THE PILL – CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2 – THE MIRACLE.

Six months later 

December 15, Sunday, 10:30 A.M. -The dark grey drapes were pushed to the corners of the curtain rod and tied neatly with two lovely lace tiebacks. The room got flooded instantly with the bright, warm sun rays making it snug and cozy and the perfect place to be in , on a cold winter morning. The combination of the heat from the room heater and the raw, fresh warmth of the sunbeam through the window, made the room a wee bit more cozier than it would be on any other day in this season.

Adam frowned , clearly upset with the sudden intrusion of so much light in his room. With his eyes still shut, he squealed, “Mum…..I don’t want to wake up now, please draw the curtains and go .” His mother leaned over the bed and pulled his blanket a little. She said, “Now get up. Elsa is waiting since the last 30 minutes.”

He pinched himself. Did he hear it right? Elsa is in his house, waiting for him ? Oh no ! Mum must be joking.

He moved the blanket from his face and sighed with his eyes tightly shut. He still can see her whenever he wants, at least on that she had no control. He has been a freak, a clumsy , weak fellow in college, struggling hard to keep up with the pace of progress in class. Why would a girl, as pretty and witty as Elsa, even look at him !

Elsa has an over protective boy friend who would never allow him or anyone out of ‘his preference list’, to be in her close proximity. So Adam hardly got a chance to let her know about his feelings. Though he believed, she understood that from his gestures. But, her response never seemed positive to him.

He still couldn’t forget Elsa walking through the main entrance of the university. It was the first day of college. She was wearing a pearl white floral dress and white shoes. Her hair pulled back from her forehead with a thick white cloth hair band. She had long, shiny, blonde hair that bounced when she walked. Large ear rings with little white feathers hanging from them, kissed her cheeks as she moved. Her lip gloss made her lips look more rosy pink just like two petals of rose. Her cheeks were blushed to impart a light pinkish hue. She had a dimple that dug deep into her right cheek when she smiled . Adam could not move his eyes from her . Though he knew that his staring was quite noticeable to others and it was a bit awkward. Even Elsa  glanced at him angrily while walking past him. Yet he could not stop himself from looking at her, not then, not now. And what did mum say ? Elsa is waiting ? What ? He still couldn’t believe it.

He rose to his feet and ran to the bathroom. Quickly brushing his teeth, he got into a pullover and track pants. Stopping once in front of the mirror, he glanced at his reflection.  His hair was so shabby. How would Elsa feel when she looks at him? He fumbled through his drawer for a comb. He was in so much hurry that he could not do anything right. Then his fingers touched a bottle. He pulled it out hastily. Oh ! The pills. He kept it carelessly on his desk and ran outside to see Elsa.

He looked around in the living room and could see no one. He checked frantically every  corner of it, but, all in vain. Angry he started screaming, “Mum ! Hey mum !” But, no one answered. Now where did mum go ?

Suddenly there was a sound on the doorknob. It seemed to rotate. Someone must be trying to open the door. Adam rushed to open it. His mum was there holding some grocery bags. “Oh, so you woke up finally ?” she walked in and hurried to the kitchen. Adam asked , ” So where is Elsa? And how come you just asked me to get up and yourself left for the grocery ?”

His mum looked at him, stunned, ” Are you getting crazier by the day ? ”

Six months ago

The lights turned on.

Adam turned around and checked. Strange ! He just felt a thick coarse material brush against his hand. And a few seconds from that, the lights were on again. “How can somebody disappear so fast ?” , he wondered.

“Come on , let’s go !” , Henry tapped on his shoulders. Adam nodded and they walked out of the pharmacy. He was just about to share this incident with Henry when he realized there was something in his hand.

Errr…..It was a bottle of pills.

How did it come in his hands? Henry showed him a medicine bottle and said, “Here’s your med. Now, when did you pick that from the pharmacy? It is looking like a prescribed drug to me. Let me see.” He snatched the bottle from Adam’s hands and exclaimed, “Whoa ! It has your name on it .”

Adam was surprised . Something weird was happening with him today. He returned home with the pills. “Once daily with food,” He read it again and again. It was like magic. He had no clue how the bottle of pills ended up in his hands. That night he again could not sleep well because of the nightmares. Henry’s dad advised him to take an over the counter sleep aid. But, that wasn’t helping him in anyway. He just couldn’t sleep.

A week later —- Frustrated and depressed,  he decided to take the other medication ,too. He was not sure if he was doing the right thing. Yet he was so desperate to find a solution, that he did not hesitate for once before trying it.

Next morning , Adam’s mum made breakfast and was surprised to see that he was still not there . That was quite unlike him. He would always wait in the living area when his mum prepared breakfast.

Adam never shared his struggles with his mum. Yet, she understood that something was going on. His dark circles, always weary eyes and his anxiety said it all.

She was thinking of meeting Henry’s dad for an advice on this matter. But, today Adam is just taking her breath away. “Is he okay?” she muttered to herself and rushed to Adam’s room. Adam lay there on his bed, fast asleep. His mum touched his forehead . “No fever,” she whispered. Then she shook him. Pulled the curtains aside to let in some sunlight. But, he did not move a bit. Now, his mum was really getting anxious.