“Ruhaaaaaannn!!!” she screamed in panic, scanning the beach.

She got up from her bench with the help of her crutches. She ran as fast as she could across the sand to the sea.

At the very edge of the waves were her little brother’s shoes. It looked like he had removed his shoes before venturing in. It had been low tide when they came here. But now, it looked like it the tide was turning.

She shouted his name again, this time looking over the sea. She saw a small head bobbing in the water. This time the panic hit a higher note.

“Oh! my Lord! Help! Help!!!” she screamed.

Not many people came to the beach this time of the day. That was the reason they had come at this time in the first place. She looked at her brother and then at her crutches. The feeling of helplessness was getting overwhelming.

She was not on crutches all the time. She had been in an athlete all her life. Swimming, running, she had done everything. But hockey was her sport. She was excellent at it. And then this freak accident in the field left her with an injury. Though it was healed now, she had to use crutches to go around. The doc had told her that she could now try to walk without them. But Shilpa was not so sure. She was still very apprehensive of letting the support go. She kept postponing the moment.  She said she was happy this way. Nothing her family said or did made her change her mind.

Now, she looked across the sea and in a desperate moment threw away her crutches and plunged into the sea. She swam to the brother, caught hold of him and dragged him ashore. All the while, she did not think of her foot even once.

“What the hell, Ruhan?” she shouted, “You were not supposed to go in!”

“Didi! I was simply standing there, a big wave came and I slipped in. I was swimming back when you came. I was not drowning.

“You panicked unnecessarily! But look Didi, you left your crutches. You are swimming now! Isn’t that great?”

Shipla saw crutches floating out into the sea. She had found herself again.

Written as a part of the Festival of Words hosted by Write Tribe.

This is my take on the prompt for the day:

“Our fate lives within us. You only have to be brave enough to see it.” – Brave

and the photo prompt:

 

pexels-photo-1150618

 

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