Mamta Kalia

Short story
CAMEL WITH SILVER WINGS
Tejinder
Translated by
the author
It was two thirty at mid night. That was intensive care unit of
Alfred Hospital Chennai where he lay on bed number twenty seven
with the smell of medicines around. He was not asleep. Last night
something went wrong. He had severe chest pain. As if somebody
was hitting his lungs with the edge of stones. He had a feeling
of losing everything around him. He still recalls, his wife had
acted swiftly contrary to her nature. She had knocked the door
of their neighbour, Mr. Anantha Padamanabhan and he was brought
to the hospital. Mr. Anantha Padamanabhan was driving, Mr Pankaj
along with his wife Anupama were in the backseat. His head was
in her lap and she was engaged in a light massage on his chest.
Even then, he had no idea that he had a massive heart-attack,
although he was feeling as if someone had poured bottles of gum
in his heart so that flow of blood is stopped. Who was he? He
did not know.
Pankaj was looking constantly at the nurse who was short and
smart. He was looking at her since morning. May be she was
on double shift. She had an innocent and happy expression. She
was sitting on a wooden stool. Her head was down on the steel
table. She was asleep. She was at ease as if she was queen of
this Intensive Care Unit. Her face was like a dark rose. She was
dressed in white and the dark rose appeared to be more prominent.
She was smiling in her sleep.
He wanted to awaken her. May be it was negativity in him
April-June 2010 :: 93