H for Hemakshi
H for Hemakshi – Raag Jogia
She blinked. The neon lights were harsh. She saw the masked faces hovering above her. She knew. She felt nothing. She heard voices floating, voices of panic, of calm, of order. She blinked again. The baby was going and there was nothing she could do. She wanted to stop them; feel him again, one last time. She could not move her hand. Ah, the anesthesia once again, she thought to herself. She blinked. She had carried him for 7 months – he would have his features all formed – she had seen the ultra sound - the fingers, the feet, the face, the clenched fists. She had named him; Shankara. She whispered his name and it echoed in her head. She blinked. The neon light went out. The faces were going too, one by one. It was over - her thoughts were crystal clear. One face loomed over her - her husband’s. And she closed her eyes.
Rukhsat The Departure
Illustration by Anuradha Madan Kaul
She blinked. The neon lights were harsh. She saw the masked faces hovering above her. She knew. She felt nothing. She heard voices floating, voices of panic, of calm, of order. She blinked again. The baby was going and there was nothing she could do. She wanted to stop them; feel him again, one last time. She could not move her hand. Ah, the anesthesia once again, she thought to herself. She blinked. She had carried him for 7 months – he would have his features all formed – she had seen the ultra sound - the fingers, the feet, the face, the clenched fists. She had named him; Shankara. She whispered his name and it echoed in her head. She blinked. The neon light went out. The faces were going too, one by one. It was over - her thoughts were crystal clear. One face loomed over her - her husband’s. And she closed her eyes.
Rukhsat The Departure
Illustration by Anuradha Madan Kaul
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