Edith and Edith

The rush in the hospital corridor made me nervous. I could see nurses hurrying towards the numerous rooms with bottles of saline and medicines. Yet, as I sit beside the operation theatre with the red light on, the only person I could think about was my daughter, Edith.

She had been suffering from terrible pain since a year now..and it has all come down to this moment. The doctors before operating on her said that there's half the chance for both outcomes. She would either have a painless life or she would close her eyes forever. This scared every fibre of my body. Why would God do such a thing to my baby? She merely turned four last Sunday. 

A nurse came out and told me that her health had deteriorated furthur.

"Pray to the God's, ma'am...we need a miracle now."

I sat down, feeling weak in the knees. My heart was suddenly filled with despair.

"Why would she be punished so brutally?" She has always been so sweet.

"My Miss. Perfect," I would often call her.

The only thing questionable in her life was the other 'Edith' she made friends with.

"Edith! come back here," I cried as Edith once again hid herself behind the huge Banyan tree in the far end of the backyard. Honestly, I could never understand her obesession with that tree.

At the age of three, when other kids amused people with their broken speeches...Edith spoke fluent English. She has always been so brilliant. One evening as I had been taking my walk in the backyard lawn, I found her sitting by the tree. I rushed to her.

"Sweetie, you really can't be here all alone. There are monsters here."

"But Ma! I've made a new friend," said she, her finger pointing towards the Banyan tree.

"Oh! Have you now?"

"Yes. YESSSS. She says her name's Edith too. Are we twins, Ma?

I had never stopped her from living in her own imaginary world. But this was weird, even by her standards. She wasn't supposed to be conversing with an old wild tree, was she?

Since that day, I forbade her from meeting her friend again. But like the rebel that she was, she paid no heed. Often, she would escape out of my sight and spend time with Edith.

Sensing something bad, I consulted the local priest. The Holy man inspected the tree the next day.

"This is dark, Madam," said he,"..very dark indeed."

Two days later he gave me some powder poison.

"Put this around the tree once every dawn."

"But Father, my daughter wouldn't accept killing it."

"Do not worry, child. The poison will only kill it slowly. She wouldn't even realise." the Father assured.

So, I obeyed. The next dawn, I started my task of killing the tree. For almost a year, I had been putting the poison in Edith's roots.

Trringgggg...!!

My phone suddenly came to life. Claryss, the house assistant called to inquire about Edith.

"She isn't well, Claryss,"I said, as tears came bursting out of my eyes.

"God will be with the sweet one, Madam. I have been praying too."

I thanked her, still crying.

She then with a concerned tone said,"Well there's something else I wanted to tell you."

"Can it wait, Claryss?" I asked, too tired for anything else.

"Uh! Pardon me, Madam..but the Banyan tree..it died this morning. It has crashed into the ground. I thought I should let you know."

I was speechless. I didn't know what to say. My heart stopped as the light in the operation theatre went off at that instant.

The doctor came out and looked straight into my eyes.

"We're very sorry, ma'am. Edith is no more."