The Death

The cool breeze was soothing to Sahithi as she leaned her cheek to the window that was partially open. The bus she had taken home was slow when compared to the family car she usually went home in. The words family and home brought fresh tears to her already swollen eyes. She recalled the events of the past few days that had changed her life forever.

"Sahithi, your father is here." Miss Sharma had called from the crowded Reception area where the parents of the students were registering to take their kids home for the winter vacation. Sahithi had been waiting for this moment as she would get to spend the holidays with her grandparents in the village, eating the delicious sweets, snacks and dishes that would be prepared for one of the most important festivals of Bharat - Sankranthi. It was a three day festival that involved lots of fun mixed with tradition, excitement and joy. It was an out and out farmers' festival and she loved every moment before, during and after the festival. She ran down the stairs with her bag jumping two steps at a time. She was panting by the time she stopped near Miss Sharma.

"I am here Ma'am!" The 50 year old veteran teacher chuckled at Sahithi's enthusiasm. She quickly handed her over to her father after Sahithi had signed in the out going register. Father carried her bag as the daughter, too eager to be home, ran all the way to their car. She hugged her mother, her grandmother and her grandfather, who had come to surprise her.

"We had come to this town on some work four days ago and simply decided to pick you up." Her grandfather explained. "Are you still bothering your teachers?" Sahithi opened her eyes wide as if in shock.

"Grandpa! How could you say that? You know that I am soooooo Innocent!!" her grandmother chuckled while her mother teased her.

"Yes, we know how innocent you are!!"

"Moooooommmmm!!!!"

"Did you eat anything?"

"Mom!!! Don't change the topic!"

"Okay. i thought you would want to eat some ariselu!!"

"YOU BROUGHT ARISELU!!!!!!" Sahithi screamed making her mother plug her ears with her fingers.

"You don't have to shout!"

"Anyone will shout if their parents brought ariselu!!" Sahithi declared as she bit into the two flat, round pieces of the traditional sweet she loved so much. The aroma of fresh ghee made the mouths of anyone nearby water at the delicious sweet made from rice floor-jaggery paste shaped into flat, palm-sized round sweet, deep fried in pure natural ghee. The crispy sweet melted in the mouth as you bit a morsel. Sahithi demolished six of these by the time her father had reached the car with her bag.

"All ready?" he asked as he sat in the driver's seat and turned the car onto the main road and on the way to his village, Surampalli in West Godavari District. As he took the road leading to the NH-65, a toddler suddenly came onto the road and he swerved the car frantically, avoiding the child successfully, but losing control of the car. His efforts to stabilise the car were in vain as the car hit the railing of the culvert they had to pass by and fell in the dry river bed, falling on the large boulders there.

When Sahithi opened her eyes, she was in the hospital, her maternal uncle and aunt sitting beside her anxiously. She felt a splitting headache followed by nausea and she closed her eyes again. She drifted into welcome sleep that reduced the pain. For the next few weeks she drifted in and out of consciousness, finally able to keep herself awake for more than five minutes. She found the room dark and felt frightened. "Mom? Dad? Granny? Grandpa?" she called out tentatively. There was a shuffling of feet and lights were switched on in the ICU she was in. The duty doctor and the nurse examined her administering some medicines making her sleep again. Finally, One day, the doctor had declared that she was 'out of danger' and had shifted her to a private ward. Her cousin was the only person in the room when she opened her eyes. "Where are the others? Mom, dad......?" she asked him. He appeared nervous as he held her hand gently. "You need to be brave Sahi." She stared into his eyes angry that he dared to indicate such a thing. "Why? What happened?"

"You must be strong Sahi." she was irritated.

"What are you talking about? Take me to my parents! I want to see them. Now!" he closed his eyes and tears ran down his cheeks as his voice shook with grief. "We lost them in the accident, Sahi. Spot dead."

"LIAR!!!!" Sahithi screamed at him trying to push him out of the way. He held her fast despite her furious onslaught on him to free herself. He held on till she ceased hitting him; then he produced his mobile phone and played a video to her. Sahithi couldn't believe what she saw - the video showed her father's funeral. He was one of the richest farmers in West Godavari District and was very popular. There were thousands of people who paid their last respects to her parents and grand parents. It was the most heart-breaking video one could ever see. The accident had turned her into an orphan. She was too stunned to even react; how do you react when you lose everyone you loved and trusted the most? How do you even react when you lose your whole family in one night? How do you even react when you are the only survivor of an accident that took away your family? It was something that happened in movies - not in real life!

The doctors had taken another two days to declare her fully fit and discharged her from the hospital. She barely spoke with her aunt, uncle or their son who had broken the earth shattering news to her. What could she say? She had no idea why she was even alive or why she was even going to a place that was full of sweet memories with people who had now become - memories.