MIA - Short story

 

This is a different story about a young girl who nearly dies after a kidney stolen by a man. Before this accident happens a girl comes in her dream and tries to tell her about something but she does not understand it. Suddenly the same man who killed that girl attacks this girl, but she does not die. She goes through a new experience and finally she survives. She keeps the promise by doing a prayer to release Mia’s spirit. The only person with whom she shares her experience is the priest at the church.

MIA.

I could see that girl coming closer to me, I couldn’t see her face clearly, but I saw that she had a long hair groping down from her shoulders and her dress was dirty and torn. She came so close to me that I could hear her whisper in my ear. “Go away, save your life and help me...”Her voice was both helpless and it also had a touch of threatening. My whole body was wet with sweat, I just looked at my phone to check the time and saw it was only half past two. Though I wanted to close my eyes and go back to sleep again, the images and the voices from my dream didn’t allow me.

Various thoughts started hovering around my head. It’s only two weeks I have come to this apartment .I like this place because this a comfortable and a quiet place to engage in my work. These voices I hear from sleep and the images I see sometimes is the only problem I have here. Even though I tried my best to stop thinking about those things, something bothers inside my head. And, recently I had the idea to find more information about this flat.

I wanted to ask my neighbors about this matter but, at the same time it felt awkward to do such thing without knowing anything properly. My friend Reha, started to mock me telling that I am going to be mad of overthinking. I had no time to think about all these things as I am also busy with my studies of my final year.

After a busy day of work, my only pleasure is to get on to my bed after a cool bath. It was my habit; singing alone whenever I am having a bath .I was muttering a Hindi song from a recent movie I have watched with my friends, when I heard that bizarre noise. I heard the front door open and I heard clearly someone entering into the room. I quickly pressed the shower and payed more attention. I could hear foots steps, someone walking slowly, but I didn’t hear any voice. Again, all the nonsense started to come into my mind .Though I wanted my phone badly , I remembered that I plugged it to the charger .I really wanted to go out of the washroom but at the same time I felt  that my legs were not ready to move a step from where I am standing. I remained still for an instant, still no voice, except the sounds of the footsteps. At last I thought of speaking.

My voice didn’t come out at once,

 “Who is there...Reha, is it you? Don’t play nonsense. Wait I ‘ll come.”

I really wanted to hear Reha’s voice in reply, but I didn’t hear anything, and now I heard the steps coming closer to the washroom door and stopped. At once, I clutched my towel and put it around my body and went out of the washroom. I didn’t have even a second to guess what happened, there was no one to be seeing and when I turned around I only saw a huge figure of somebody coming near me. I felt my whole body was trembling and melt onto the floor.

I couldn’t open my eyes at once because of the bright light above my head. Anyway I opened my eyes and I felt my whole body floating, I have never felt that feeling till that day. My whole body was so light that I felt my body floating above my bed. Suddenly I thought of my room and at once I was there. And saw there were corps everywhere around our flat and when I enter to my room from the top of the window I could see a pool of blood. I had no idea about what has happened, but I enjoyed this feeling. Nobody couldn’t notice me, and my mentality is similar to kid.

When I thought of someone or something, I was there as soon as I think of it .I wanted to see my friend Reha and I really wanted to talk to her. then I was in a busy place which seems to be a hospital .Reha and Sanu my friends were sitting and hugging themselves , when I went more closer I could see them desperate .

“Hey, Reha, what’s the matter .I don’t know anything, why ..?” I did not get any response and they remained as if they didn’t hear me.

“Sanu please tell me what happened. There are corps at my place and my room is filled with blood .what happened last night.” Even she remained quiet. I was walking along the corridor, actually like floating, when I met that girl from my dreams .Today I could see her clearly and she is more alive. I saw her face for the first time. It was a gloomy face with tearful eyes and there were bruises all around her face and neck. And the blood patches all over her body gave her a terrifying look. Even through that tearful face anybody could notice the attractiveness in her face.

We were looking face to face. And I broke the silent.

“You, what brings you here?”

“I came with you. I warned you earlier about this”. Her face was more serious and her look became more pitiful at once, and she talked as if she is feeling sorry about me.

“With me? Why? How did I come here? And what happened yesterday? And who are you? Why are wearing like this?”  I started to ask all my questions from her. She remained silent till I finish my questions and then she started her explanation.

“I am Mia and I lived in your room before two years. And this dress, this was what was I wearing that day when it happened like you are now.”  Her words made me to look at my dress. I was astonished to see what I was wearing. I was with my towel around my body. The way I could remember the way I came out of the washroom last night.

“I can’t understand all these things!”  . I almost shouted at her. I was both surprised and now a little bit frighten with her speech.

“You will. Come with me.” She took my hand and we both were in the room where I was sleeping. I could see doctors around a bed and they were in a rush, moving their hands and I could see there were machines all around the bed. Though I tried to see what is really happening there, Mia stopped me.

“They are trying to save your life.” Her words almost stuck me as a knife.

“Save me! Why I am fine and see I am well and there’s no problem with me.”  Then, she gave a sympathetic smile to me.

“Do you know what happened to you last light?”

“No. I can’t remember anything except someone came near me .that’s all I can remember. Will you please explain me what’s going on here?”

“Try to dredge up what happened, only you can do it I am helpless in this case to help you.” then I tried my best to think what happened last night after I came out of the washroom. After a moment, all the images from the last night began to come in to my mind .Yes, now I can remember what went on that night. I came out of the washroom and looked around the room as I heard a footsteps while I was bathing. Then, when I turned my head I saw a huge man suddenly slapped me in my face and the shot made me to fall down onto the floor. Even though I tried to shout he just closed my mouth with one of his hands and started slapping me hardly. I was in a great fear and a shock .I can remember I tried to get away from the man, but he did not give me any chance. After slapping me hardly, he took a tape from his pocket and pasted it around my mouth and he also tied my arms and legs. I stared to fight with him like a fish out of water, but it was really useless to get away from his strong arms.

After, I could remember him pushing an injection through my arm and then the whole atmosphere around me blurred, and I could feel a pain in my stomach as if from dream.

“That’s all I can recall. What happened after that? What did he do to me!?”

“I was there in your room while all that happened. But, I have no strength in mediating. You were not in your sense. Your friend Reha came to get something from you. But he has left at that time. You were at least lucky than me to have a friend to hospitalize you.

“Me? Reha?! Then, why is she crying there with Sanu?”.

“Yeah, she was shocked to see you in that way and she almost fainted. However she phoned the police and called an ambulance. She took you here and I too came with you.”

“Am I dead now? And am I a ghost! Is that why they can ‘ty hear me? I just can’t believe these things. I am sure this is a dream”. I pinched my hand but I got more frightened because I was unable to touch my own hand. Then I tried to take the glass of water on the table near me. And my hand just went through it. I started to cry aloud and I remembered my family and the person I love.

“I can’t die now! I have lots of work to do. How can this be? Why did he killed me and I don’t know that person.”

“No, you are not dead yet. He took away your kidney” she told it a very sorrowful tone and it almost made me to cry more.

“He took only one from you… but from me …”she stopped.

“But from you, tell me what happened to you. Are you dead or are you suffering like me .please tell me Mia”

“It was two years ago. I lived your room and it was the middle of my final exam. I worked hard and I even did a part time job. I used to come late and one day it happened. When I opened the door of the room, I could see someone sitting in front of the t .v. I just thought it must be Abi, my fiancé .But it was that man. He pushed me on to the floor and hit 0n my head with the vase which was on the table. I was half unconscious when he injected me in my stomach. And it was the last time I could feel the warmth. I think I was lying there in that pool of blood, more than a whole day and I heard them saying the loss of blood have made me die. He has taken away both of mine. And my body was dried without blood.”

Her story shocked me and it also added more tears to my eyes.  And the way she is standing in front of me. A dead person .I am with a ghost. I couldn’t think of these things. And these things I never believed but, I am with the spirit of a dead person and I am half dead.

“The only way I could warn you was in your dreams. I wanted you to go away from here and help me to release my spirit from that place.”

“How can I help now? In no time I will be also dead. “

“No you can still live. That’s your body they are operating this only your spirit talking with me. It’s in your hands to save your life not the doctors. Go back t. Be strong to overcome the pains. I am sure you‘ll be safe. Think about your family, your friends and your fiancé. See the way they are frightened to lose you”.  I could see them outside the room sobbing and consoling each other. I do not want to leave them so soon. So I decided to go back to the operating room. But, for the one more last time I wanted to talk to Mia.

“If I live, how can I help you to release your spirit?”

“When you gain your consciousness you’ll forget our conversation and it‘ll only be a dream for you. I am not sure whether you‘ll remember to help me when you wake up. If you n just do a prayer at the church. It ‘ll help my spirit to release of the shock and the sorrow”.

Again I was in a deep sleep and I could feel a hand resting on mine. And the first word that came out of my mouth was Mia.

“Doctor she’s awake” I could hear someone’s voice and slightly opened my eyes and saw my friends were around my bed.

“Am I still alive?” It was the only thing I wanted to know.

“Yes girl  ... we were all so afraid.”

“Yeah… I saw you were crying outside, and Reha thank you very much, I owe you my life.”

I saw they were confused by hearing my words. They looked at each other in surprise .I just gave them a slight smile as I could feel a Sevier pain in my stomach. I am glad that I am able to survive but with one kidney. I had to remain in the hospital for about a week and all my friends were with me. And I always remembered about Mia. As soon as I got discharged I wanted to go to the church.

“Darling, lets visit after sometime, still you are not fully recovered”.

“No Reha I must go soon, thanks to her I am alive. I must keep my promise. Let’s go to day.”

“What are you saying, who is she and what this is promise you are talking about. And I want to know how you know about what happened that day. You were unconscious.” I smiled at Reha, though I wanted to tell what happened during my operation, I am pretty sure she’ll take it for a joke and nobody will believe this story. So I thought of remaining quite.

We went to the church in the evening and the only person I told the story is the head priest of the church. He understood the situation and he conducted the necessary prayer to release Mia’s spirit stuck in the room. When it was about to end the prayer I saw Mia. Her look was different, she had nice clothes and her hair was combed neatly and her face had no bruises like earlier and she was smiling with me. It was the last time I saw her.

I shifted to Reha’s apartment and the police was able to catch the murder of Mia and he was sentenced for lifetime prison. I had to take medicines for a long time and I am to be more concern about the foods I am taking. I did my degree well and I started to explore about death spirits and I almost found evidence about rebirths and spirits. I never saw Mia again and I‘ll never forget her.

                                                                                                                                              

Author -   Sathya Sammani

 

 photo credits for the original photographer