. He glanced at Advik, signaling him to keep her still.

As Karan pushed the needle deeper, Inaya let out a piercing scream. Advik’s patience snapped.

“This isn’t helping anyone, least of all you!" He barked.

Karan sighed, growing visibly frustrated as Inaya continued to writhe in pain. She had barely stopped screaming since he’d started, her body flinching and jerking despite his attempts to keep her still. Mid-procedure, Karan pulled his hands away and let the syringe rest, still embedded shallowly in her skin, his patience wearing thin.

“That’s it, I can’t do this,” he announced sharply, standing up straight. “If you keep moving like this, Inaya, the needle’s going to snap in your back. Do you understand that?”

Inaya gasped, looking back at him with wide, tearful eyes, her breaths coming in shaky pants. “I… I’m sorry, but it just… it hurts so much,” she stammered, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks.

Karan’s face hardened, and he crossed his arms, frustration clear in his voice. “Everyone’s trying to help you, and all you’re doing is fighting us. You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t just a sting. This needle could break if you keep jerking around like that!”

Inaya whimpered, her eyes darting to Advik for support, but Karan continued, not giving her a chance to respond. “Fine. If you don’t want us to do this gently, then we’ll do it the hard way.” He glanced at Advik, his tone steely. “Change out the needle. We’re going with a thicker one.”

Advik raised his eyebrows, giving Inaya a sympathetic but firm look. “Karan’s right. We’ll need to use a larger needle. It’ll hurt more, but it’s the only way to keep things safe if you can’t hold still.”

Inaya’s breath hitched, and her face paled as the realization of what they were saying hit her. She looked between the two of them, her voice trembling. “No… please, not a thicker needle,” she pleaded, her voice cracking. “I’ll… I’ll try to stay still. I’m sorry. Please… don’t change it.”

Karan shook his head, arms crossed, as he observed her with a stern expression. “You’ve said that already, but every time, you’re flailing and making things harder. We’re trying to help you, Inaya, but you’re making it impossible.”

Advik placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently but firmly. "You need to stay completely still. It’s going to hurt, but it’ll be over faster if you don’t move, okay?”