Fazi
1012 Words
He turned around in his bed, still unable to move from the immense pain in his back. He had been bedridden for almost about a week at that point. His back hurt and so did his fractured skull. He tried grabbing the glass of water that was kept at his bedside table with trembling hands. But the crashing sound of his failed attempt made the nurses run in with alarm.
" Are you hurt, young sir? "
" Why didn't you ring the bell? "
" You should have called us. You know we are always here to help. "
He knew. He knew they were at his beck and call. And he hated the fact that his father still had the means and way to control his life, so far away.
He had hated him. Hated him from his very core. Especially ever since his mother died after she left his home. He was very little at that time. He had no way of knowing what infidelity was. But his heart ached for his mother, who had left in a rush, only to return in a shroud after some days. Little Fazi could only leech onto her lifeless body, trying desperately to revive her.
" She is gone."
" That's not your mother anymore, my boy. "
Echoed through his ears, as he covered them in pain. His father had been the one to rush and hug him. He was the only one left to give him love and care. But as Fazi grew, he saw several women enter his father's room at odd hours of the night clearly. They would mostly be dressed in obscene and sultry clothes. It wasn't an unfamiliar sight. But Fazi was fast teaching the age where he could decipher the meaning behind it clearly. He felt his mother's pain. Her death wasn't just skin deep. He would often stay awake late all night and weep. With growing age, this pent up emotion burst into rage. He couldn't share it with anybody, neither did he know a way for it to uncage.
It had been one such night. He had decided to leave his home for good. He had rang his maternal grandmother, who lived abroad.
" I am coming to you, Nana. Do you mind if I stayed with you for awhile? "
" Of course you can, my boy. Do you even need to ask? "
He had not wasted a single moment after the conversation. He had gone straight to the airplane then landed at the destined port.
His Nana was there to pick him up. He was relieved and over joyed to hug her after so long.
"Ahhh! Look at you. You have become so skinny. Didn't your father give you food? "
Fazi had rolled his eyes over. He didn't want to start a conversation about his dad after getting away from him finally. He had trotted with his Nana like he used to as a little child, untill they were inside her car.
The music was at full blast. They jammed and vived as if the years hadn't passed.
But the card of fate is hard to ditch and it hits every time without a miss. A truck came at them from the opposite direction, definitely with its breaks failed.
"Nana watch out. " were the only words Fazi was able to utter before his Nana's quick reflexes made her kick Fazi out of the moving car, moments before she blew up in the accident.
He, too, was badly injured . But he was saved. He was rushed to the hospital and promptly shifted to the VIP ward after his father intervened.
Fazi hated it. He hated himself more. He blamed himself for bringing this on his grandmother. He hated being dependent on his father even after leaving home.
It was the day his father was scheduled to arrive. Work had kept him away for a week. Fazi was, as usual, in a bad mood and the over-attentive nurses didn't help either.
He kept staring at the clock. Anticipating the dreaded meeting. However, strangely, the clock kept ticking.
It felt odd. He was never behind time. Fazi had his feelings mixed. He didn't know how he should have reacted properly.
" Can I use your phone to make a call? "
He had finally asked one of the nurses, who had smilingly obliged
The calls kept going to the voice mail. There was no one answering.
" This is strange. " Fazi wondered, but there wasn't much he could do in that state.
The next day, their old butler, Mr. Hochi was the one, sitting beside Fazi's bed. Striking his hair with his out-stretched arms.
" Mr. Hochi? "
Fazi had tried getting up as fast as he could.
" Slowly young master. "
He had uttered softly as a tear drop fell from his eyes.
" What's wrong, Mr. Hochi? Why are you here instead of dad? "
Fazi asked, unaware what the answer might unveil.
" Your Dad... Your Dad's no more... "
was all Mr. Hochi was able to get out before he burst in front of him, unable to hold his tears.
It felt like the air around him had shattered. There was way too much noise inside Fazi's head. He was very unsure of his emotions. He didn't know he even cared.
There were warm droplets, automatically rolling down his trembling cheeks. He looked around the room, searching, but he didn't know what the thing was that he was looking for.
" What happened? "
He uttered after a long time. Clearing his throat and mind. Wiping his nose and face as he did so.
Mr. Hochi too seemed lost at the question. He seemed lost and trying to articulate. Fazi watched him, very calm and patient.
Then, after a few moments, he finally looked Fazi in the eye and uttered, " V-O-L-C-A-N-O"
" What? Volcano? My father? Where? "
Fazi's face looked more curious at the news. It definitely was curiosity rather than despair.
- Writer
