THE LAST WISH

Short-story

The Last Wish

The ‘Last Wish’ provided an impregnable and impenetrable shield to Ganga Ram’s ‘Last Breath’ on the deathbed, admitted in a hospital in US. Even mighty corona failed to  break it. And eventually, defeated and dejected  corona left the body amidst trail of deaths in US . . . .Read a story based on a real story.

By Mukesh Sharma

 Heart was injured and exhausted. But it wouldn’t surrender; it wouldn’t give up; it wouldn’t give in; it would fight unto last beat. Like a fearless commander, Heart stood to galvanize its soldiers  - lungs, liver, kidney, intestine along with RBC, WBC, Platelets and Antigens in legion. Heart called upon all to fight unto death for the body  - the kingdom of Mind. The fierce fight was going on all the fronts. Corona army had spread out in the body. Soldiers were felling like flies. Unstopped corona army was marching ahead ravaging territory after territory; it was heading for the citadel - Mind, to occupy the body and register yet another victory in its name.

A serious but silent war was also raging even outside the body. The intravenous infusion pump, nasogastric tube, indwelling urinary catheter and a small monitor at bedside were working together on the body to support the fighting soldiers of the body inside from outside, well under the command of doctors and nurses dressed in protective gear from top to toe with a view to thwart any attempt of ambush by the corona 'mariners'. Suddenly, body took a deep devilish breath and stopped breathing further. Doctors immediately put the body on ventilator to pump air in and out. Monitor was just blinking showing an irregular heart- beat. Perhaps the war had reached the last leg. But even doctors were not ready to surrender. Medicines after medicines were being injected into intravenous tube but in vain. War continued. Hope never dies and possibilities never end.

The Last Wish

Inside body, corona army had occupied the most of the territories. It had broken into the highly protected forte too – Mind. Corona army was looking for the ‘last breath’ which was hidden somewhere in labyrinthine lanes of Mind. Corona army couldn’t have claimed its victory without capturing and killing the last breath. Eventually, the army zeroed in on the ‘last breath’. To its utter astonishment, corona army found the last breath lying comfortably in two layered protective sheath of a WISH. After an incessant and concerted attack for hours together, corona army was able to make a crack in outer layer. Somehow, a few corona soldiers managed to wriggle through the crack and reached the last layer.  But, surprisingly enough, the moment they ( corona army soldiers) touched the shield, they got burnt. And millions burnt out but the shield remained intact. After hours of vain attempt, corona army chief decided to move out of the body -  this body was not the only target for the corona; there were millions to grab.

The moment corona army moved out of body, all gadgets put outside the body started buzzing with life signs.  Doctors sprang to their feet, clenched fists in jubilation and shouted: “ we have made it”. Wearing confused looks, nobody knew how it happened.

The patient who recovered up, was a native resident of Haridwar, Uttrakhand, India. He was an elderely man pushing 65. He came to US just to see his daughter and son-in law residing in New York for years. As luck would have it, he was caught by deadly corona. He was rushed to Elmurst Hospital, in New York. On hospital bed, he made a Last Wish:  “I wish to breathe to last at the bank of maa Ganga in the lap of my motherland India, not here in US.” It is world-wide acknowledged fact that no bacteria or virus can survive in holy water of Ganga. And this last wish provided an impregnable and impenetrable shield to Ganga Ram’s last breath. Faith is stronger than reasons.