SAGA- THE REVENGE STORY OF A BLO0DY SURGEON

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

I

twas a moderately furnished room with a 55 inch LCD TV, shimmering with the reflected mid-afternoon’s sun rays, and a Fish tank which had several small goldfish. Surya entered the room with his thick beard and unkempt hair and sprawled leisurely on the sofa. His gaze drifted towards the fish tank what kind of a lifestyle the fish had.

"What a life! You don't even have eyelids. You have to see all this s**t happening in this world", with a scowl on his face he spat on the floor and took another gulp of the diluted Scotch in his right hand. He suddenly was reminded of something. He called out for Ramulu, his servant, an old and lean man with dark complexion, grey hair and pepper and salt beard. Clad in a kurta and a lungi, he obediently folded his hands and stood in front of Surya.

"Bring me some polythene covers"

"Why do you want them sir?"

“Do I have to explain myself to you?” The servant complied and brought a few polythene covers. Surya stood up and immersed his hands in the fish tank. He removed all the fish and put them in the water filled polythene covers one after another. The servant interrupted "What are you doing sir?"

"To explain this I need to tell you a story. Sit here”

He obeyed and sat cross-legged on the floor. “No! Sit on the sofa” He hesitantly sat on the sofa with eyes filled with amusement.

“There was a small aquarium full of fish. Among them one fish was not satisfied being there as it missed its home. As it grew bigger, the small aquarium felt congested. The other fish had never known what the ocean felt like. They were content with the small place. Ignorance is bliss. But they forced our hero fish to stay like them. So frustrating! One day it heard some sound outside. A fish asked them to jump from the aquarium. The other fish refused to do so; their world was limited to the fish tank. The hero fish believed and jumped out of the fish tank"

The servant asked "What happened sir?” "It managed to escape into the ocean and became free. After a while the fish grew as big as a whale."

"So what does this have to do with you throwing out these fish?" The servant asked. "Some of these fish might grow to the size of a whale. What if I am hampering their growth? I don't want them to have the same situation I am dealing" Surya beamed with confidence.

"How many pegs did you consume sir?" Ramulu mumbled in a sarcastic tone, "What?" "Nothing sir! It's a nice story!" He applauded whimsically. "Don't overact!" Ramulu stood up silently studying him. He was about to go to the toilet, but stopped and looked over his shoulders and said "Similarly, few days later, another fish from outside asked the inhabitants of the aquarium to jump out. Only one of them complied and jumped"

"Did it become a whale too?" Ramulu asked with feigned excitement. “It was roasted alive as it jumped onto a pan" He laughed at his own joke. The servant looked dumb with an idiotic grin on his face. “Do you know what the difference between the two stories is?”

“What, sir?"

“In the first story it was a male fish from the ocean who asked them to jump out. In the 2nd story it was a female fish from the adjacent fish tank."

He gulped the Scotch in his hand again, "What is the moral of the story?" "When you jump, always check if it's an ocean or a pan!"

“No. Verify it’s boy or girl who asked. If it’s a girl never trust”

The servant became silent. A dog walked into hall from the adjacent room and sat next to him. "Come on Malia, here is the food" He placed the dog food in the bowl and was about to add milk to it.

"What are you doing?" Surya asked grimly.

"I am pouring milk sir!"

"My dog should not have such bad habits", and he poured the scotch into the pedigree.

"Sir!" Ramulu protested.

"Shut up! I know what I am doing".

Few minutes later, he slowly dozed off next to his dog. Ramulu gathered all his belongings and decided to leave this place for good.

After a few hours, the doorbell rang. Surya woke up drowsily and opened the door.

“Hi” Shravani, a girl in a red dress with a cunning smile nudged him and barged inside.

Surya woke up with a start only to see his dog wagging its tail. He was on his bed beside the girl. She embraced him tightly with her arms. He wiggled himself out of her grip and checked his phone. There were 10 missed calls from his seniors Soniya and Taniya! Their sole aim was to tame Surya. Their attempts to discipline him mostly ended in failure. Surya was a different person until a few years ago. Circumstances forced him to become a reckless alcoholic. Hard work makes you a donkey. The harder you work, the quicker you become a donkey

He looked at his watch. It was8 pm.

The fish in the polythene cover probably cursed their fate. They might have wondered how someone like him could turn out to be a doctor. He doesn't even care about his fish. How he can care for his patients? Thankfully, they didn’t have a mouth. Their anger fuelled tirade, filled with the choicest abuses, could be compiled into a book.

Surya forgot that he was supposed to be on duty at the hospital on Sunday! He didn't even care about verifying the schedule with his friends! He shuddered at the idea of having to face his seniors! You might be wondering how Surya, who was once brave and rebellious, tuned into a bag of tottering anxiety. Partly out of drink and partly out of guilt! He quickly wore his shirt. Shravani drowsily asked “What were you doing? Come on! It’s just a duty day.”

“Yeah but my seniors are calling me”

“Sir! I thought you highly of you. Are you really afraid of your seniors?” Those words hurt his ego. Yeah! True! Why do I care what they think about me? He leisurely pounced onto the bed and kissed her. The next instant, Vishnu called him. He answered the call.

“Hello! Surya! Where were you?”

“I am busy with some important task. I will call you later” lied Surya unabashedly.

“Are you still hanging-out with your dog? Come on… you need to be here. They were so serious.”

“Why the hell did they become serious all of a sudden?” Surya asked as he grabbed her waist. She clutched a bed sheet to her chest as Surya continued to talk on the phone. “Did you forget? It’s your turn to get the food!”

“That’s absolutely bullshit! You’ve hurt my ego. I will never come.” and he hung up the call.

“I want you forever Sir! Why don’t we start a relationship?” the girl told with seducing tone.

“Shravani! Who f****d with your brain? How did you get such a preposterous idea? I told you clearly that I am not interested in any relationship!” He immediately shoved her aside and dashed out of the room.

“At least let me get my clothes!” She quickly put on her clothes. She glared at him with contempt as he shut the door on her face.

While combing his hair he looked at the pitiful fish. He felt bad for them. How long have they been suffocating? Praise the heights of compassion for them. Even the knaves do have scruples. He hesitated a bit before leaving the flat. He phone-called his friend Faizaan.

"Bhai! What's the matter? You called at this time?" answered Faizaan, young, lean, fair-complexioned with an athletic body. He was the Surya’s dearest friend. They had studied in the same school. He had helped him solve the mystery of the East Hill house when he’d been to Manali.

Surya replied “You have to do me a favour"

"What yaar! I can give my life for you". That was another example of alcoholic bravado. Surya understood that Faizaan was drunk.

"I need you to throw some of my fish into the Hussain Sagar Lake". Faizaan made the mistake of asking "But why?"

Surya narrated the same story which he’d told his servant. The moral of which was that girls are not loyal and one should never trust or love them

Faizaan immediately spat and brought the receiver close to his mouth and conveyed his apprehension about throwing the fish.

“I know that some people exploit their friends. But I have come across anyone ask for something as preposterous as this.“

“It’s not like that yaar! I feel compassion for the fish. I have a night duty now and was drunk"

"You are going to the hospital after getting drunk?” Faizaan sounded aghast. Surya obviously didn’t notice that.

"Actually, I forgot there is a rotational Sunday duty."

"What? You didn't know you have a duty? I have meet several disgusting people and heard many absurd stories. But I have never seen a guy like you! You got drunk, slept all day and also forgot that you have to report for work at the hospital. And now you want me to throw some stupid fish in into a lake!"

"Macha, please do this!" Surya implored.

"Don't involve me in your sins. Do it yourself! If possible, just jump into the Hussain Sagar! Bye!" And hung up the phone.

"Hello! Hello", Surya looked at his phone desperately. He looked at the fish, and then at the number of missed calls from his seniors. His face was a series of contortions expressing mixed emotions. Suddenly his stomach churned and immediately dashed to the toilet. He came out after an hour.

His seniors were repeatedly calling him. He didn't know how to face their rage. He was reminded of his Assistant Professor and called him! He was the duty surgical officer!

"Hullo Sir!"

"Hullo!" he heard a hoarse voice on the other side.

"Sorry sir, I couldn't come to duty... Actually, one of my relatives had an accident... I ..."

"Why are you telling all this to me?" He asked bluntly.

Surya looked towards his phone. You are the DSO Dumbo!

"Sir! You are the DSO for today?"

"Call the senior resident and inform him" and hung up the phone. The next moment Surya called his SR who was a decent man, the only person who had concern about his well-being.

“Hello!"

"Sir!" Surya feigned sobbing “One of my relatives met with a severe accident! I had to take him to the hospital."

"You should have informed in the morning... right?" the SR asked sternly.

"It happened yesterday at midnight. He is admitted in the ICU at Yashoda hospital”. That’s the irony! The man who was so recklessly drunk and slept all day, is now was talking about rescuing his relative! "I reached the accident scene rescued him and got him admitted at Yashoda hospital... Yashoda sir... Malakpet! "Surya faltered "And the staff was so helpful. I really liked the hospitality of the hospital"

A person talks too much when he makes up lies and desperately try to convince others. His SR sensed his lies and was so annoyed for being disturbed so late at night.

"Sir! I will come now. I am dressed up already.'' Surya pretended as if he was running, intentionally breathing rapidly" Almost reached my bike in parking lot."

"What will you do after coming at this hour? Take rest” ... Surya couldn't believe what he heard.

"Sir! I never knew that you were such a good person Sir!”

The SR hung up as he couldn't bear this sycophancy. Surya was so relieved that he didn't have to go to the hospital and dozed off.

He heard the crinkling sound of the polythene covers which woke him up. He stared for a moment at them and stood up decisively being reminded of his responsibility.

After getting dressed, he grabbed the covers and rode on his Bullet to the Hussain Sagar Lake. The road was empty and desolate at this hour. He precariously parked his bike in the middle of the road, strode all the way to the edge of the road to open the polythene cover and set the fish free. At the edge of the road standing over the fence he stooped to peek into the water to unravel the fish in his hands. It felt a sudden temptation to jump inside the water. For the past year he was quite disturbed. The vibes of the young talented surgeon were gone long time ago. Now his profession turned to burdensome. His life became empty and demotivating. Typical symptoms of depression. Depression can bring any person so low. Is this way my life ends?

The cool breeze against his face gave him no comfort. The starry sky with early morning bluish tinge appears bleak and dull. The statues heralded in the footpath were appeared staring at him as if they were judging. Ironically, Jansi Rani Lakshmi Bhai’s statue, riding on her horse with her sword raise in one hand and holding the reins with other hand which was installed as a token of bravery, was intimidating him.

Suddenly the water was flooded with the blood from the dead bodies which began floating momentarily with dull and eerie face. Most of them were old people with wrinkled face and shabby appearance drifting away in the pool blood. Surya panicked all of sudden with an adrenalin rush inside made his heart breath go rapid. His heart bled for the dead bodies. Tears were trickling down his face. Wish I could help you.

The next moment a dead couple with familiar appearances rose to their feet with blood smeared upon their sleepy and tilted heads.

Yes, you could have helped us but you didn’t. Our blood is on your hands.

These voices echoed in the air. And the other dead bodies stood erect and all began advancing towards him floating in the air.

We are the demons in your head. How do you help yourself.

Their eyes opened all of sudden, appearing blood shot with anger in their contorted faces. This made Surya’s eyes widen and his face whiten with fear. Suddenly, he guarded his face with his hands and shrieked “No!”