By Your Side

Chapter 5: Is that me?

It has been two weeks in the hospital. It is just so boring. I have nothing to do all day. Just lying on my bed. Sleeping.
No physical activity. It might stress me out, the doctors say. The same boring white walls. The same room. Same usual activity. Nurse would come in every hour, asking me how I was feeling. My mother looked pale and very tired. She has deep bags under her eyes. Wasn't she sleeping well? Sadness spread round her pallor. I am the reason for her grief and it hurts , to be the reason for someone's despair and worry. The worst of all was The Food!

The nurse brought me a soup once. It was absolutely tasteless. I complained my mother about it and she was again up with the lecture. She never missed a chance to criticize my food habits. I agreed with her. Surely my food habits weren't healthy, but I can't resist the junk food. It gave me ultimate happiness. So, you can imagine the torture I was being inflicted upon by bland food.

Suddenly I sniffed something appetizing. I took a whiff and my nose sensed the aroma of cheese, basil and olives.

To confirm it, my door opened and Carla sneaked in. She had plastic bags in her hand. And my gift of strong sense of smell confirmed there were delectables in it.

"Look, What I brought?", She exclaimed with happiness.

"Tasty Food!!" We both exclaimed with excitement.

She took out a box and handed me slice of pizza. I savoured it. Mhhmmm.....HEAVEN!

"Haven't you-"

"I have brought. I know Chinese is your favourite. I have brought Noodles and Manchurian",she interrupted me.

She took them out and showed me with excitement.

"But...",I hesitated.

She saw the hesitation in my eyes.
"It is fine. Just eating once won't do any harm"

She was right maybe. Eating just once won't harm anyway.

I had never been so wrong.

It is night, and I'm feeling nauseated. My stomach's growling. This time not with hunger but because of all the food I ate this afternoon. I always had a poor digestion. I was breathing hard. My mouth was filled with saliva. I couldn't take it anymore and went to washroom as my food was making it's reappearance. I bend over the sink and puked hard.

I tried to call out to my mother but god knows where everyone went when I needed them the most.

It was then I realised that I was so WEAK . My body ached at my attempts to puke. I stood beside the washbasin and looked at my reflection in the mirror.

Is that me?

My brown hair was in a ponytail which was now a mess. My face was sunken. I was frail. My eyes had a depressing look. A bandage wrapped around my forehead. I didn't know I looked so sick. I couldn't recognise myself.

I bend down and splash water on my face and lift my head to look at my reflection in the mirror.

'CHEATER!'

Written in red in sloppy handwriting on the mirror. Is that BLOOD!!

I froze. It wasn't there a moment ago. In my reflection, I see blood smeared all over my face. I look at my hands. Completely RED with BLOOD!

Was that blood that I washed my face with? Whose blood it was?I wasn't bleeding. I approach the basin   steadily with cautious steps and open the tap with shivering hands.

BLOOD!

BLOOD ALL OVER!

"AAAAAHHHHHH"

I scream and fall aback on the floor.Strong scent of blood invading my nose. My pulse pounding. My breathing too harsh to an extent that every breath ached my lungs. I try to shallow my breathing but I continue to hear some harsh breathing.
Then I realise there isn't sound of just my breaths.....

Warm breaths tickles my neck. Shivers run down my spine. Soft fingers brush against my neck. I close my eyes at the sensation. Someone's breathing just right near my right ear.

I turn around. There's just the blank wall. My head starts throbbing again and I pass out on the floor of washroom.

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