A Tale of Unspoken Pain

 

I woke up at 7 am when the alarm started making a sound. It was going to be a good day because it was my friend’s birthday. I got up as usual and with curiosity, I opened my WhatsApp to see if Saria had replied to me or not because she hadn’t replied to me at twelve past midnight. Unexpectedly, she didn’t reply, which made me a little bit anxious about her.

I didn’t want to indulge in negative thoughts, so I got up and did my daily household chores. Usually, I do just a little makeup, creating a no-makeup look by using sunscreen, mascara, a light shade of lipstick, and eyeliner. That day, I wanted to do a little extra as we had decided earlier with our friends’ group. I decided to wear a pink and white fairy-type frock with delicate detailing, paired up with silver and pinkish-coloured sandals. I got ready quickly and grabbed my car keys. I had to pick up my other friends from their places and go to Saria’s place to surprise her. I was anxious at that time as I still hadn’t received a response from her.

I went straight to a local bakery to pick up the cake, we had ordered yesterday. The cake was exactly as we wanted it to be, with a picture of us pasted on top, looking even more mesmerizing. Then I picked up my friends one by one; they were also worried about her.

Finally, we reached Saria’s place and found out that she had been hospitalized since last night. We rushed to the hospital, and I don’t know how I managed to drive them there in that situation. It felt like a heavy burden was weighing on my head, blurring everything in front of me. Her watery eyes, trembling voice, cute smile, and endless discussions about love were driving me insane.

She was in the ICU, battling for her life. Her family was in a state of panic. I couldn’t bear to see her mother’s condition. She was the only daughter of her parents, and they had no idea what was going on in her life that had made them so tense, even to the point where she wanted to take her own life. Everyone was praying for her. In a separate corner, I was thinking about her when her mother approached me with watery eyes and a trembling voice.

“You are her best friend. She must have told you everything. What was the matter? Do you have any idea what kind of things were bothering her?”

Unknowingly, I just said, “I don’t know,” because I had nothing to say about it at that time.

In the afternoon, I returned with a lot of questions swirling around in my mind. I locked myself in my room and prayed. In a corner of my mind, I felt guilty for not being there for her.

Why couldn’t I feel her pain?

Why didn’t I make time for her when she wanted to talk?

Why couldn’t I help her with the problems she was facing in her life?

After the prayer, I wanted to sleep, but I couldn’t. Lying in bed, I kept thinking about her relationship with Ali. I couldn’t understand the whole scenario. Yesterday, she was so excited about the surprise he was going to give her for her birthday. Our last meeting was all about discussing him. At one moment, I thought they were a perfect couple, a perfect match for each other, but the next moment, I was utterly disappointed. They were both different and correct in their perspectives. I personally liked him because he was very different from other guys his age. When it came to Ali, I thought I should call him and discuss the matter. Without further delay, I dialed his number and called him, but there was no response from the other side. I tried 2 or 3 times but still didn’t get any answer. I thought maybe he was busy or didn’t want to face me.

Someone knocked on my door, and Mama called me for dinner, but I didn’t want to eat. I opened the door, and Mama looked into my eyes and asked, “What’s going on? Is everything okay?” I told her the whole story but skipped the part about Ali. She was also upset after listening to the whole story but didn’t show it in front of me.

I didn’t remember how I fell asleep last night and woke up at 6 in the morning. Immediately, I checked my phone; still, no response from Ali’s side. Then I called one of our friends. After 2 or 3 calls, she finally answered. We decided to visit the hospital.

We entered the hospital at 7 o’clock. Approaching the ICU, we met Saria’s brother. He explained that there was only a 10% chance of her recovery because the poison had damaged all her internal organs. We could see the pain in his eyes and the numerous questions he had. I understood his feelings because no one can bear to see their loved one in such pain, fighting for their life. Somehow, we managed to console the family for a while.

At 5 pm, Saria’s condition became unstable again. After fighting for her life, she said a final goodbye, and everything changed. Her chapter ended there. She chose to remain silent and couldn’t utter a single word against him. Deep down, I knew the reason behind it, but I remained silent due to her family issues and the expectations of this sophisticated society. Her mother’s screams, her father’s trembling voice, and her brother’s tears haunted me for a lifetime. I felt guilty for a lifetime that I couldn’t be there for her when she needed me. I don’t know how long she fought for her life, but she couldn’t hold on any longer. She gave up everything for him.

And at that moment, as her life slipped away, the weight of her unspoken words and the silence of her pain echoed through the corridors of the hospital, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of those who loved her. The dramatic ending served as a stark reminder of the importance of being there for our loved ones, of speaking up when needed, and of breaking the chains of silence that can lead to such tragic outcomes.