The Blasts

Yesterday, I had hit the sack for a nap by around 5.45 pm. Most of the work for the OT had been done. I got up at 7.50,again going through the same scary feeling that I always have when oversleeping. Hastily I brush, pour some water over my head. As I head back to my room from the bathroom, I see my senior sitting at the mess downstairs sipping a cup of tea. Shit! He's going to shout at me again.

I dress up as fast as I can and I rush to ward using the stairs on the other end of the building so as to not go through the mess. As I went pass the door to the mess, I notice that my senior had already left. I run through the corridor. It felt strangely discordant and chaotic. Lots of extra people, security and police. I don't have a clue as to what had happened.

I meet my senior at the bottom of the building where my wards are. I expect an amazing doze of firing. Instead he asks me, do you know about the blasts? I shook my head partly in surprise, partly anxious. He tells me that there have been a series of blasts in the suburban railway network and the victims are being rushed to hospitals, our hospital being the prime centre for it.

Then we went and took a quick round. During the round I realize that we are all called to attend the emergency in the rescue activities. After the round, which went almost uneventful, I go back to the mess to have some food, something which I didn't have since yesterday night. While chewing on the half-cooked rice of the Veg. Pulav, I watch the TV channels showing the pictures of the blast sites and victims.

After my meal, I went to the emergency. I helped them out in the way I could seeing new patients, giving first aid treatment etc. I hear stories of shattered faces, torn eyeballs and prised chests. I was late by about 2 hours. But still I managed to help out. That's more important I feel. I retired from active assisting at 3 AM as I had to stay awake OT today.