It was Always You by Sudeep Nagarkar

Author:Sudeep Nagarkar
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Random House India Private Limited
Published: 2022-11-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

I still wonder how … did I get infected when we went to the doctor’s clinic in the hospital or when I went to the office? I’m still unable to breathe freely. With every passing moment, it feels like the virus is tightening its stranglehold on me and killing me slowly from the inside. I feel so weak that I can barely get off my bed. Should I tell Shruti and my parents, or will they get needlessly worried? Aai said that sudden shocks aren’t good for Shruti. Will she be able to handle it if I tell her that I feel my condition is deteriorating?

As the old adage goes, an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Although Karan’s mind, in his weakened state, dwelt on all the worst-case scenarios, he kept his gloomy forebodings to himself.

The onset of the virus had been subtle and had come out of nowhere, with an innocuous tickle in the throat. He had promptly isolated himself so as to not risk the lives of others. The next night, he started feeling worse and developed such a bad headache that he had to cough softly to avoid discomfort. The antibiotics didn’t work. Gradually every ounce of energy from his body was depleted, and now, he had even developed a slight breathing problem. He knew it was wrong to keep these symptoms to himself when he ought to have flagged it to his family, but he felt it was bearable and hoped he would soon feel better. He washed his face to camouflage his exhaustion and video-called Shruti.

‘Have your test results come? It has been more than twenty-four hours now,’ he said in a weary voice.

‘Not yet … but how are you feeling now? Any better?’ Shruti asked; the underlying panic was evident in her tone.

‘Slightly,’ he lied, but Shruti could see the paleness of his face and his struggle to even speak properly.

‘You are lying just so I won’t worry, right?’

‘No, believe me … I’m slightly better than I was yesterday,’ Karan lied again. ‘Are you or my parents feeling any symptoms?’

‘Not yet. We’re fine and we want you to get well soon. We need you to be with us, especially me. I can’t go through all this alone. You promised to stay with me. So, to honour that promise, you have to recover fast.’ Shruti’s eyes were moist.

‘Don’t cry. If you won’t be strong, how will I have the strength to overcome this?’ Karan comforted her, despite lacking the energy to even hold his phone.

Shruti smiled through her tears, assuring him that she would take care of herself.

Karan felt horrible, being unable to meet any of his family members despite living in the same house. Although his mother or Shruti left a tray outside his room without fail for every meal, he yearned for their touch, warmth and affection. He had to battle not only the virus but also the demons in his thoughts. Although Shruti and his parents gave him moral support

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