22

21 ~ Don't die!

"Didi, gosh! Can't you be just a little more careful? Always getting hurt." Ishu scolded me.

"I am sorry na, Ishu. I didn't do it intentionally. My hand just slipped and touched the pan, and anyway, it has already happened so many times with me before. It will be okay before you know it." I said with a scrunched up nose, while looking at Ishu bandaging my finger after I accidentally burnt it.

"What sorry? You know how much I hate seeing you in pain or seeing your injury which doesn't even pain you now. But still, every month, you have to get a new injury," She said while finishing the bandaging.

"You know I don't like it but still you do it." She said as she finished. Now, she had tears in her eyes.

"Heyyy! Why are there tears in your eyes? Shhh! I am alright, I am fine. See?" I forwarded my hand to her and she started crying.

Now, don't you dare call her a crybaby, she cares for me a lot and always gets worried when she sees a injury on my body ever so often. So her cries are her worry for me.

The thought that something will happen to me always strikes her mind first when she sees me with an injury.

That is why I always try to hide my injuries from her, but oh well.

"God, how many times have I told you. I won't die from these injuries." She smacked my arm.

"Oww. Alright, fine. I will try not to get more injuries and will be careful. But I still promise you, I won't die from my clumsiness or carelessness."

"But clumsiness and carelessness are the same." Oh my adorable Ishu.

"No they're not."

"Ha. Ha. Has lo. Iss maasum si jaan ki toh koi kadr hi nahi karta. Chiddha lo. Jitna mazak bana sakti ho, bana lo. Dekhna, ek din hum na kahi chale jayenge, aur phir ghumte rahenge. Tumko chod ke yahi. Hmph."

"Yes, yes. Laugh, laugh more. No one cares for this innocent life. Tease me. Make a joke out of it, please do. You will see, one day I will go somewhere and go one travelling. Leaving you here only. Hmph."

"Shut up. You are not leaving me." Ishu quickly reached out to her and wrapped her hand around my bicep.

I remembered some of my moments with Ishu, and my promise that I won't die from my clumsiness or carelessness.

When i was struggling, I managed to come to the surface for a split second and then sink back again because of my dumbness.

That was enough for a human who was struggling for breath to get a lungful of air.

And that lungful of air , even if only a little, made me float a little up.

My eyes had shot open at the memories.

And I looked above.

Well, here goes nothing.

Trying to stay calm, I looked for better sources of light when I saw some more light on a certain place, than any other place.

It was on almost the opposite side.

Just move towards it, and if you can't, try to move upwards and float on your back.

I remembered my swimming classes and what was taught in it.

And as I had guessed, the current was good enough and I couldn't just turn to the other side and go there.

So I tried to move upwards, this time my movements were not frantic or jerky. But calm and composed, the total opposite of what my brain is right now.

You can do it, Saanu. Come on, you promised Ishu you wouldn't die out of carelessness. Remember, keep your moves composed and calm.

I reminded myself every second.

Oxygen, I breathed oxygen, proper oxygen.

I came to the surface, thank God!

But then, I started feeling really tired, so I did the third thing I decided to do back under there.

I turned around and followed the voice in mind.

Head above water atleast, legs together.

Arms and shoulders aligned, and try to relax.

I did everything, except relaxing as I felt myself sinking again even though I did everything correct.

What did I do wrong?

I panicked, and was about to get my muscles worked up fully again when I remembered.

When you float on your back, you might initially sink slightly before your body adjusts and finds equilibrium.

I remembered the swimming teacher telling me this. So, you got nothing to worry about Saanu.

Nothing!? If you forgot, my dear Saanu. You still have to go the shore and for that, face the current.

The evil voice in mind said, no I shouldn't call it evil.

Then what should I?

Uhh, let's leave it for now.

I can swim back to safety when I am calm and composed and conserved energy, assessed my surroundings, made sure I am in a safe position and am confident in my ability to swim back.

Calm and composed, yes if you ignore the tensed muscle which were very stiff.

Conserved energy, no because I have nothing to conserve and won't have if I don't get out right now.

Assessed my surroundings, yes if it means looking at the sky because I don't have the energy to look at my sides.

Made sure I am in a safe position, sure! What more could I ask for in the name of safe position, than being stuck in the middle of a so called familiar forest with no one to help you when you in a pond, laying with your back on the water when the currents are too strong for you to swim back to safety, sure.

Confident in my ability to swim? Do I have any choice other than swimming? Because if I do, I will take that option without any second thought.

Remember, slow and steady not only wins the race, but in this case, also your life.

I had intended to come back in the calm way, but as soon as I was near to the shore, currents like never before started to hit me.

And to save my life, I started using my strength.

Fortunately, I was - it think so, or maybe just luck was on my favor today - a strong swimmer and after 5-10 minutes of struggle, I was very close to the land.

Half my body was up the waters, and half below it.

I could feel the goosebumps from the air hitting my very wet clothes. While I thought I could make it a little more up, my body didn't think so.

Listen my dear body, whatever you do, just don't die!

My body gave up as I saw black spots near the corners of my vision and yeah, I blacked out.

But before I could faint, I managed to get a glimpse of my surroundings and let me tell you, that wasn't what I saw before falling in the pond.

But before I could faint, I managed to get a glimpse of my surroundings and let me tell you, that wasn't what I saw before falling in the pond

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I will try to update tomorrow as it's Rakhi and I don't have a brother so I will just be sitting doing nothing.

And it will also be a bonus for Rakhi.

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