Short Story Friendship – Friend Forever
Photo credit: taliesin from morguefile.com
Before starting the story I would like to make my readers acquainted with myself, Since I have been born in India and brought up here so the names featuring would be of Indian origin which might be strange for some of the readers, so not to worry about as the two persons here can be any two persons from the world with same set of problems. Anyhow not taking any further I would begin the story about true friendship and not withstanding what society or people think about you till you are doing the right thing.
Sunil was a 19 year old boy living in a remote village of India and who got an opportunity to study in one of the best colleges of India due to sheer hard work. He did not know that he was born HIV positive as his parents were not alive and he lived with his grandparents who were poor and they did not want to disclose him about it. While in the college he met Anil a simple and honest student who hailed from a middle class family they both soon became good friends and used to accompany each other wherever they went.
While they were studying in second year Sunil became very ill and was admitted to the nearest hospital where after his checkup he came to know he was suffering from AIDS. Anil was shocked to know this and immediately contacted his grandparents who came and later told everything to Anil that Sunil was born HIV positive as his mother was injected infected blood when he was about to be born at the government hospital. Anil could not sleep and eat the coming weeks he would wake up at nights sweating thinking about Sunil.
Later when the college authorities came to know about it they expelled Sunil from their college so that bad name would not be bought on their reputation,also they told Anil to not to go and meet his friend but prepare for the final examinations as in any case he would die and side by side other students also started avoiding him because of this. Anil felt very bad, he went to the chancellor and reported everything but to no avail. He told his parents everything they too scolded him and told Anil to concentrate on his studies otherwise they would call him back.
Anil felt very bad and for the next 4 days he stayed in his hostel room thinnking what to do next finally he made up his mind and went to the hospital to meet his friend. On reaching there he found out that Sunil’s grandparents had taken him back to the village as he had only a few days to live. He called up Sunil’s grandparents to enquire about their grandson ,they told him that he had been running a high fever since two days and would vomit blood frequently and by saying this they started crying and saying first his parents then him why to us we never did anything wrong with anyone still we are suffering why God this to us poor people. Anil consoled them and told them not to worry as whatever they could do they did.
When he hung up the phone his eyes were moist with teers he remembered all the good times they spent together and what a fun loving person Sunil was. Then he made up his mind to go and visit his friend ,the college authorities denied him leave as the exams were only two days after. Still Anil packed up his bags and left for Sunil’s village knowing that strict action would be taken against him but he was ready to face any action. On reaching Sunil’s Village he enquired about the house and reached it where he saw his friend lying on the floor on a mattress.
On seeing his friend tears rolled into his eyes, Anil went and gave him a tight hug, then he made his friend rest in his laps and started talking about all the funny things they did, Sunil’s grandparents were sitting in a corner of the hut crying seeing their child in such a state. After having dinner Anil made Sunil sleep in his lap.
Around 3 AM in the morning Sunil started breathing heavily and started coughing blood he told Anil to bring his ears near his mouth and last lines he muttered were” I knew you would come I was Waiting for you all the time you truly are a friend that i would want God to me in every life ” and then he passed away in his friends lap. The whole time around Anil came to a stand still it was as if everything was frozen Anil’s mind went blank as to what had happened his best friend who a few weeks earlier had been looking so cheerful and in fine health was now no more. He gave a tight hug to his friend and sat like that for time he that he did not know because his mind had become completely blank.
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