Soul Asylum chapter 3

Chapter 3

 

 

Rafiq slowly opened his eyes.

 

     “Welcome back, Rafiq,” said a soft sweet voice at the side of his bed. Rafiq turned his head and smiled.

 

Rozita was sitting closely at the side holding his hand.

 

     “How long have I been out?” asked Rafiq gently. His head still hurts, he tried to sit up but Rozita gently pushed him down.

 

     “Easy there, you’re not fully recovered. Mak and Abah has gone home..” Rafiq laid back and looked at his fiancé. Rozita gently wiped his forehead with a wet towel.

 

     “You were unconscious for almost a month now. You got everyone very worried.” Rafiq didn’t say a word. He was just happy to be with her. The sun shone into the room. It was a beautiful day for a walk. How he wished that he could take Rozita out, just the two of them. He missed her dearly.

 

Rozita turned to get a glass of water for Rafiq, when she turned back to the bed she saw that he was still watching her.

 

     “What?” asked Rozita. Rafiq shook his head and smiled.

 

     “I just missed you that’s all.”  Rozita took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

 

     “I was so worried for you Rafiq. The doctors said that there was swelling in your  brain, it wasn’t serious and there was nothing to worry but you just lay there. It seems like forever, we wanted to do another CT scan just to make sure.” Rozita’s lips quivered and tears welled in her eyes.

 

Rafiq kissed her hand to comfort her and said gently and surely,

 

     “I’m here aren’t I?”  The two of them talked and laughed, touching each other’s hands to reassure that they were together again. Rozitas hair fell on her face. Raiq brushed it aside. Her hazel brown eyes sparkle when she smiled.

 

There was a gentle knock on the door. Rafiq’s eyes brighten up when he saw who it was. Standing at the doorway was his parents. His mother looked tired and thin but there was no mistaken how happy she was that he was awake. His father also looked tired and old. Rafiq felt guilty at causing his parents pain.

 

His mother rushed to his bed and gave him a long warm hug. It felt good. Everything felt good. He and his father shook hands.

 

A lot had happened that Rafiq was not aware. They had caught the person who had hit him. It was a teenager. He was racing with another friend that fateful night. He was almost going 170km per hour when he lost control of the car. He tried to maneuver the car to the side of the road and he didn’t see Rafiq. It was when he heard the loud thumping sound that he realized what had happened. Frighten, the teenager fled the scene. Rafiq was lucky that there were a lot of cars on the road. A number of them stopped to assist him and one of them drove him to the hospital. A passerby saw the incident and managed to catch the license plat of the runaway car. A police report was lodged; the teenager was brought to the police station and was release until a hearing was made.

 

Rafiq should feel satisfied that the teenager was caught, after all he did this to him but he somehow felt sorry for thee boy. It wasn’t easy to know that you had almost killed someone.

 

     “We have some good news for you,” said his father smiling broadly.

 

     “What?” asked Rafiq feeling nervous, he looked at his mother and Rozita. Both of them were also grinning.

 

     “What?”

 

     “Telekom, called a week after the accident. They said that they have approve your application and wanted you to work for them.”

 

     “Me?”asked Rafiq feeling overwhelmed. He felt so happy but a question crossed his mind.

 

     “But my leg, can I go into work immediately? Surely they won’t wait for me?” His father shook his head.

 

     “We all thought the same thing. We told the Telekom people what had happened.

Surprise…surprise they still want you, son. They were willing to wait and wished you a fast recovery so that you can start work as soon as you get well.”

 

     “Isn’t that wonderful,” said Rozita beside him.Rafiq smiled and reached for his hand. This was the best way to wake up from a coma. Now he could plan for his future.

 

Rafiq felt his head hurt. He looked up at Rozita but his vision was getting blurry. There were sudden flashes- him at a grave site- him shouldering a coffin wrapped on top with green clothe and Al-Quran wording on it. He could hear voices, strang unfamiliar voices. He felt like the worl was spinnig around him. Bright flashes….loud voices. His vision was getting unfocused. He shook his head trying to shake all the voices and flashes away. Through his hazy vision he could see Rozita clenching his hand.

 

     “What’s wrong Rafiq?” he could only hear her voice. He looked at his parents and

saw their concern expression. Then there was darkness.

 

 

 

     “No!NO!” shouted Rafiq. He could feel himself back in his old vegetable state. This was not fair. Everything was going so well. Why was he back here? Back to the darkness, back to being alone.

 

He must get back to his parent . He must get back to Rozita. Rafiq forced himself to open his eyes but nothing happen. He NEEDS to wakeup HE NEEDS to get back to them.

 

Rafiq was angry. He was where he wanted to be and to be snatch away from it was enough to make him furious.

 

     “Help me!” shouted Rafiq in frustration.

 

 

The EKG was beeping madly. Nurses and doctors rushed to his bed. Rafiq was trudging violently. His eyes were still closed but his body was shaking. The nurses and attendants were trying to hold him down on the bed.

 

     “He’s having a seizure,” shouted one of the nurses trying to hold Rafiq down.

 

     “His heart rate is increasing!”  The EKG was going mad. The lines were going into rapid zigzags.

 

     “We have to sedate him. If he keeps up he’s going into cardiac arrest,” shouted one of the doctors. Attendants held Rafiq as a doctor injected Rafiq to calm him down.

 

Slowly Rafiq stopped struggling and went back into unconsciousness