Ashvael sat alone in the dim room, the envelope still untouched on the floor. The day had passed by. The world outside moved on, uncaring, unchanged. But inside him, something was changing quietly.
Then suddenly his phone rang.
Ring ring ring.
A harsh and sudden vibration on the tile.
Ashvael stared at the screen.
Dr. Vikram.
His breath caught in his throat. He quickly picked the phone and answered, his voice little heavy.
"Hello?"
"Ashvael," the doctor's voice was urgent but calm. "You need to come to the hospital now."
He didn't ask any questions.
He suddenly rushed to the hospital.
After reaching the hospital, he rushed through hospital corridors which smelled of disinfectant and despair. Dr. Vikram stood near the nurse's station, with heavy face.
As the doctor see ash approaching he spoked "Ash," he said putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm going to be blunt. Your sister condition has worsened. Her vitals are unstable...we need to operate with two days or..."
He trailed off
Ashvael felt his knees go weak.
" I know your situation," the doctor said gently, "and if it were my call, money wouldn't matter. But I'm bound by the hospital rules, the operation.. it will cost."
"How much?" Ashvael asked, voice barely holding.
The number doctor said made his ears ring. Ashvael just nodded.
"I'll give you two days," Dr. Vikram said quietly. Do whatever you can to arrange the money.
Ashvael after hearing that looked at his sister from the window of emergency room after looking at her sister for while he walked out of the hospital.
While walking toward home he look like ghost, no words, no thoughts. Just the weight of his sister's life on his shoulders.
When he reached his room, he dropped to the floor just like before but this time depressed like something inside him had finally cracked.
His hand trembled.
Then-
A memory surfaced.
His father's note.
"If you ever need help... call this number."
Ashvael's eyes widened
he stumbled toward his drawer and pulled open a folder from which he pulled out a paper which was long buried under dust and time.
A name.
A number.
A warning in the scribbled pen:
"Only if there's no other way."
Ashvael stared at it.
Ash was thinking hard to decide if he should call it or leave it. Then he decided to call it.
Ring...Ring...Ring
Suddenly the voice Click..
After the click. there was
A pause
No greeting. No noise. Just... static
Then a breath. Not Ashvael's
The voice of man came, measured, cold, ruthless
" Who gave you this number "
Ashvael swallowed." My father. He left it before he died in his file".
A long pause.
"....His name"
" Aryen Nerezza "
Another pause.
" He said if i ever needed help-"
" I know what he said. "
then voice asked "so what do you want"
Ash said quickly with trembling voice " I need help My sister... she needs surgery in two days. I need 60 lakh rupees".
Another pause
" Come to Warehouse black, Dock 17. Midnight. Alone."
Ashvael replied "Okay".
Then line cut ashvael placed the phone on ground burying his face in his hands.
Then suddenly
LUX voice came
" Are you sure you want help from that person he seems shady "
Ashvael replied what else can i do tell me. There was no reply a sudden silence enveloped the room.
Ashvael's phone buzzed again.
This time, it wasn't a call.
The screen lit up:
11:45 Pm
He stared at it for a second, the blue light casting harsh shadows on his face. Ashvael stands from floor started his bike and moved it toward the direction of Dock 17.
Ashvael never heard of it tho but he got location at his number and he was following it. When ash reached the location it was an old, rusting loading zone in the farthest end of the ports.
It looks abandoned by the conditions.
He parked his bike near the edge of the perimeter, fence looked like an old chain link half swallowed by weeds, the door was open so he stepped through the fence door and started moving toward the warehouse.
When he reached the warehouse he tried to open its door.
Suddenly he was hit in his head. His vision swam and he hit the floor with a bang.