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Dhatri blinked open her eyes.  The room was brighter she looked around to find nothing …! Again she turned and closed her eyes.  

“Run… Baby… Save yourself…!” Grumpy was pleading.. She floundered…! 

“I must escape….!” She sat up with a jerk.  Her wrists pained… The IV needle pricked painfully… The blood oozed out under her skin.  The swelling filled with blood under her skin.  She shrieked.  A nurse came in hurriedly.

“God! Shit!” she removed the needle, stopped the drip.  Took out Thrombosis Ointment and applied hurriedly on the back of her palm and wrist.  Dhatri looked up at her gauging the distance between the bed and the open door.  The nurse turned her back and Dhatri leapt over the bed.  The nurse shrieked, this time.  The paramedic waiting outside the door blocked her way pushing her inside.  Dhatri fell on the floor.  He picked her up and threw her on the bed.  “Strap her!” the nurse ordered.  A figure appeared at the door.

“Please… Please… My son… Please save him…!” The black lady pleaded and the nurse left Dhatri to attend to “Winfree…!” The paramedic came in tying Dhatri to the bed again. 

Winfree had lost his voice again…! He was admitted to the hospital a month back for severe laryngitis…He was hoarse..! His voice had changed… he had difficulty swallowing…! He was brought to this charitable hospital when he lost his voice completely.  

The doctors diagnosed cancer… Hypopharyngeal cancer (laryngopharyngeal cancer) begins in the x (laryngopharynx) — the lower part of the throat, just above the esophagus and windpipe.   Surgery was one of the options.  But the doctor said, there was a new medicine which would cure this and harmless.  Poor D’amama went for the second option as the Doctors said that a part of his vocal folds would be removed by surgery, which would affect his speech permanently. 

A month had passed and there was no improvement in his condition.  She had signed the papers for the Informed consent, though she knew very little about the medicines they were administering or about the disease, her son was suffering.  

And that day, Winfree escaped the torturous, painful tests and landed into Dhatri’s room.  His voice returned miraculously and he kept saying, the girl cured him.  D’Amama was astonished.  Her son spoke after around three months and the Doctors said his condition had worsen…! 

******  ********

She tried her last chance to enter Dhatri’s room, as she had promised her son that she would find the girl.  Dhatri was strapped, struggling …! There was no one inside.  She took the change and entered.

“Hey… Girl.. Are you ok?” she asked keeping her palm on Dhatri’s forehead.  Dhatri opened her eyes in shock.  She was scared… D’amama freed her from straps…! Dhatri leapt up and in two strides was at the door.

“No.. stop..!” D’amama held her from behind.  Dhatri struggled but D;amama proved to be stronger.  

“Stop… Listen to me…!” she whispered in Dhatri’s ear dragging her inside.  She pulled Dhatri on the bed again.  “Listen, girl… You just can’t escape… Do you understand? You ain’t strong enough…! There’s security all around…!” she pinned Dhatri down.  Dhatri looked on.  D’amama heard the footsteps…!

“Look! I will come back… “ she said strapping Dhatri again and moving out swiftly.  Dhatri looked on with hazy vision.  She had lost the chance.  But the lady seemed to be kind.  She prayed… “Mari mai.. Mari mai…!”

“What were you doing in there?” One of the paramedic asked sternly holding D’amama’s arm.  She looked at him scared.

“I was just passing by… heard her cry for water…!” she said faintly, pleading …! The paramedic left her.  “You can’t enter…!” he said at her back.  She nodded hurrying away.  

“Shit…. I forgot this…!” She took out the Kirthimukh…! She was in dual mind.. She wanted to run back to the girl and give her the togo mask.. but was scared …! Poor lady wouldn’t afford to offend the people in the hospital as she was getting free treatment for her ailing son.  But she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about the strapped girl who looked fragile and pale…! The togo mask was of the girl and she should return it.  She turned … came to the room. A guard was at the door.  He stopped her.

“What’s happened to the girl?” she asked casually.  The guard didn’t respond.  D’amama lingered there….The guard looked at her.

“My son is in …. Cancer…!” she said gathering sympathy.  “He sent this for the girl… “ She showed the locket… and then added hurriedly… “They are friends..” The guard looked at the pendent in her hand and then stretched out his hand to take it.

“No.. I can’t… It’s my son’s wish…!” she held it away.  “Sorry, M’am you can’t enter!” the guard sent her away.  She came back.. she had to wait for another opportunity…!

***********   *******

“Hey… hey… where are you taking her?” D’amama was running behind.  The paramedics were carrying her.  They took her into the open elevator and D’amama squeezed herself into the elevator.  

“What happened?” she asked one of them to get no response.  She leaned forward and touched Dhatri’s forehead.  Dhatri opened her eyes to find the same lady before her eyes.  She shut them closed in fright.  D’amama held her hand inserting her kirthimukh into her fist.  Dhatri felt the warmth.  She felt her pendent.  She opened her eyes.  D’amama tried to smile at her.  Dhatri clutched her kirthimukh.  “Mari mai… Mari mai…!”

“Where are you taking her?” D’amama asked as the elevator stopped at basement.  She followed Dhatri holding her hand.  The paramedics didn’t stop her.  D’amama saw the board of MRI room and suddenly realized… Dhatri cannot carry her pendent inside….! D’amama bent forward and opening Dhatri’s fist, took the kirthimuch “I will keep it… Till you finish …!” She gestured at MRI room.  Dhatri gaped at her blankly.  Her protection, her kirthimukh was still in safe hands…!  D’amama felt an urge to protect this unknown girl.  She prayed her Lord to save her son and this poor girl…! 

She waited outside the room with bated breath.  After a very long time Dhatri was brought out.  D;amama came forward and held Dhatri’s hand walking with the other paramedics.  As they approached Dhatri’s room, the guard stopped D’amama.  

“I am told to be with her…” she looked at the persons carrying Dhatri.  One of them nodded as he had seen D’amama waiting outside the MRI lab for Dhatri.  She walked in with Dhatri.  

“Look.. girl… you have someone, I contact?” she asked in what she thought to be a clear tone.  Dhatri looked blank… D’amama turned disappointed…!

“Ravi…” Dhatri blurted and D’amama turned with hope.  “You know someone?” she asked and Dhatri blinked.  “Number?” D’mama asked impatiently.  She should know before the guard came in and threw her out.  Dhatri trembled.  She didn’t know his number..!

“E mail..” she said with efforts.  “D’amama had nothing to note down.  

“Didi… Disha didi…” Dhatri blurted… Helplessness crept in..

“Hey… out..!” The guard was at the door to Drive her away.  

“Lend me your pen…” she almost ordered and the guard drove her away clutching her arm…!  Dhatri’s Kirthimukh fell down .. The guard picked it up and pocketed it…!