Stairway to Heaven

17. Ward-Week #4

"So, will you be following in your Father's footsteps and going for General Med—or Opthalmology like your Grandfather—" Mateen glanced up from his mask and looked away from the cauterisation procedure to answer the resident's inquiry.

"Neither, Sir—I'll be going for Cardiothoracic surgery—" He returned plainly before sneaking a glance at Hajra standing beside him; whose gaze was still focused on the surgery.

"Oh—! A surgeon in making huh?! You're one of us, that means—C'mon then! We'll be the judge if you've got the hands of a surgeon or not—" Another resident chided in and Mateen obliged with a nod. He was in the middle of assisting, while answer their queries about the procedure, when Dr. Rafiq; the senior surgeon on case broke in.

"Just because you're born into a family of doctors doesn't automatically make you a great physician—It only makes you a privileged piece of work—" His icy remarks caused a heavy air to fall in the operation theatre and while everyone in the room waited on Mateen to return with a comeback, he quietly kept his head down with eyes glued to the procedure; without so much as batting an eye.

It was always one of two things, that came along with his surname. Either immunity or insult—and Mateen was used to having both of them by now.

He moved away, after a while of assisting and came to stand beside Hajra again, who hadn't so much as said a word so far. He glanced in her direction, while she turned her gaze towards the clock.

"—Suction." The resident standing next to Hajra's side inquired, but she didn't move an inch from her place. A few moments of silence later before the resident could ask again, Mateen interjected himself and turned towards Hajra; who chose that moment to finally look at him.

It only took Mateen a split second to sense what was about to transpire and right before her head fell back and she limped towards the floor, Mateen's body had moved reflexively to hold her. His hands as if they had got a mind of its own, went ahead and caught her in his arms, before collapsing onto the floor with an unconscious Hajra in his embrace.

Moments passed, but Mateen sat frozen in his place; unable to tear his gaze from the lifeless figure in his arms. His whole body shook with tremors and his breaths came out in ragged gasps as he gawked wide-eyed at the cold and unmoving soul in his lap.

"Mu—mush—wake up—mu—"

A painful memory came gnawing at the back of his mind and he felt his heart dropping instantly. The fear crippling his existence into nothingness before leaving him incapacitated.

"Ha—Hajra—" Mateen couldn't recognise the terror stricken voice escaping his quivering lips. He was having a hard time evening out his breath and grabbing a hold of himself.

"—Take off her mask." He overheard someone saying and his trembling hand moved on reflex to pull down her mask. Just looking at her pale face was enough to stop his heart. He didn't even realise when his lips began quivering with unuttered sobs.

"Ha—jra—" His voice broke, as he shakily patted her face and blood smeared across her cheeks from his glove. The sight of it made blood drain from his face and for a moment he just sat there rooted to the spot, white as a sheet; with Hajra's cold and lifeless body in his arms.

His palms were sweaty and the adrenaline coursing through his system was shutting down his ability to think logically. He couldn't hear the sounds of those around him anymore. Still, he somehow managed to take in a sharp gasp before roughly taking off his glove and throwing them to a side. His chest heaved with lack of oxygen while his breaths came out in ragged, shallow gasps.