(Manik)
I went to medical store blinking back my tears, I just had sympathy, nothing else for her. I always try not to have love for my patients. They are just an ill body for me which I have to treat. But she was different, she was the first one for who I got tears. I reached the medical store and bought the antidepressants and went back inside directly to the ward where she was. I knocked and went inside.
“Aunty these are the medicines which Dr.Cabir has prescribed for her, he said to make her eat it by dissolving in water whenever she gets attack,” I instructed her and looked at Nandini, she was sketching something with tears rolling down her cheek. “OK thanks for taking care of her when I wasn’t here,” she said. “Its OK aunty, this is my work,” I said and she smiled, she is a sweet lady and cares for Nandini more than herself. She greeted me folding her hands. I turned to go but I heard familiar heavy breathes and turned to Nandini. She was again scared and she was looking at the sketch in her hands. “He will come again,” she said trembling. I went forward to her and made her lay taking away the sketch from her.
“Hey look don’t worry, he won’t come,” I said and my eyes went on the man in the sketch, why does he look so familiar? Its not the time to think but to calm her. I saw stars tattoo on her neck, the same which my friend Nandini had in childhood. Her chachi came to her and rubbed her back and hugged her, she didn’t calm down. I kept my hand on her shoulder and unknowingly my other hand went on her head. “Don’t worry, he won’t come,he doesn’t knows you are here,” I said trying my level best but she kept having attacks. Now was the time to give those medicines to her.
I brought water and mixed the pills in it making her drink it but she pushed my hand. “I don’t want to drink it,” she said refusing me. I forcefully made her drink of course by her chachi’s help. She drank and we both laid her to sleep. I felt a pitch in my stomach and went to my cabin, it was 8:00 in the night and it was time to go home but no problem I informed mom and went late.
I went through the files in the cupboard of my cabin and came through a file “Trilok Chaurasia”. That’s when it clicked in my mind that Nandini took his name when she was hypnotized. I went through the file and looked at his photograph. He’s the same man in the sketch and he’s the man who had uncontrollable anger and did many things.
Now I understand, he did that to her ,I know him already, but she is suffering because of her. I will make sure justice is served. I packed my bag and went from the hospital and sat in my car. I kept my head on the steering wheel. I lifted my head and drove off from there. The time I reached home, my mother was waiting for me. I immediately hugged her. I can’t live without her.
I went to my room and freshened up and sat down on the bed. I called on Trilok’s number and asked him to come tomorrow for appointment, he agreed. I kept my phone away and slept.
Next day I woke up, had breakfast and went to hospital. I firstly checked on Nandini, she was sleeping peacefully and I went to my cabin and many patients came and went. Then Trilok came and sat in front of me.
“How are you doing?,” I asked. “I am fine, why you called me?,” he asked. “I want to say something, do you know Nandini Moorthy?,” I said and he looked at me blankly. “What? How will I know?,”he asked. “Ain’t she your brilliant student?,” I asked. “She is not here with me,” he said looking away. “Where is she? Can I meet her? I was actually finding someone”, I asked and he showed me Nandini’s picture, it seemed as if it was taken by hiding. “Tell me why you called me here?,” he asked. “Recall your recent crime” I said. “What?,” he asked, “no what do you mean?,” he said.
Oh really? You are her rapist. I asked him to follow me and I showed him the test report of Nandini which showed she’s raped. He became shocked.