Chapter 1 - empty mind
Ujjwal Sharma lay in the hospital bed, the steady beep of the heart monitor punctuating the silence. The room was sterile and bare, save for a small bouquet on a table near the window. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting a soft glow that shifted as the day moved forward.
He stirred under the white sheets, his hand instinctively moving to his forehead where a bandage rested. His brow furrowed as flashes of pain pulled him back into awareness. Slowly, he opened his eyes, squinting against the light.
Where am I?
The question echoed in his head. His muscles tensed as he tried to sit up, but a sharp sting from his ribs made him gasp. With a groan, he sank back onto the pillows, confusion swirling in his mind.
The door clicked open softly, and Dr. Kapoor entered with a kind smile, clipboard in hand. His voice was gentle but authoritative. “Good morning, Ujjwal. How are you feeling?”
Ujjwal’s throat felt dry as he forced out a weak response. “What... what happened to me? How did I get here?”
Dr. Kapoor’s expression shifted slightly, the smile fading into something more neutral. He pulled a chair up beside the bed and sat down. “You’ve been through quite the ordeal, my boy. You were found in terrible shape. We’re still running tests, but you’re stable now.”
Ujjwal’s heart raced as he struggled to remember. Flashes of darkness, the sensation of falling—then nothing. A hollow pit formed in his stomach. “I don’t remember anything,” he whispered. “Not even how I got here.”
Dr. Kapoor nodded sympathetically. “That’s not uncommon in cases like yours. Your body has been through significant trauma. Memory loss is a possible side effect.” He paused, glancing at his notes. “But... there’s something else. Your tests show some unusual results. We’re running more to make sense of it.”
Ujjwal’s brow creased in concern. “Unusual? What do you mean?”
Before the doctor could answer, the door swung open again. Two police officers entered, their faces stern but not hostile. Officer Rao, older and seasoned, stepped forward, his notebook already open. His younger partner, Officer Sharma, stood behind, observing.
“Mr. Sharma,” Officer Rao greeted, his voice steady, “we’re here to ask a few questions about your incident. It’s important for our investigation.”
Ujjwal looked at them, a new wave of fear washing over him. “Incident?” His voice cracked. “I don’t even remember getting here… I just—” His words faltered as he realized how helpless he sounded. “I don’t remember anything.”
Officer Sharma stepped forward gently. “Anything at all? Even the smallest detail might help.”
Ujjwal shook his head, his frustration growing. His hands gripped the sheets tightly as he fought against the emptiness in his mind. “I told you, I don’t know! My name… that’s all I know.”
Officer Rao scribbled a note, his expression remaining calm. “Alright. We’ll be in touch. If anything comes back to you, anything, let us know.”
With that, the officers exchanged a glance and quietly left the room, leaving Ujjwal alone with Dr. Kapoor once more. The doctor offered a reassuring nod. “Don’t worry about the police, Ujjwal. Focus on getting better.”
But how could he focus on recovery when his mind was a blank slate?
The next morning, Ujjwal woke to find Dr. Kapoor sitting beside him, flipping through his charts.
“Doctor…” Ujjwal’s voice was stronger now, but still shaky. “Who brought me here?”
Dr. Kapoor’s brow furrowed slightly as he set the chart down. “Well… about that,” he hesitated. “You brought yourself.”
Ujjwal’s eyes widened. “I… what? Did I walk here? In this condition?”
Dr. Kapoor nodded, his voice dropping to a low murmur. “Yes. You came in alone, covered in mud, bleeding from your head and face, your left leg broken… but somehow, you were walking. Like a dead man.”
Ujjwal stared at him in disbelief, his pulse quickening. “That’s impossible.”
Dr. Kapoor smiled faintly, trying to ease the tension. “You’re lucky you made it here, Ujjwal. You found the right hospital and the right doctor.”
But Ujjwal couldn’t shake the growing sense of dread. How could he have walked here like that? Why didn’t he remember?
He swallowed hard, his voice barely above a whisper. “Doctor, was there anything else? Anything strange?”
Dr. Kapoor paused, tapping his pen against the clipboard thoughtfully. “Well… yes, there were a couple of odd things.”
“What do you mean? Like what?”
The doctor looked him in the eye, his voice measured. “When you arrived, the air around you… it was warm. Too warm. Almost like...”
“Like what?” Ujjwal pressed, his heart pounding.
Chapter 2 on the way…comment and tell some ideas
