The corridors of the hospital were silent and dark in ways which you may never like. Sunlight filtered through the long window easing the bit darkness. Rooms were aligned in rows with numbers written over them.
Footsteps echoed through the corridors as Bernhard appeared , a smile playing on his lips, he no longer wore the military uniform which was soaked in blood instead he wore a neat and casual light blue shirt with brown trousers and no more blood clinged to his skin instead you could see his face clearly which shone brightly out of excitment Or may be happiness. He holded a piece of paper in his hand with numbers written in broad letters 107.
His eyes scanned almost every door which had numbers written over them.
He stopped when he finally noticed a door with number 107 over it. He walked towards it turned the door knob. The door opened with a soft creak he entered then closed the door behind him.
The moment he stepped inside he felt like the air has been knocked out from his lungs. He stood frozen in the spot, the smile which had been there on his face a minute ago has vanished .
He stood there taking in the surroundings. The room semelled of medicines, curtains drawn at sides allowing the sunlight to enter. The lights were on casting longer shadows on the walls and floor, medical tools were arranged on tables .
And at last , in the middle of the room on the bed laid the figure of a human for whom he cared.
For a moment he didn't move and then he took a step forward almost slowly and hesitatly as if moving fast would take away everything.
He moved slowly , his steps were steady. And now when he reached near the bed he could see it clearly the way the figure on the bed looked rarely human. The way his hands were wrapped in bandages, IV drips connected to his arms, the way the hospital uniform hung loosely on him. His face was pale , eyes closed . He looked peaceful after all chaos, the war, the loss.
For a moment there was no sound, except the ruffling of curtain . In that silence Bernhard stood still holding the bandaged hands of his dear human tears prickling at corner of his eyes.
And then the silence was broken by opening of the door once again. Bernhard head turned towards the source of the sound.
There on the doorway stood a young woman dressed in a tealength gown with full sleeves buttoned up upon it a white strip white gown , probably a nurse costume. She was fair, her hairs were straight and bit curly and brown , her eyes were light brown , lips glossy and pink. Her posture was straight her one hand was holding the door knob while the other hung loosely at her side clutching a medical cap.
"Oh, sorry . Didn't knew you were here" Said the young lady as she started to backaway closing the door behind her. Her voice was a bit akward but still composed.
"Oh, oh! " Bernhard said hurriedly. " It's okay, I just came to see him, you don't need to leave "he said as he started to walk towards the door.
" Uh, I just came to check on him"said the young lady as she walked inside the room. "Well, who is his family member, we want to fill the form for further treatment"she said and took the clipboard from the table which was beside the bed.
" Uh.. Hmm yeah"said Bernhard as he turned towards the young lady. "Give it" he said as he stood in front of the young lady forwarding his hands.
"Here you go" the young lady said while handing him the clipboard and pen. "By the way I am his private duty nurse, so you will have to sign down there in sign to agree " she said while pointing her fingers at a certain place on the paper.
"Ok, but can I know your name , I mean you are his private duty nurse so I felt it was important" Bernhard said as he handed the clipboard back after signing at last place.
"Amara, my name is Amara and yours? " Amara said as she looked at Bernhard who was staring at the Uniconcious figure on the bed.
"Bernhard" he said and looked at Amara.
"Ok Bernhard, So you are Mr. Volker's friend, am I right? " she said while looking checking the form.
"Yes, his family members are away in southern part" he said as he pressed his lips in a thin line.
"Ok I understand that" she said as she placed the clipboard down on the table and finally looked at the man standing in front of her. "If you want to stay here with him, then you can but I have to stay here too for monitoring the system and checking his health time to time because his health is still severe and weak too".
" Hmm"he said and nodded his head almost to himself and dragged a chair from corner and placed it near the bed and sat down back leaning against the chair hands crossed over his chest. The weight of every thing pressed over him from the time he had entered the hospital. The way his friend had been bleeding and groaning in pain , the way his breathes had been stopped for a moment when volker had closed his eyes and almost stopped breathing, the way his military uniform had been soaked in blood and clinged to his skin which has not left even after he had changed his cloth rubbed his body as if he could erase that feeling that
smell of blood mixed with soil, the way he had shouted for the way that his throat and lungs burned , the way he has sat outside the operation theatre whispering the words of prayer, the way his eyes burn due to crying and the way relief flooded through him when he heard from the doctor that finally his friend was safe , out of the danger .The way he had rushed out of the counter when he got room no.His mind recalled everything inch by inch as if finally he was. He stared at nothing in particular his mind was somewhere between the battlefield had fought for his country and on the battle which he has foughr inside him.
But now finally at last he could breathe properly without thinking about the loss, about the blood and everything . He closed his eyes throwing his head back as he let out a sigh .