Prateeksha

The universe has its mysteries and its mysterious ways cannot be predicted. Sometimes help comes out of blue when you don’t expect it. Sometimes in the way of a stimuli to give a little push to things which are stuck or a spark of energy that’s all is needed.

Stories which come alive while you read. Experience the sensitivity of the story which may have touched you at some point in your life.

Feel the thrill, the intensity of the stories which will relate to your life journey.

An anthology of thrilling short stories by Garry James.

A Thrilling story

A young man in his late thirties walked towards the reception of “Ooty General Hospital”

Which room is Prateeksha?

She is on the first floor ICU, Your name Sir.

I am Dr. Ramesh, please inform Dr. Arun, I am here. At the moment who is attending Prateeksha?

Sister Susan is attending the patient.

Ok.

Dr. Ramesh took the stairs, it was 5.30 in the morning. He came straight to the ICU and walked towards the patient’s bed.

Good Morning Dr. Ramesh, I am Susan.

Good Morning Sister, can I see her reports.

Sure Doctor. Here it is.

Thank you. Her Scan reports?

We will get them in another 10 minutes doctor.

Ok

Dr. Ramesh, good morning

Hey Arun, hope I did not disturb you from sleep? No, not at all Sir, normally I am awake by this time.

Just then Susan came in and handed over the scan report to Dr. Ramesh. Dr. Ramesh was going through the report very minutely and by the change of expression on his face, the case looked difficult, but he did not ask any further questions, rather asked "What happened or How did this happen?"

Sir, Prateeksha is one of our able doctor and to know about the incident, I would prefer you speak to her parents who is waiting outside to meet you, since I had mentioned that a specialist will be here any moment they are hopeful and waiting for you.

Come we will meet them, said Dr. Ramesh

Dr. Ramesh and Dr. Arun walked towards Prateeksha’s parents who were seated in the visitor’s room. Her mother was lying down on the bench while her father was seated next to her.

Mr. D’Souza noticed the doctors coming towards him and stood up. By the look on their face they looked shattered, and why not Prateeksha is their only daughter, and this incident they had never expected in their life.

Mr. D’Souza this is Dr. Ramesh, I spoke to you about and they are Prateeksha parents

Arun introduced both of them. By this time Prateeksha’s mother too got up. Dr. Ramesh was holding the hand of Mr. D’Souza and gestured him to sit down.

Mr. D’Souza, don’t mind me asking you, just consider it as a part of the treatment, I would like to know few things about your daughter. If you can tell me why this happened or what happened? It should help.

Dr. Ramesh, what happened, I can narrate it to you but why it happened, we are still clueless, as we had known our daughter to be strong willed and bold, if this has happened to her, I am sure there must be a good reason and only she can answer that.

Yesterday evening we were upstairs together at home watching tv when Prateeksha received a call, she answered the call and went on listening to it the only word she uttered was “hmmm”. Later she got up and walked upstairs to the terrace. Since last few days we had been watching her she was disturbed, normally she does not hide anything from us, we too waited for her to speak and not push her, we assumed she would share when it’s the right time for us to know.

Her mother went downstairs to the kitchen to prepare for dinner. Prateeksha spoke on the phone for more than 45 minutes, because that’s the time my wife takes normally to prepare and serve the dinner. She called from downstairs that the dinner was served and to hurry up or it might get cold. I got up switched off the TV and walked upstairs to the terrace. I heard Prateeksha screaming at someone over the phone, I have never heard her scream before. As soon as she saw me, she disconnected the line saying, she will call later.

I asked her then sensing some trouble “What happened Prateek, is something wrong?”

“No Papa, it’s ok, come we will have dinner”,

she held my hand pulled me close with her hand on my shoulder we climbed downstairs. Sensing the uneasiness, I again kept quiet and during the dinner there was no conversation, accept her phone kept ringing for couple of times, but she ignored it. She finished off her dinner took the phone and walked upstairs to her room. We finished off our dinner, cleaned the table and walked upstairs to her bedroom to find out what was troubling her or what has gone wrong, and to know if there is something we could help. But she did not open the door, we knocked several times.

“Papa, nothing is wrong, please go to sleep”

Her mother called her again and asked, “Can you open the door and speak to us please”

“Mama, please go to sleep, we will speak about it in the morning”.

Hesitant, we went to our bedroom but could not sleep. We were trying to figure out what could be the possible reason, but were clueless. It was almost 11.30 pm, her mother was tired and was lying down on the bed, I was about to when we heard a loud thud, as if something hit the roof of our terrace garden, rolled on and then again something hit the ground near our car porch. I was sure something fell, hence stood up and rushed with all my strength I could gather towards the terrace garden, her mother too followed me. We went to her room, but her room was open, just then a thought came to my mind and my legs started trembling of this unknown fear. We climbed downstairs opened the main door of the villa and stepped out to see what fell from top. What I saw near the car porch confirmed my doubts and I could not move an inch ahead, I was clueless of what should be done.

Read more... thrilling short stories of a doctor, an hospital, a writer, a corporate manager... and more

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