A Magnificent Lie: The Last Conversation
Anand felt the ground vanish from under his feet. He felt his stomach clench; his heart rate spiked up and he could feel the sweat running down his back. A hush fell in the small room. The white walls seemed to close in on him. He couldn’t take his eyes off the doctor’s face, who in turn, did not avert his eyes but kept staring on in return. In those few seconds, he realized that he had started to cry. He turned his gaze towards the lifeless body of his father on the stretcher. They had bought him in his night clothes. His eyes slowly moved over the body. He noticed the spit coming out of his mouth; how his hands were dull as if life itself was the colour in him. His eyes were closed. The male nurse called his aunt and siblings inside the room. The aunt immediately broke down, clutching his father’s shoulders and leaned over him. His sister closed her fingers around her father’s hand, hoping they would close and comfort her. His brother stood at the end. Perhaps he kn...