‘Electricity’ June said. Vishwa repeated behind him ‘ elekriti’ with a fascinated expression.
‘Not elekriti. Its Electricity. It’s like you don’t need any fuel to lit your lantern.’
‘It is not possible.’ Vishwa said, disbelief was clearly written on his face.
‘It is true. It is something new. I haven’t seen it. But I have heard of it. The bigger towns have it. In Fact most of the cities have it too.’ June said, proud visible on his face.
‘Cities.’ Vishwa said unconsciously. He hadn’t thought of cities before. He had heard of it from people of his village. That those who came from cities were very rich people. Vishwa regarded cities as something straight from the legends.
Vishwa and June were engaged in the conversation when Vishwa saw a lady coming next to his bed. Vishwa realised she was the nurse in charge of his care. Vishwa looked at the nurse, she didn’t looked so young. She was an adult but she was so young. What was such a beautiful nurse doing in village.
‘Let’s see your condition.’ The nurse said as she started looking at his nose.
The nurse conducted some test with Vishwa. After checking that everything was alright. She noted it down on a register of some kind. Vishwa saw the notebook covered in ink. But it was organised in a way.
‘I have done some test. You will have to change the bandage on your nose after every few days. There are no fractures of any kind. But there are definite bruises. You have to sleep straight on your back for few days. Don’t try any strenuous activity, it would increase the pain and keep check of your diet, there is a probability of malnutrition, increase your food intake with nutritious fruits and nuts. And Lastly don’t go around fighting, it isn’t good’ the nurse said without any expression on her face.
Vishwa was not able to keep up with what his nurse was saying. But more or less he understood that he was fine. He felt like the nurse was showing some concerns for him. He hadn’t felt anyone’s concern other than his father and his few friends, so it was something new for him.
Vishwa watched the Nurse go to other beds, checking upon their condition.
‘Ahem,’ June coughed taking Vishwa attention.
‘I see you are easily distracted, it might be time for you to look for someone your age, and settle out.’ June said in a serious expression.
‘What are you talking about, it isn’t my age to talk about marriage.’ Vishwa said denying June.
‘And she just looked so caring and knowledgable. There wasn’t anything more.’ Vishwa said curtly.
‘Alright fine fine. I will leave you here to rest. I have somewhere else I need to go.’ June said, as he stood up.
‘Yeah see you later,’ Vishwa said. To which June nodded. He watched as June steadily walked out from his view.
Now that he was alone, he felt exhausted and the experience he had that time had been a terrifying one. At some instant, he had gone back to sleep. But this time no bad nightmares came to harass him.
Vishwa woke later in the evening. Checking upon his condition he got out from his bed with steady steps and walked toward the nurse. Who was sitting in her own office, there was no gate or separate place of any kind. It was just a table and a chair.
‘Nurse can I go back to my home.’ Vishwa said, he was uncomfortable talking to the lady in front of him.
‘Nurse, who me’ the lady started laughing. Watching the confusion in Vishwa’s eyes, she said, ‘no you are mistaken. I am a doctor.’
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He couldn’t contain the shock. Such a beautiful doctor. Vishwa couldn’t contain his question and asked, ‘But why in this village.’
‘You look so knowledgable, and caring. You could have easily worked in some big place.’ Vishwa was shy when talking to women. He hadn’t talked to many women in his life.
‘Actually I am not from here.’ said the doctor with a smile.
‘Then why, why come to this village.’ Vishwa asked the doctor, he was careful looking at the doctor, now that he thought about it she didn’t look much older than him.
‘Actually I am not even a doctor.’ the doctor said.
‘Not a doctor,’ Vishwa followed.
‘No I am someone in my first year of university. I am studying to become a doctor.’ The Doctor said. She continued, ‘And my friend’s aunt is the main doctor in this Hospital. She had asked me to come and visit her when I was free, so I came here.’
‘You must have come from far,’ Vishwa said, he wanted to know more about her.
‘Yes, and you are free to go home’ the doctor said.
Vishwa realised he had gotten away from the main thing, ‘Ah, alright, thank you.’
Vishwa didn’t wanted to stop talking to the doctor. It felt so refreshing talking to her. But he knew, she came from a bigger place, she must not want to talk to someone like me. But still he couldn’t contain his curiosity, so he asked her one last question.
‘Can I know your name,’ Vishwa said, expectation was visible on his face.
‘You can call me Naomi’ Naomi said, taking a last look at the boy. Someone who interested her in this unknown area.
‘Alright’ Vishwa was happy as he strode out of the hospital. But he came back just to take a quick look at her. ‘So beautiful’ he thought.
It was evening again. For Vishwa even walking right now was a troublesome task. He walked at a very slow pace.
As he walked he saw many people loading cart with crops and such. Kids roaming and playing around. He also saw one Car. It looked so regal so royal. Vishwa wanted to wait and take in it’s beauty. But night was coming fast and he must have worried his father.
When Vishwa reached his home. He saw his father engaging in a conversation with the locals. His shop was still open but there was no customer so he was free.
As Vishwa neared his father, he wished his father would not see him in this condition. But what he wished just had gone untrue. His father had seen him from far. Worry was visible on his face. But he waited when he saw I was still somewhat good.
Walking slowly he came near his father.
‘What happened little Vishwa, are you alright,’ an old lady said. She was his neighbour and from time to time she would invite him and his father to try some food at home. Her concern felt real.
‘Some accident when I was working,’ Vishwa said with a smile. Lies he told her, so she wouldn’t get over concerned.
‘You should be more alert while working, you know there was one time….’
And this old aunty had started her own story. The only thing he hated was the fact, everytime he met her she would tell him a story of someone he knew.
‘Aunty, doctor had said to take some rest. I am going to go home. Bye’ VIshwa said, interrupting her. He turned around and looked at his father.
Vishwa’s father was smiling at Vishwa. It was a grim smile.
‘Oh boy, I am in trouble.’ Vishwa thought looking at that smile. His father placed a hand on his shoulder, hard enough to make him grimace in pain.
Vishwa’s father looked at the older lady, while hardening his grip on Vishwa’s shoulder. ‘Yes, he must go to bed.’ he said.
‘Alright, little Vishwa, I would make some bread for you,’ the old lady smiled at Vishwa.
‘You don’t need to trouble yourself so much,’ Vishwa’s father looked at her apologetically.
‘It’s no trouble if it will help him heal early,’ the old lady just waved her hands. She truly felt like Vishwa was his own grandchild. Though she didn’t have much of a good life herself. She loved to help wherever she could.
‘Thank you aunty,’ Vishwa said as the older lady shooed him away.
Returning to his own home. For the first time in a while he felt a true sense of relief wash over him. He placed himself on the floor. He took the mat and arranged it on the floor. He laid his body down on the mat.
For the first time in a while he was free to even listen to his own thoughts. These many hours hadn’t been easy for him. There was a lot for him to process.
Such as what was the thing he saw in the house. What was even the house and that street. Was there really something like a ghost? Or his mind had been playing tricks on him. But the pain he felt at that time was surreal and he even felt the being was not something Vishwa was capable to think off. He didn’t had that far off an imagination.
That fatty too, he would show him some day, what he was capable of. Then June came, he saw him after such a long time. It would have been nice if his old friend would consider living in this village only. But he knew June wasn’t like that, this village would bore him, that was why he had gone away in the first place. Second reason was money of course. He told me so many things about the town. Just thinking about it made him excited. And then the doctor. Her name was Naomi. Naomi. Naomi. She was so beautiful. But she wasn’t someone who was off the village's soil. She was someone who was destined to fly.
‘I wish I could…’
Thinking about it Vishwa had fallen asleep.