10th September 2010, Friday
A small planet revolves around a small star in a small galaxy of the universe. The beings of this planet have given it the name 'Earth'. In the capital city of a peninsular country, a girl of 9 sits in her living room. She's preparing an 'Get well soon' card for her 3 year old brother, who is in the hospital, suffering from H1N1 flu.
She has no idea of the severity of her brother's illness, but hopes that he will be okay soon, as she carefully peels of a sticker and
sprinkles coloured sand on the glue left behind. She then tilts the
paper to remove the excess sand. She smiles at her latest creation and can't wait for one of her parents to take it to her brother the next day. Neither of them are back from the hospital yet. She doesn't like it that she isn't big enough to go to the hospital. She misses her brother and longs to see him.
Her grand mother calls out for her to sleep. But she doesn't want to sleep. She wants to wait for her mom or dad to come back. She wants to hear that her brother is better. The bell rings at that moment and she instantly runs to open the door, dropping a bowl of sand behind her.
She is pleasantly surprised to see both her parents and a couple of other relatives standing at the door. But she misses the signs, and jumps in to her father's arms. When she pulls back, she asks her parents that how come they both came home that night? How come one of them didn't stay back with her brother at the hospital? The presence of the other relatives doesn't even cross her mind. Someone pulls back her mother to prevent her noticing the sobs her mother just broke into. Her father replies with a straight face that the nurses and doctors at the hospital are taking good care of him. She doesn't give it a second thought. She quickly runs inside and gets the card she made. Her father gives her a smile with great difficulty and says that it's really well made.
As her father enters the house, his eyes meet with those of her grand mother. She notices this, but forgets about it. Her grandmother calls her to sleep with a tight jaw, and it is with great reluctance that she agrees. As she closes her eyes, she can't help but think about the smile that will cross her brother's face when he sees her card. She soon falls asleep.
11th September 2010, Saturday
The girl is woken up by her mother. She is told that her father is bringing her brother back home. She is unable to contain her excitement as she springs out of bed. Her father enters the room. She immediately demands to see her brother, and is told that he is waiting outside in the car. She instantly runs out of the room, but is called back. It is then that she notices that there are several other people in the room as well. Her father pulls her into a hug as her mother starts to cry. She is confused. She wonders why her mother is crying. "I'm sorry, beta," says her father. "I'm sorry I couldn't bring him back to you." Her father starts crying too. It is the first time she has ever seen him cry. She is unable to comprehend what's happening. But, at the sight of her parents, she starts to cry too. They both pull her into a tight hug. It suffocates her, but she doesn't care. A feeling dawns upon her that she wouldn't be able to see her brother again.
She cries and cries. She has no idea how much time has gone by. Her father gets up and leaves the room. A few moments later, she is vaguely aware as she is being taken to the living room. Many people have gathered here. The dining table has been removed to create space and there are white sheets on the ground. Subconsciously, she realises that there is only white colour to be seen, other than the yellow wall.
She stares at the wall and the people around for quite some time, before her attention is drawn to a white lump of sheets in her weeping mother's arms. She realises that it is a person. She realises that it is her brother. This knocks the wits out of her. For the first time, a bitter reality dawns upon her. She can't think anything; she can't feel anything. She just looks. Her trance is broken by someone who edges her further.
She sits beside her mother as she looks at her brother's face which is no longer smiling up at her. She touches his now blueish face, only to find it ice cold; his nostrils stuffed with cotton. And then she holds him. She clutches him tightly and cries till she no longer can. Cries till her eyes are blood red in colour. She had never seen any one like this, and the sight of her brother, only presented her with unimaginable and intolerable pain.
She has seen movies, heard about how the icy cold hands of death 'turn people into stars', but she is having a hard time getting her mind around it. She had a slight idea that she would not see him again, and hence, never let her gaze shift from his face. It was only when she and her mother were pulled back, that she had to let go. Her father picked up her brother and carried him to the car.
She was placed on a sofa by someone, where she discovered his Preschool photo album. She spent a long time taking in and stroking the pictures. Many people, including her teachers come to visit her, but she hardly notices. Eventually, she is left alone, and the day passes.
12th September 2010, Sunday
The hours pass without her realising. She is only brought back to reality when her mother asks if she would be going to school the next day. It is then that she recollects that she had her first ever French examination the following day. She is unprepared for it. She knows that she can do it, but she lacks the will. She tells her mother that she doesn't want to go, and her mother agrees.
Three-four days later
Now days pass without her realising it. She is lost in thoughts she never recollects. Watching her parents breaks her; and the fact that she can do nothing to comfort them makes her feel helpless. She thinks that giving them a hug would help, but it only makes them cry harder.
Her mother reminds her that her main exams are starting from the coming Monday, and she can't skip all those. She tries to gather herself to study, but only does so unwillingly.
A few weeks later
Her exams are over, and she has no recollection of them whatsoever. Her mind is in a strange mess. She can't help but burst into tears every day. Her best friend tries to get her together, but ends up calling her 'over-sensitive'. This hurts her even more. She tries as hard as possible to gather herself, but her parents' eyes bring back painful memories. She's waiting for a miracle, something that will fix her family....
Nine months later, she gets that miracle. Although it is not enough to seal the hole deep within her, but is is the best she could have received...
A small planet revolves around a small star in a small galaxy of the universe. The beings of this planet have given it the name 'Earth'. In the capital city of a peninsular country, a girl of 9 sits in her living room. She's preparing an 'Get well soon' card for her 3 year old brother, who is in the hospital, suffering from H1N1 flu.
She has no idea of the severity of her brother's illness, but hopes that he will be okay soon, as she carefully peels of a sticker and
paper to remove the excess sand. She smiles at her latest creation and can't wait for one of her parents to take it to her brother the next day. Neither of them are back from the hospital yet. She doesn't like it that she isn't big enough to go to the hospital. She misses her brother and longs to see him.
Her grand mother calls out for her to sleep. But she doesn't want to sleep. She wants to wait for her mom or dad to come back. She wants to hear that her brother is better. The bell rings at that moment and she instantly runs to open the door, dropping a bowl of sand behind her.
She is pleasantly surprised to see both her parents and a couple of other relatives standing at the door. But she misses the signs, and jumps in to her father's arms. When she pulls back, she asks her parents that how come they both came home that night? How come one of them didn't stay back with her brother at the hospital? The presence of the other relatives doesn't even cross her mind. Someone pulls back her mother to prevent her noticing the sobs her mother just broke into. Her father replies with a straight face that the nurses and doctors at the hospital are taking good care of him. She doesn't give it a second thought. She quickly runs inside and gets the card she made. Her father gives her a smile with great difficulty and says that it's really well made.
As her father enters the house, his eyes meet with those of her grand mother. She notices this, but forgets about it. Her grandmother calls her to sleep with a tight jaw, and it is with great reluctance that she agrees. As she closes her eyes, she can't help but think about the smile that will cross her brother's face when he sees her card. She soon falls asleep.
11th September 2010, Saturday
The girl is woken up by her mother. She is told that her father is bringing her brother back home. She is unable to contain her excitement as she springs out of bed. Her father enters the room. She immediately demands to see her brother, and is told that he is waiting outside in the car. She instantly runs out of the room, but is called back. It is then that she notices that there are several other people in the room as well. Her father pulls her into a hug as her mother starts to cry. She is confused. She wonders why her mother is crying. "I'm sorry, beta," says her father. "I'm sorry I couldn't bring him back to you." Her father starts crying too. It is the first time she has ever seen him cry. She is unable to comprehend what's happening. But, at the sight of her parents, she starts to cry too. They both pull her into a tight hug. It suffocates her, but she doesn't care. A feeling dawns upon her that she wouldn't be able to see her brother again.
She cries and cries. She has no idea how much time has gone by. Her father gets up and leaves the room. A few moments later, she is vaguely aware as she is being taken to the living room. Many people have gathered here. The dining table has been removed to create space and there are white sheets on the ground. Subconsciously, she realises that there is only white colour to be seen, other than the yellow wall.
She stares at the wall and the people around for quite some time, before her attention is drawn to a white lump of sheets in her weeping mother's arms. She realises that it is a person. She realises that it is her brother. This knocks the wits out of her. For the first time, a bitter reality dawns upon her. She can't think anything; she can't feel anything. She just looks. Her trance is broken by someone who edges her further.
She sits beside her mother as she looks at her brother's face which is no longer smiling up at her. She touches his now blueish face, only to find it ice cold; his nostrils stuffed with cotton. And then she holds him. She clutches him tightly and cries till she no longer can. Cries till her eyes are blood red in colour. She had never seen any one like this, and the sight of her brother, only presented her with unimaginable and intolerable pain.
She has seen movies, heard about how the icy cold hands of death 'turn people into stars', but she is having a hard time getting her mind around it. She had a slight idea that she would not see him again, and hence, never let her gaze shift from his face. It was only when she and her mother were pulled back, that she had to let go. Her father picked up her brother and carried him to the car.
She was placed on a sofa by someone, where she discovered his Preschool photo album. She spent a long time taking in and stroking the pictures. Many people, including her teachers come to visit her, but she hardly notices. Eventually, she is left alone, and the day passes.
12th September 2010, Sunday
The hours pass without her realising. She is only brought back to reality when her mother asks if she would be going to school the next day. It is then that she recollects that she had her first ever French examination the following day. She is unprepared for it. She knows that she can do it, but she lacks the will. She tells her mother that she doesn't want to go, and her mother agrees.
Three-four days later
Now days pass without her realising it. She is lost in thoughts she never recollects. Watching her parents breaks her; and the fact that she can do nothing to comfort them makes her feel helpless. She thinks that giving them a hug would help, but it only makes them cry harder.
Her mother reminds her that her main exams are starting from the coming Monday, and she can't skip all those. She tries to gather herself to study, but only does so unwillingly.
A few weeks later
Her exams are over, and she has no recollection of them whatsoever. Her mind is in a strange mess. She can't help but burst into tears every day. Her best friend tries to get her together, but ends up calling her 'over-sensitive'. This hurts her even more. She tries as hard as possible to gather herself, but her parents' eyes bring back painful memories. She's waiting for a miracle, something that will fix her family....
Nine months later, she gets that miracle. Although it is not enough to seal the hole deep within her, but is is the best she could have received...
