“Oh! It is already 11 o’ clock, Chettan(her husband) will come for lunch,” Madhumati hurried to prepare the food for lunch. It was a Sunday, so her mind had entered into a holiday mood, carrying out her routines in a slow pace. When she looked for vegetables, she found the lack of green chillies. Along with her five-year-old son, Ashik, she set out to a nearby vegetable vendor’s shop, which sold vegetables of all kinds. On the way the kid watched a red toy-car lying in an almirah of a shop. The child demanded his mama to buy him that toy. She was reluctant to buy, as she hadn’t had any added money with her at that time.
His papa, Govind and Mama, Madhumati had been managing to acquire toys aplenty for the VIP of their tiny haven, in spite of their scanty income. At times the dearth of revenue made them postpone certain demands of their little son. Even then, they tried their best to make their dear darling gleeful.
The little one was snivelling and snivelling on the way over the toy. He didn’t stop to play with his mates, his favorite rose blooms, didn’t look at his pals, the squirrels practising tree-climbing and didn’t heed attention to his pet, Kutty the kitten rushing to rub its face on him. At home, he sat away from everything, even from his mama to express his protest.
That day, unlike the other days, Govind, arrived at home around5 o’ clock. He, being an auto rickshaw driver could get to his domicile at about 8 pm only. Ashik took a rapid leap to his papa, but his papa advanced to the bed giving him a feeble smile. Papa, who was very keen in executing his son’s demand, was tired and expressed the indication of a discomfort. The child’s depth of enthusiasm diminished a bit observing his papa’s exhaustion. So he kept himself a little away from him. But his papa agreed to buy it, the next day. On inquiry, Madhumati realized that Govind was not well, as he suffered a sort of nausea and a pain on his temple and it was unusual for him.
Without wasting much time she took him to the nearby hospital where he had to be admitted. A series of tests like scanning, blood analysis, urine culture, E.C.G test, and the like were administered. The dearth of revenue was compensated by his friends. Finally found that it was the attack of a horrifying viral fever called Nipah. Nipah is an unwanted guest started paying visits in numerous North Kerala families and it is successful in resisting all kinds of medication so far. It is highly contagious also.
When Govind was diagnosed as infected, he was taken to an isolated room. His dear and near, though wanted to know his knowhow’s, were denied permission. Madhumati, who very much wanted to be by his side and heed service, also was not allowed to go near.
Ashik’s toy didn’t sink into forgetful water-basin, as its thought time and again approached him, “I want to see papa. He will take me to the shop. He will buy me the toy,” the tiny continued whining to his mama. No words of solace from her settled him. When she touched the foot of her patience, under duress she had to use her right hand on his thigh. His groaning sound amplified a tad and gradually got into a mute state.
Madhumati and Ashik had to reluctantly return home. The kinfolk who were surrounding them slowly withdrew their appendages from the proximity of the hospital on account of the fear of fatality.
“We cannot blame them because they might be thinking of their own life,” she spoke to herself, “And standing here long is a risk.”
Anguish and anxiety occupied the platform of her sleep. Her mind sank into redundant thoughts. The poor kid after bewailing for long fell into a sleep slowly. Madhmati’s parents, who were ready to make their ingress into her residence, were advised not to.
Next day Govind’s healthiness showed a little brightness, but things didn’t last long, as on the third-day things got worse. Madhumat’s mind was with her better-half and God, all the time. She was not in a good frame of mind to cook or eat. As her darling suddenly loomed in her mind, she prepared something to answer his thirst and hunger. Madhumati performed her routine duties just as a machine, as her mind fully was with her hubby, who was all alone from the relatives. She surpassed the time with heaviness in heart and distress in mind, because a premonition of an ill fate haunted her.
Two days passed without any pluses in his fitness. His condition was deteriorating instead. God seemed to be blind towards Mathumati’s plea. And finally, as Madhumati’s sixth sense hinted, the news opposite to what she wanted to hear, hit her ear. He bade goodbye to all and eventually, his soul sought the exosphere. Madhumati felt that her right hand was chopped off. She couldn’t cry because the depth of agony turned her anesthetized.
Madhumati, Ashik and other dear ones were not allowed to view the body, because the ferocious viruses would communicate themselves from person to person with immediacy. Ashik didn’t comprehend anything; he went on with his act of bewailing for kissing his dear papa.
“I want to kiss…u...u...u...u papa, take me, u...u...u, take me...e…e...e...e, I want to kiss you, papaaaaa, now I want to come to you. …papa.aaa.,” the five-year-old Ashik was continuously troubling his grandpa, who was profoundly shedding tears.
The officials made the arrangements for the cremation of the cadaver. It was in fact burnt into ashes by taking all kinds of precautions. The nurse, who was rendering her service to Govind, approached Madhumati and spoke something in consolation. After a while, she opened his voice message in her phone.
It spoke in a puny tired tone, “Madhu, when… you... get... the …. Insurance... money, buy ….our darling the toys of his…. C...h...o…i….”
