Chapter 01: PATIENT ON BED NUMBER 37

It was not a usual Wednesday in "The max" hospital of Ontario. The Tensed and Unusual atmosphere was predictable from the faces of the Hospital staff.

Mrs. WADE, a nurse in her late 40's was working with a heavy heart. She was trying to ignore her thoughts and focus on her work but her mind and heart were not with her today.

Mrs. Wade, lost her only child 8 years back in an accident and was able to coup up with the situation only because of Patient on "bed number 37". And today they were going to snatch her as well. Her eyes welled up mere with the thought of it. It's not that she hadn't tried her best to persuade the hospital senior's, she even thought of adopting the poor patient but the expenses of the hospital were very high and with her merge income it was an impossible task to pay them.

After all, she was just a poor nurse, although she was working at one of the best and most expensive hospital of Ontario, but her salary was not sufficient to pay the bills.

It was not just Mrs. Wade but other members of the hospital were also feeling bad because "Patient on Bed number 37 " have been a part of the hospital from past 7 years. She was a child...merely 12 or 13 years old when she was bought to the hospital. She had suffered from head injury and was rescued by a group of locals from the forest ,not far from the hospital.

Dr. ANDREWS, who was one of the best not only in The MAX but in entire state operated on her and was able to remove clots from her brain. Her life was saved but she slipped into coma after it. Doctors have been trying their best from  7 years but there was no sign of improvement...no sign of her waking up from her vegetative state.

Nobody knew her name and that's why everyone used to call her "Patient on bed number 37". 

The hospital management tried to find her family, they gave advertisement everywhere but nobody came to claim her. 

Finally the hospital management gave up and majority of board members voted in favour of the idea to give her Euthanasia ( a mercy death for the patient in their vegetative state), to free her soul from her current state of agony and pain.

It was an Autumn evening and Mrs. WADE nervously looked at her watch....it was half past 4. They were going to give her Euthanasia at 5p.m., which means only half an hour was left.

She left her work and rushed to the Patient on bed number 37.

She entered her ward and saw the girl with tears in her eyes. Poor girl..she was not even aware what they were going to do with her. Mrs. WADE sat beside her and kissed on her forehead. She took her hand in her own and looked at the girl, who now resembled to a living corpse. Her skin was pale and there were dark circles beneath her closed eyes. She never opened them, since the day she was bought to the hospital.

Mrs. WADE was sitting and staring at her, after a while she struggled to speak but couldn't say anything. As if her words were stuck in her mouth. She closed her eyes and prayed to God "Dear god, if i did any good deed in my life..ever... please show mercy on her!". Tears rolled down her cheeks bringing back the memories of the time when she lost her child 8 years back. 

Mrs. WADE wiped her tears... went near her ear and whispered "sleep well my child!" and kissed on her forehead.

After it she stood up and ran out of the ward towards staff washroom....on her way she saw the team of doctors approaching the ward and she realised it was time, which made her heart tremble and she ran wailing badly...loud enough for everyone around her to hear and realise what was happening!

Team lead by Dr. ANDREWS at The Max was ready to give Euthanasia to "Patient on bed number 37" ...as they had order's from the management.

Mr. ANDREWS never thought the patient he tried to save 7 years back, would be the one he would be giving death by his own hands. He tried to motivate himself by concluding that this was best for her. She would be free from her sufferings without pain.

As the team of doctors barged in, they saw a lot of nurses there, who had come to say their final goodbyes to her. The Team of doctors were moved by this but they made them understand that it was for her own good. After that they made everyone leave the room, but Mrs. WADE entered the room and requested she wanted to be there with her. 

Dr. ANDREWS was aware about her motherly feelings for the patient and allowed her to be there.

 He signalled one of the doctors from the team and he came forward to hand over an injection filled with a certain medicine to him. Dr. Andrews sat down beside "Patient on bed number 37" and was ready to inject her with the injection when Mrs. WADE noticed her fingers moving. She rubbed her eyes in astonishment and screamed "she is moving her fingers"

All the doctor looked at her with surprise....but it soon turned to pity and sympathy!

After all Mrs. WADE has looked after that patient like her own child, from cleaning her pee to changing her clothes, feeding her...she did everything for her from past 7 years, so it was normal for her to hallucinate things!

They ignored her and he again bend to inject the injection, just as the injection pierced her skin, They heard a soft cry in pain! .....Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!! 

Dr. ANDREWS was not prepared for it and the injection fell from his hand on the ground. With Anger flaring his eyes he looked to check the source of the voice and saw an unbelievable scene!!!!

The patient they were going to kill just now... has opened her eyes and was shouting in fear!!! 

With pale skin and eyes surrounded by dark circles, She was resembling a ghost!!! 

In her weak and trembling voice, she asked" Who are you????...where am I???.....what are you doing to me?"

They were astonished beyond imagination.

Patient Number 37 was awake From her Vegetative state after 7 years!!!.... on the day when she was being given EUTHANASIA!!!!