The Last Breath

She was staring at the ceiling as she was being given the injection. It was nothing. Just a dose of medicine so she could keep her calm. She wasn't just any mental patient, no. She was turned into one. It wasn't easy for her parents to see her in that condition for about two years now. She didn't talk to anybody nor did she look at anybody. Every day the doctor would come in and give her the daily dose of her injections and other medicines. The nurses did their work with utmost care but does medicine help us heal? Isn't it that our will matters the most?

Malini had lost hope and her will to live. Can't blame her though...

Two years ago:

Malini lived a normal life of a twenty-year-old individual. She was independent and engaged. She was gonna get married in another two months with the blessings of her family and the best wishes of her friends. Her fiance, Rajesh, was a very well-educated guy and earned pretty well too. He was twenty-two and worked with his father in the family business. They all approved of Malini and Rajesh. Happy ending? You wish!

One night when Malini and Rajesh were heading back home from a movie, their car was stopped by two thugs. They looted Rajesh of all his money and cell phone and Malini of her jewellery and cell phone too. Also, their engagement rings were gone.

"Let's go! They have nothing left." Said one of them.

"The girl..." the other said.

"Look, we gave you whatever you wanted. Now leave us." Rajesh pleaded.

"We want the girl..." the second one said slowly.

"What? No! Please let us go..." Malini found her voice finally.

"Not so easily..." the thug said as he was joined by his 'partner in crime' for a laugh.

"Raj..?" Malini looked for her fiance.

"Don't! I beg of you..." Rajesh pleaded again.

The thugs took their knives out. Both Rajesh and Malini were in pure shock.

One of them took hold of Malini and the other approached Rajesh. Rajesh raised his hands in surrender and breathed out, "Don't hurt me.. Take her if you want."

"Smart guy!" the thug said as he saw Rajesh move towards his car.

"Raj? No! You can't leave me here! Raj! No!!" Malini called but it was in vain. Rajesh had already driven off. "Coward Raj! No!!" there was no stopping to Malini's pleading as the thugs started to drag her away from the very deserted road into the bushes. It was almost the outskirts of the city because Malini's father owned a factory and they lived near it for his convenience. Turns out, it was convenient for the thugs too.

They tore apart all her clothes along with her soul. She struggled, a lot, but nothing could stop those tigers. They molested and raped her until she couldn't find her voice to plead anymore. She was left there without any clothes on her body but with many scars and bruises to hide her skin. Each part of her body pained so much that she couldn't open her eyes properly. She was lying there in shock as her fiance left her and ran away. The sun hadn't risen yet when she saw the shadow of someone passing by. She tried to call for help but she couldn't find her voice. She feared that someone would help her or take advantage of her. She wanted to try but gave up when she couldn't find her voice at all. She slowly closed her eyes as she lay there unconscious.

"Malini..." she woke up to her mother's voice. Each part of her body still ached as she opened her eyes to look at her mother. She had swollen eyes and tears were still rolling down her cheeks.

Since that day, Malini didn't say a word. Two years passed away and not a single word. She was first treated at her home but when she showed a very aggressive reaction to all the males that stepped into her room, she was hospitalized, away from all the men. Her father saw her from the blinds as she didn't approve of him being around either. When, after two years, they finally accepted the fact that medicines couldn't treat her anymore, she was brought back home.

All the time she stared at the walls or the ceiling. She started to get aggressive at people around her when they came near her. If only in two years, her condition worsened. She only approved of her mother around her and nobody else. If only air filling and leaving her lungs counted as living, she was living her life perfectly.

Whenever she saw her father around, she pleaded with him without any words. She grunted and cried but didn't say anything. She joined her hands in front of him and signalled 'No' with them. Her father did nothing but leave the room, defeated. She couldn't sleep at night without sleeping pills because sleeping meant closing her eyes and trusting her surroundings and she wasn't ready for that yet. She needed her mother to sleep beside her. Her mother treated her like a baby but till when?

"I've lost all hope ma'am. She doesn't let people around. She's lost all her faith in life. I'm sorry." said the doctor to Malini's mother.

Malini's mother had no choice. She didn't want to do it but had to do it anyway. She slowly went into Malini's room. Malini was lying on her back on the bed staring at the ceiling. Malini's mother slowly sat beside her on the bed but she didn't notice. She kept staring at the ceiling. Malini's mother took the injection. She overdosed Malini on adrenaline and Malini's breath started to get heavier and heavier until it finally stopped as she looked at her mother and a small smile crept to her lips. Malini's mother could do nothing but cry her guts out as her daughter took her last breath.