Short Story 5 : The Crash

The Crash

                           - T ABRAHAM

    The days were running past, and it was the start of autumn. It has been months since the Eddies were admitted in the Tedding Hospital and there has been a gradual recovery seen upon both Mr. and Mrs. Eddy but little Stuffy has been in a coma and has not yet opened his eyes. ‘Will he ever come back to normalcy?’ asked Mr. Eddy to Dr. Ruddy who has been a constant aid in bringing back them to the state they were before the accident.

(SOURCE: AI GENERATED IMAGE)

 

   Moving back in time to the month of June. It was the time when the Eddies had decided to take a long drive to the Bearling Hill Station which was located in the Cotton Nagar. Mrs. Eddy as usual started with her dull speeches and asked Mr. Eddy, ‘Should we go to the hill station during these holidays?’. ‘Why, don’t you think it is a good idea?’, asked Mr. Eddy. Mrs. Eddy felt something disturbing her from deep within and she could sense something wrong might happen. Mr. Eddy notices the gloom conquering over Mrs. Eddy’s face and he understood that she is worried, as usual. Mr. Eddy asked, ‘Are you not feeling well?’. Mrs. Eddy did not answer him directly but she said, ‘I think we can better go to your parent’s house for this holiday and can consider the hill station for a later date’. ‘Why my dear? What’s wrong?’, asked Mr. Eddy, with a rather more troubled look she just nodded her head and just accepted his decision.
    Stuffy was not around when his parents were discussing about their trip but has gone to meet his friend to spend some time at their house. The very next day when Mr. and Mrs. Eddy woke up very early and Stuffy, getting distracted by the chaotic routine with its noises all over, understood that they were going for a trip. ‘Mamma, Pappa, where are we going?’, asked little Stuffy. But his mother and father were really very busy in packing up their bags with the food which they would need during their long drive to the Bearling Hill Station.

    Then, Mr. Eddy noticed little Stuffy asking something to them. ‘What’s the matter my boy?’ asked Mr. Eddy. ‘Where are we going papa?’ asked Stuffy. ‘We are going to spend a week at the Bearling Hill Station my boy. Since it is a very long journey for us, your mom and I are getting things ready for all three of us’. Little Stuffy was overjoyed after hearing these words from his father and had started to help his parents to speed up their preparations.

    It was already evening, and the darkness started to conquer the sky. All the three of them were carrying all the luggage and other stuffs which were needed during their stay at the hill station. Mrs. Eddy locked the door and headed towards the car. She had suddenly noticed that Mr. Eddy seems to be very tired. A weariness and burden was pulling his eyelids to close partially and then open up. ‘Will you be able to drive to the hill station?’ asked Mrs. Eddy and suddenly Mr. Eddy woke up and said, ‘Yes, we are going today. To the hill station’. Mrs. Eddy was a bit worried, but made up her mind and lighted the lamp of hope and optimism inside her.

    They had started off from their home at six o’clock in the evening and it was during the middle of the night when the car was speeding off and when Mrs. Eddy woke up due to the irregular motion of the car. Mr. Eddy was fast asleep and the steering was in his hands. Mrs. Eddy was terrified and tried to wake him up, but the car drifted apart and also their lives drifted apart along with it. The car went in front of a huge bus and the whole of the sight was flashing upon Mrs. Eddy and everything went dark for her.

    The whole of the accident was caused because of Mr. Eddy’s bad health. That morning when he was getting things ready he took a certain dose of medicines to relieve himself from the mucus which was deposited in his nasal cavity. Since, the medicine causes drowsiness and puts anybody to fast asleep he was feeling tired before the start of their drive.

    It was the beginning of August, when Mr. Eddy woke up from his deep sleep after the accident. Mrs. Eddy who had escaped with minor injuries was still fast asleep in the hospital bed. It was around the mid of August, Mrs. Eddy woke up. ‘Where is Stuffy?’ asked Mrs. Eddy to Dr. Ruddy who was standing beside her. Mr. Eddy was relieved to see her wake up from her deep sleep but was conquered by guilt and sadness once her question ringed upon him. ‘The little one might not survive Mrs. Eddy’, said Dr. Ruddy in a tone of resignment. Tears started to fall from both Mr. and Mrs. Eddy’s eyes. Dr. Ruddy was working upon little Stuffy’s recovery but there was no improvements.

    After around a week’s time Stuffy was able to stir a little, but there were no other movements possible. Then when Dr. Ruddy examined little Stuffy he said to Mr. and Mrs. Eddy, ‘The little one might wake up from coma in a day’s time, but his kidneys are damaged’. This has shocked Mrs. Eddy and she started to cry. Dr. Ruddy consoled both of them saying, he already knew a donor who is a compatible one for their son and he went out.

    The following day little Stuffy woke up and Dr. Ruddy was on leave for around a week. Then one day he appeared, very weak and pale. Dr. Ruddy started to operate on little Stuffy and he was back to normalcy. Both Mr. and Mrs. Eddy were overjoyed and asked whether they could meet the donor. ‘You have already met him. He was with you all this time during your illness and recovery’. Both of them were confused, but suddenly little Stuffy started to cry and continuously uttered without stopping for a moment, ‘thank you doctor, thank you so much. I will never forget this for all the days of my life till I am alive’.

    Mr. and Mrs. Eddy looked upon Dr. Ruddy and were struck from deep within. Their son’s donor. It was none other than him.