Fate shuffles the cards,We Play.
.....
Hey doc ,aren't you going home?
It's 6 pm , your shift is over.
I startled awake from my consultation desk as the night duty staff woke me up.
I got dozed off at my table some minutes ago.
"Sorry, I was tired.
The night duty doctor isn't here yet?"
He is on his way but it might take sometime,
You better leave or else the next set of evening duty might fall on your head.
"How many people are waiting?"
Nothing much,just another 199 patients have been booked for the evening consultation.
"That's a lot.
Anyway i am leaving and you better take care,Sanny".
I came downstairs and punched my finger into the scanning machine and just glanced the long line of patients still waiting for consultation.
Everyone was patiently waiting,
but I hope their patience will last long enough until today's night duty doctor arrives.
I have been working since last 10 hours,
So it's better to leave fast or else you will find yourself in unnecessary troubles.
Since a hospital is place where anything bad can happen at anytime.
Just when I was about to leave,
my phone rang.
It was sanny.
I was just about to ignore it,but then I realised I have forgotten to take my bag from my cabin .
Even if i leave it behind there is nothing to worry,but just for a curiosity I decided to pick up the call.
Hey doc , where are you at?
"near the reception area ,i was just about to leave."
Really, can you just come back up i think you forgot something important.
So it's the bag.huh
"Sanny I think I forgot to take my bag pack.
It doesn't have anything important inside it,so just ignore it.
I will take it tomorrow morning."
Bag?
Have you looked at the todays evening schedule?
"No i didn't."
I just answered him and simultaneously looked into big digital screen near the reception area where doctors list is shown.
I felt a sudden heart attack.
My name was on the today's evening duty column.
"Sanny?
Are you still on the line?"
You weren't aware of it? Huh
Duty list just got updated,the night duty doctor just got an emergency at home so he requested the admin for a change in schedule.
And I am sorry I forgot to ask you as well.
So can you just come back up.
This is just....fu*king tiresome.
But then I again looked at the long line of people patiently waiting for their name to be called.
Some may have been waiting for hours.
I calmed myself.
"This is just part of this job,no need to get frustrated.
I will just finish it as fast as i can and go back home.That's it simple."
Shaking free from my frustrations,i punched my finger again into the scanning machine and went upstairs to my cabin for the evening shift.
.....
It's 12.30am
Are you sure?it's really late .
You should stay here for the night.
"No need,I have informed the admin and requested for a day off tomorrow."
Okay then ,if you need i can drop you near the guest house.
"Don't worry about that since it's nearby anyway."
You seem really uncomfortable.
Is this guy blind or something?
who else will be fine after working for 16 hours straight without any breaks.
" I am just tired, that's all."
"It's just that i didn't expect the extra duty."
they need to inform you beforehand about these things, right?
You should change that workaholic nature of yours or else the management will keep exploiting you.
the admin knows that you won't question him about these things that's why he didn't even ask you permission about the schedule change.
"Workaholic? Me?"
Is this guy making fun of me or something.
"It's okay sanny,since all I care about is the salary that comes at the last day of every month.
And besides just think from the patient's point of view.
They have been waiting for hours,it's disrespectful to my profession if I ignore their struggle since one day I might be also waiting like them in a hospital."
You should always expect the unexpected since everything changes like a flash.
Okay have it your way .
Goodnight Doc.
"Yeah.bye."
....
I left the hospital and began walking to my apartment building.
There was lots of street lights near the road side, still it was quite dark.
Not even a random vehicle was passing by.
"That's strange"
I felt like a stranded being.
It's as if i am walking in a infinity cycle of Job,sleep and repeat.
Even though my life was stable in every aspect I always felt lack of happiness and a company of my interests.
It's as if living this life just to finish it.
Just was I about to reach the apartment,
I saw group of dogs fighting their territorial battle at the center of the road, blocking my way to the apartment.
I involuntarily stopped.
"Ah great "
I looked around to see if any security staffs were still around the area but as usual not even a stray cat was found when I needed them the most.
It's just me and the dogs.
I have a terrible history with dogs.
Even if it was a group of tigers i wouldn't have felt this kind of mental struggle.
Dogs are man's best friend
But they can be also considered as an unpredictable enemy sometimes,for me at least.
Because I have experienced that trauma myself.
Some experiences never fades away from our mind it's as if they are still reminding us of our helplessness
I stood there waiting for an opening to go into my apartment building.
But for fu*ks sake the mutts also noticed my presence.
"What doggies?
I am just passing by ,so don't mind me.
oh you guys can continue fighting as much as you want and die"
Even though I was cursing in my mind,the doggies completely changed their attention to me as if they knew I was cursing them.
Such instincts by animals are scary as hell.
I decided to totally ignore them and walk towards my apartment as if they were nothing.
Just when I took the first step,one of the doggy punks barked at me.
It was almost 1 am ,the atmosphere was silent as hell.
I just want to get some sleep,it's been one thing after another this day.
Suddenly the one who was getting beatup in the doggy group battle started barking more aggressively at me as if he is trying to shift their attention to me.
"Poor bastard,he must be desperate to stay alive.
But you should find someone else for tonight."
"Just get out of my fu*cking way you doggy bastards."
Ever since my past trauma with the dogs i always took priority to avoid interaction with dogs at any circumstances.
But unfortunately it felt like the universe itself is setting us both for these kind of awkward confrontations from time to time.
I never hated dogs at first but my trauma makes me involuntarily fear them at sight,
which makes me feel pathetic.
They are just animals and it's their nature to be aggressive at times but why me.
Even in the past I didn't do anything,
just like now I was just passing by.
It almost felt like the deja vu.
That I am experiencing the same trauma here again at this moment.
I decided to avoid the unnecessary confrontation,so I took a step back and decided to walk away from here until the mutts flee.
If i don't I will be on the losing end and I was having a feeling that this isn't going to end well for me.
Suddenly,as if their dinner was getting taken away they lunged at me,stopping just infront of me as if they were assessing my worth.
"Sorry to disappoint you doggies,
I am a vegetarian so my meat won't taste any good.
You should pick someone else"
Each one of them started barking their lungs out as if they were affected with rabies or something.
I think the gang of predators decided to pick me for their meal tonight.
"I don't even have anything on me to throw at these things except my phone."
The sound of the barks were getting louder by the moment and I was getting a mild panic attack.
My vitals were spiking and my body was getting restless as if i could feel their teeth in my flesh.
"How did this happen again, anyway?"
I getting ended up at the wrong place on the wrong time isn't new, but this was an unfortunate matchup.
"Okay,calm down
let's just stay still."
"You guys can keep barking till morning
because no way in hell i am running."
"Even if I have to wait till tomorrow morning I ain't running from you, stupid dogs."
It's easy just to say these things but my body was on the verge of running at any moment.
Because choosing to run from a aggressive dog while they are taunting you face to face is not just a bad move but a suicidal one.
There is no way I can outrun these mutts in my current physical state.
Just when I thought they were calming down,one SOB of a dog jumped at me.
I instinctly sidesteped from getting it's teeth planted on my leg.
"What is this,tag game or something?
Just leave me already."
"Go fetch someone else."
As if trying to test my meat quality,
another one jumped at me with its disgusting mouth open wide, aiming at my right hand.
I just stepped back multiple steps as if any more of this bite testing is going to get me killed tonight.
I don't know how much time has passed but it felt like hours as sweat poured down from my forehead.
"So you guys leaves me no choice.huh"
A total of 5 dogs were licking their teeth as if they have just finished their starter taste.
Their eyes were glowing in red as if they were possessed by some ghost.
I glanced around hoping to find someone one last time.
I couldn't believe how much of an idiot I was trying desperately to find someone for help for fighting a couple of stray dogs on a freaking midnight.
If any youtuber sees this it will be quite amusing as it might become trending tomorrow.
Since everyone likes to see someone totally unrelated to them getting screwed up in the most amusing way possible.
"Seems like I will be spending my day off in the hospital tomorrow."
Okay, one last try.
"Good doggies,Please don't bite ."
The dogs suddenly started to bark in unison as if they were enjoying my fear and helplessness.
Gang of ugly dogs cornering a kind innocent person at midnight on a openroad seems quite unfair, don't you think?
I was getting a angry at the very sight of this.
It's as if they are so sure that I will gladly let them feast on me.
If I had at least a walking stick with me,
i would have smashed your damn mouths by now .
Just hope that I don't find one you ugly bastards.
Reality is painful sometimes just like my current situation.
I took a long breath.
"So suicide it is then .Have it your way."
"Come get me, MUTTS"
I shouted and began running from my spot.
Even if i sprinted towards my apartment,there is a chance that the gate might be locked.
So instead of jumping directly into their mouths waiting to bite me,i decided to run for who knows where.
I ran like hell as if my life depends on it,
These situations were getting on my nerves.
I cursed while running on the street.
"i am fu*cking pathetic."
What did I do to deserve getting into this kind of pathetic situations?
"Sanny was right i should have stayed in the hospital."
"The night duty was thousand times better than getting bitten by some SOB stray dogs".
"GOD PLEASE SHOW ME SOMEONE."
Security staffs, vehicles,anybody ...
I don't care who it is.
Please just show up this one time.
I was getting restless and tired at the same time,the dogs were gaining momentum on me.
I could hear their barks reaching my ears, louder every passing second.
Even though I was in this wicked situation,
i couldn't help but think of my life and my unfortunate decisions.
"What kind of fate is this?
I hated my job
I hated my all forgiving personallity
i hated my circumstances
More than anything I hated my current pathetic self of what I have become in this 25 years of life."
My easy going attitude have cost me so many things.
But my life won't be one of them.
Not by some fu*king god forsaken dogs.
Just when I was to get bitten by the ankle , I saw someone standing near one of the street lights coming ahead.
My pride didn't allow me to scream the word
"HELP"
But no matter who it is I will ask them to lend a hand.
It's now or never .
I sprinted as fast as could towards the figure standing near the street light .
I went ahead and crashed into the street light pole involuntarily as my body couldn't stop on time due to my momentum.
I fell face burst on the road real hard,
but immediately got back up and looked at the person who was standing there.
"Hey sir, excuse me
can you just.....huh?"
Instead of asking for help,
I just stood there startled by the appearance of person standing infront of me.
Oh my , You are quite pathetic too.
"Pathetic? the hell."
Huh wait?
I suddenly glanced sideways ,
there was no signs of the dogs that was chasing me.
"The hell?is happening."
A creepy feeling was growing inside me,
Alerting my instincts that something bad was about to happen.
Unknowingly I stepped back from figure infront of me.
My body was moving on its own.
The figure also walked forward right into the lime light.
It was a woman draped in dark, saint-like robes, covering her from head to toe except for her mouth.
She stood beneath the streetlight, exuding an eerie, unsettling aura.
I had chills running down my spine.
You will do since you at least got instincts.
Also my apologies,this isn't how it supposed to go for you,but just think that you got unfortunate.
Unfortunate?for what exactly.
A sudden horn snapped me out of my daze and brought me back to my situation.
I looked at my right and saw a truck coming at a great speed.
It's headlights were eye blinding .
The truck's menacing shape looms larger with each passing second, suffocating the air with an unmistakable sense of dread.
This whole situation felt like directly made out of a horror movie.
I turned my sight towards the woman as her hand was right infront of my face.
"What are you ..... doing?"
Without hesitation she flicked her index finger straight on to my forehead.
It felt like getting hit by a sledge hammer as i was sent flying at the same time.
Simultaneously the truck hit my body and sent me straight into the oblivion of darkness.
I lost control of my senses and well being right after that,the last thing i remember was the smile under that woman's veil as she was enjoying what
was happening to me just before flicking me.
I felt my consciousness drift away.
But I was aware of what's happening which was extremely weird.
I don't know what happened to me and my body after that,if the doggies were still around they would have enjoyed me right now since i became a freshly prepared bloody meal for them.
And of course the mystery woman,
If I was in her shoes i would have found my circumstances funny as well.
"My life was indeed funny as hell.
I lived without a cause and died before even finding one.
Truly pathetic if I say myself."
"While my circumstances were beyond my immediate control,I am still responsible for how i respond to them and make the most of what I was given."
If there is a next life coming my way,
I will try to do that.
.....