Beep. Beep. Beep.
The monotonous sound of the heart monitor echoed in the cold hospital room.
Her eyelids fluttered open slowly. Blurry lights. A pale white ceiling. The smell of antiseptic. Her body felt too heavy to move, and her head buzzed like a thousand bees were trapped inside.
Her vision was hazy, but she could faintly see two shadowy figures near her bed — Ammi and Abbu. Their voices were muffled, like they were speaking through a thick glass.
Doctor... kuch bhi nahi ho sakta? Humari sirf ek hi beti hai..." Abbu’s voice cracked. “Aap jitni fees kahenge, hum de denge... bas ise bacha lijiye... please.”
Main aapka dard samajhta hoon, lekin humein sach ka saamna karna hoga… Aapki beti ko congenital heart defect hai. Hum dawaiyon aur treatment se uski zindagi thodi aur badha sakte hain, lekin permanent cure…”The doctor hesitated. “...woh abhi hamare haath mein nahi hai.”
Her Ammi was crying silently, holding her dupatta to her mouth as if trying to muffle her sobs.
Tears slid down the girl's temples, soaking into the hospital pillow.
Aise jindagi di hi kyu hume, jisme bus roj ka dard aur takleef likho ho...
"Roj roj thoda thoda marne se achaa hai ki hum ek baari me marr jaye.."
Her throat was dry. Her chest ached. But more than that, her heart felt like it had forgotten how to feel anything but emptiness.
She turned her head slightly and stared at the IV drip, slowly counting the drops falling like seconds of a life she no longer wanted.
The machine still beeped. Her heart was still beating.
Why?
She closed her eyes again. This time, not because she was tired…
But because she wished they never opened again
Somewhere else, at the exact same moment...
Thak! Thak!
In a sunny, dusty playground, the air was filled with the sound of cricket — bat hitting ball, cheers, and laughter echoing like music.
A group of children huddled around a chalk-marked pitch. In the center stood a girl — around 14 — bat in hand, eyes steady, full of fire.
"Karu diii! Bas 4 run! Sirf 4! Jeet jaayenge hum
" shouted a tiny voice from behind the wickets.
Another squeaky cheer followed.
“ diii! Dikha do in ladko ko… ladkiyaan kisi se kam nahi hoti!”
Karishma exhaled deeply and tightened her grip around the bat.
Her forehead glistened with sweat. Her eyes stayed glued to the bowler like a warrior before battle.
She wasn’t just playing cricket — she was standing up for all the girls watching her.
The ball flew in.
THWACK!
The sound echoed like a mini explosion.
The ball shot up — higher, higher — and then:
CRASH!
Straight into the colony window. Glass shattered. A shocked silence spread.
Then—
“YEEEEEHHHHH!!!”
The little girl — about 6 — ran straight to Karishma, arms wide, and hugged her tightly.
“Di! Hum jeet gaye!! Aap toh hero ho! Sach mein!”
Karishma laughed, the corners of her eyes crinkling with joy.
“Humne kaha tha na, Santu? Hume koi nahi hara sakta!”
Santu — the little one — kissed her cheek proudly.
“Chalo chalte hain di , sabko batate hain ki hum kya cheez hain!”
Karishma just smiled.
They looked around. All the boys from the other team were… running away.
Yeh sab bhaag kyu rahe hain? Koi toofan aa gaya kya?” Karishma raised a brow.
“Shayad aap se darr gaye Di!” Santu giggled.
Just then, the bowler came storming toward them, red-faced.
“Tumhe pata bhi hai tumne kya kiya hai?”
Karishma tilted her head, full of sass.
“Haan. Pata hai. Tum logon ko haraya hai.”
She stepped forward.
“Aur ab, shart ke mutabik — hum bhi is park mein khelenge. Tum rok nahi sakte. Samjhe?”
Santu raised her collar proudly.
“Ab yeh park humara bhi hai!”
The boy scowled.
“Haan khel lena meri maa..lekin abhi Bhaag jao, warna chudail aunty sabki band baja dengi "
And he ran — literally ran for his life.
Santu blinked.
“Chudail? Di, kaunsi chudail ki baat kar raha tha woh?”
Karishma shrugged, but then her eyes widened.
An older woman — furious and fast — was storming toward them holding the cricket ball.
“Aaj toh hum gaye…” she whispered.
“BhaagoSantu! Bhaagggo!”
They turned to run — but Santu’s foot hit a rock and she tumbled.
"Ahhh Diii!”
Karishma skidded to a stop and rushed back.
She knelt beside her, helping her up.
“Santu… aaram se. Theek ho? Lagi to nahi ? dikhayo hume?”
Santu nodded with teary eyes and pointed to her leg.
“Lag gayi…” she sniffled, her voice tiny and soft.
Shh...rote nahi hai , hum hai na ruko hum dekhte hai...Karishma gently checked her dusty knee.
But before she could say anything, a tight grip wrapped around her wrist.
The angry lady was right in front of them now — eyes blazing.
“Aaj aa hi gayi tum mere haath ! Roj mera sheesha todti ho! Aaj nahi chhodungi!”
Karishma pulled her hand back.
Pehli baat yo ye aunty ji ki humne aaj se pehle kabhi aapka sheesa nahi toda aur doosri baat Aapko dikh nahi raha Kya ki Usse chot lagi hai! Aapko bas aapke sheeshe ki padhi hai?”
"Tumhe bada dikhayi deta h ek to mera sheesa tod diya itna nuksaan kr diyaa.... Thodi si bhi Sharam hai ya nahi... Glti krti ho aur sorry bolne ke bajaye jaban chala rahi ho...
Karishma muttered under her breath —
“Ye ball bhi na sheesa ki jagah inke sarr par nahi lag skti thi…”
But unfortunately, the woman heard her.
“ Ruko jyada jabaan chal rahi hai na tumhari, btayo kaha hai tumhare maa baap aaj btati hoon mai tumhe... Kaha hai tumhara ghar , aaj sara hisaab loongi unse..
Santu looked scared and tugged at Karishma’s hand.Karishma blinked at her, softly telling her with her eyes — don’t worry, I’m here.
The woman shouted“Bolo! Kahan rehte ho tum dono?”
Karishma glared at the woman — eyes full of rage, but said calmly
“Yahi paas wale orphanage mein.”
The lady scoffed.
Achaaa...Maa baap nahi hai, isiliye tameez bhi nahi sikhayi kisi ne..
Ks clenched her little fist in anger.
Krti ho complain tumhari wardan se pta nahi kaise rakhti hai whaa bacho ko..
She grabbed Karishma’s arm harshly
“Chalo!” the woman barked and dragged her forward.
Santu held tightly onto Karishma’s other hand, walking with tiny, scared steps beside her.
Two girls. Two moments.
One fighting to hold on to life.
The other living it with all her might.
A new story, A new journey but old characters
Hope you will like it ❤
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