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I could barely hear her voice, though she was visibly yelling at the driver, hand-signalling him to keep going. Yes, I was in an ambulance, the victim in a hit-and-run case.
Gasping for breath, with sunken eyes, weakened limbs, and a pale face, I was on the stretcher.
I could hear voices and noises.
“Is my time up?” I pondered, lying there.
I could feel the nurse pricking a needle into a vein on the top of my left hand. It was painless because the bleeding from the accident made every part of me, painfully numb.
Suddenly, the stretcher stops moving and everything comes to a stand still.
“We’re getting the medical team ready for you. Stay strong,” said the nurse to me. I could barely agree or disagree.
I could remember all my loved ones at once. Mom, Dad, Husband, Children, Sister… Everyone’s face passed by mine. All loving faces of family and friends. I love them all. They love me back.
I prayed silently, “God, for once, give me a chance to live. I still want to make my presence felt in the world. I still have unfinished goals and dreams to fulfill. You cannot be so unfavorable to your creations.” I could not hold back my thoughts or tears. All the while, what the nurse saw in me was an expression-less tear-marked face.
I pleaded to God, and to the traffic around me oblivious to my situation, “I might die, Please let me go.”
I had little luck. Probably, the traffic was busier than me. There are people transporting things, going to office, or heading for that very important business meeting.
I could feel the driver and the nurse trying their best to keep moving. But without much cooperation from the ‘busier’ people on the road, blocking my ambulance, I started to lose hope.
Once again I prayed silently, “Guys, I might die, Please Let Me Go First…”
Then all of a sudden, something dramatic happened. I could see that I was flying high in the air, high above everything in the world. Feeling so light, I didn’t understand why the nurse seemed to panic. Feeling so light, the traffic that blocked my way now looked very tiny. I’m now high above everything tangible in this world.
To the world, I’m now dead.
Author’s note: Thank you all the busy people who do not give way to an ambulance. You’re successful in liberating souls from the earth! This is a piece of fiction aimed at societal awareness. Let’s take an oath today to stop and let the ambulance pass… How is public behaviour regarding allowing/stalking ambulance in your city? In Hyderabad, there is certainly room for improvement. A real-life incident inspired me to write this story. Nothing in our life can be as important as saving another life by just giving them permission to move before us. Please share this message across your extended groups and save a life!
A version of this was first published here.
Image source: shutterstock
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