While I was scrolling twitter, the clock showed 2:00am , So I thought it’s better to shut the phone and sleep while I was about to press back key I found another video following the trend of writing lyrics in bio and then making the video while keeping the same music in the background. I played it, saw it and kept my phone aside while pressing the power key and placed my head on pillow, Closed my eyes and dosed off . Wake up it’s already 12:00 pm my mom said while standing on my side. I opened my eyes while rubbing it and replied Okay give me a minute, She left I opened my eyes and grabbed my phone at the first instance, I started scrolling the twitter again as the 2g speed had made me obsessed with twitter. As I started scrolling I only saw the same videos almost everywhere , I was sad as I wasn’t part of any such video and I eagerly wanted to part of the trend.I kept the phone aside got up from my bed and went to take bath. Before going to take bath I checked time and it was 12:30 Pm. I went to bathroom took bath and then removed my phone from charger, and went to take my Breakfast, this lock down changed my whole schedule I said while climbing down to kitchen. As I entered kitchen my mom had already placed my breakfast my father teased as I sat. Oh! He woke up so early, he’s such a great person. I didn’t reply I concentrated on my breakfast as I was really hungry. I started scrolling again as I finished my breakfast. So, minster Shahab is going to through messages and Emails my father teased me while he was himself glued to his phone. My mom laughed and said “You have been scrolling since you woke up” . She said this she was herself on phone and we all looked at each other and laughed. Lock down had made all of us so free that we had only one thing to do that was to scroll. While we all were scrolling in silence a call on my phone broke it. Oh Now Minster shahb got a call. Both papa and mom said teased as I was leaving the room . It was my friend calling who told me that they are also making the video in trend and he asked me to be part of it, to which I willingly said yes as I wanted to be part of one such video. He told me that he will make a group and will add me in it. I was soon added to group in which others were already added. We decided to follow each other which was mutually accepted, we followed each other and made the video and uploaded it. I was really happy that I did the trend . We didn’t unfollow each other after making the video as we found no reason doing so. Somedays after we were having a discussion on Twitter, a guy who was part of the video Dm’ed and replied me to question that I had asked him during the discussion. Why didn’t he answer me there neither did I ask nor did he say. Well we had a good chat and introduced each other shared number and in that discussion, talk about coffee came up and the guy who’s name was ismail (Name changed) said I owe you coffee and after lock down ends I we will surely meet and I will get you coffee and whatever you want. Even though that was our first chat but we shared much with each other. Ismail a well build guy known for his body, seemed to be a nice and humble guy. From Twitter we went to Instagram.
While we were chatting on Instagram, I felt something is wrong with him and I asked him, why isn’t he sounding fine . Ismail and I had reached to a comfort zone, so he told me everything . While he was narrating me the reason of him being down, I asked him to call me to have a better understanding of situation he called me and we spoke for two hours, thank you so much ismail said while disconnecting the call. And after that we didn’t speak for around 2-3 days but as I saw the notification about easing of Lock down, I called him and asked him to meet me and pay me the coffee. He agreed and he decided to meet the very next day. The place which was decided had named “Friendship sip”. After discussing the time we disconnected the call. I was really excited to meet the person with whom I shared a great bound without even meeting. I slept early and even set an alarm at 10:30 am as I didn’t wanted to be late. We had decided to meet at 12:30 pm. My hands started screeching for phone, my eyes refused to open as it was too early. I my sleepy voice I received the call. Wake up don’t get late it was Ismail on the other side. I open my eyes and saw the time it was 9:00 am. It’s just 9:00am ismail, we are supposed to meet at 12:30pm. No wake up, we can meet early, okay I am waking up I said while disconnecting the call. I kept my phone on charging and went to bath. I took bath got ready and checked my phone and it was still 10:00 am. I took a light breakfast and left. As I sat in the car I decided to call ismail to know as when is he leaving. As I was about to call him, his call flashed, I received the call and he told me that he has already left and he will be at the place decided within half hour. I asked him to drive safe while disconnecting. I reached to place first and called ismail to know where he has reached. As I tried to call him the opertor said “The number to are trying to call is switched off” I entered the cafe and decided to wait for ismail. Even after waiting for 15 minutes he didn’t came neither did his call. I called him again only to know that his number is still switched off. As kept my phone aside I received a call from an unknown number. As I received a woman spoke “Is this Raqif” Yes I am Raqif I replied but I can please know who’s this, I am Ismail’s mother and he’s in hospital in ICU. As I heard ICU the world around me fell silent and I was unable to say anything. The silence was broken by his mom. Can you please come here he wasn’t to meet you he’s critical and doctors are saying that he can die anytime. As I heard this I asked her the name hospital and started to run towards my car as I disconnected the call. I reached the hospital in 15 minutes as there was no traffic. I called his mom to know on which floor the ICU is I kept running as she told me the floor number. I reached the ICU, entered the ICU. As soon as I opened the door of ICU Ismail turned his heads towards me and tears started to toll down from his eyes, my eyes couldn’t stop tears from rolling. I held his hand and said “Ismail you will be fine and we will have cup of coffee soon”. No bro that isn’t happening I ain’t surviving. I am sorry I didn’t fulfill my promise, you are the best bro you helped me a lot, I must tell you this before I die. As he said this his eyes got shut , head tilted and as I looked at the machines all I could read was zero. The doctor on my side said “Stay strong, He’s No more”.
(The author is a freelancer and frequently contributes for the opinion pages of “Kashmir Horizon”. Views are exclusively his own)
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