In Loving Memory

"She has only a few weeks to live."

The doctor held tightly to her apron as she said those words, careful enough to avoid our anxious faces.

I shuddered as if my world was rocked by some high intensity shock waves. I was going to lose my best friend Revaty forever. She was diagnosed as suffering from blood cancer, only a few months ago. Till then, everything was going fine in our life. We had just completed our studies and were waiting for our placement orders, when Revaty fell ill. She used to suffer from fever every other day. A series of tests not only revealed her ailment but also that it was in an advanced stage. We had always been together since the day we had befriended each other. Now, she was lying on the hospital bed, waiting for death to beckon her. And I was somewhere in between life and death, trying to pave my way out of the darkness of gloom that had veiled me.

I stood up from my chair and walked out of the doctor's cabin like a lost soul. I looked through the glass window of her room. Revaty had lost almost 10 kgs and looked frail. As a result of intensive chemotherapy she had lost her waist-lenght, silky hair with which I was madly in love. Her beautiful face was gaunt and pale and had lost it's old charm. She was a devastated reflection of her old self. Tears brimmed in my eyes as the doctor's dreaded words echoed in my ears.

"Never, ever lose hope!" Revaty's words came to mind and I promptly wiped my tears.

I took a deep breath and tip-toed inside her room as she was sleeping.

"You're back!" Revaty abruptly opened her eyes and smiled at me, crushing her pain.

"I thought you were sleeping." I flashed an astonished smile.

"The pain won't let me sleep." Revaty sighed.

"Okay, " I picked a book from the table and placed it on my lap, "let me read you a story."

"I want you to write, Sandy." Revathy placed her slender hand over mine.

"But..." I hesitated.

Revathy had been asking me to write since a long, long time. But I had always turned her down as I was not confidient about my creative skills. The doctor's words haunted me and reminded me that it was most probably Revaty's last wish. If I wish to fulfill it, then I must do it now.

"Okay, fine," I raised my hands in surrender as I made my mind to fulfill her wish, ready to brave the consequences. "I'll write."

"Yippe!" Revaty gathered whatever strenght she had and clapped avidly.

I took my diary and scribbled the memories of the last but the most precious days of our friendship. As her condition worsened, the doctors used to keep her sedated for long hours and I didn't had much to write. I was still not sure, when Revaty compelled me to send my story for an anthology. I never had dared to say 'no' to her and hence denying her last wish was out of question.

They were about to take her for yet another chemotherapy session on the day when the results of the anthology competition was going to be declared.

"You are definitely going to win." Her weak fingers held my trembling hands. "I have absolute trust on your talent even if you don't have any."

"Yes, I know." I smiled just for the sake of her happiness.

I sat in the hospital's lobby and switched on my laptop after she was gone. I logged into the website to check the result of story competition, even though I was sure that there was no hope for me.

"What?" I murmured as the result knocked me down with a feather.

My story had won the first prize. The next moment, I ran towards Revaty's room but collided with her doctor who walked out of her room with heavy steps.

"We've lost her," the doctor said in a cold voice and walked away.

I had lost my partner-in-crime, the moment my first creative piece won the competition. But her inspiration continues to fuel my passion, even today.