chapter 18

Amaira's phone rang, shrill in the silence of the hospital corridor. She hesitated for a moment before answering, knowing that it was Scar Boss on the other end."Amaira, where are you?" Scar Boss's voice was gruff and commanding, with no hint of warmth or kindness.Amaira felt a shiver run down her spine as she replied, "I'm at the hospital."Scar Boss's voice grew even more menacing. "You're taking too long. I need you back here within the hour. We have an important guest coming to visit us this evening, and I need you to be present and prepared."Amaira's heart sank as she realized that she wouldn't be able to spend too much time with her brother. "Yes sir, I'll be right there."Scar Boss's voice was cold and dismissive. "See that you are. And don't be late."The line went dead, and Amaira was left standing in the hospital corridor, feeling a sense of dread wash over her. She knew that Scar Boss's "important guest" could only mean one thing: trouble.With a heavy heart, Amaira made her way to the doctor and nurse to bid them farewell and gave a last look to her brother before she took out her car, which Scar Boss gave containing trackers and almost left. Almost...Amaira's phone rang. When she picked it up the nurse's voice broke with tension, "Miss Amaira, your brother..." Amaira's heart sank as she spun around, her feet seeming to move of their own accord. She rushed back to the hospital room, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. The beeping of the machines, the antiseptic smell, and the sterile atmosphere all seemed to close in around her.As she burst through the door, she was met with the sight of her brother's frail form, his chest rising and falling with laboured breaths. The machines surrounding him beeped and whirred, their frantic rhythms echoing the turmoil in Amaira's own chest.She felt a lump form in her throat as she rushed to his side, her eyes welling up with tears. She grasped his hand, her fingers intertwining with his limp ones. "No, no, no," she whispered, her voice trembling. The tears spilt down her cheeks as she felt a wave of desperation wash over her. She had to stay strong, for her brother's sake, but it was getting harder by the minute. The fear of losing him, of being alone in this cruel world, threatened to consume her.As she stood there, frozen in anguish, the sound of her own ragged breathing filled her ears. It was as if time itself had slowed down, leaving only the two of them, suspended in a sea of uncertainty.Amaira's eyes locked onto the doctor's face, searching for any hint of hope. "What happened?" she demanded, her voice barely above a whisper. "He was getting better."The doctor's expression was sympathetic, but his words were laced with caution. "I'm afraid your brother's condition is more complicated than we initially thought."Amaira felt a cold dread creeping up her spine. "Is he...is he going to be okay?"The doctor hesitated before responding, "He will need urgent surgery. But bringing notice to his condition, we can't take the risk."As the doctor continued to explain, Amaira's mind wandered back to the conversation she had with Scar Boss. The warning echoed in her ears: "You have one hour to get here, or else."She knew she couldn't leave her brother's side, not now. But she also knew that defying Scar Boss would come with consequences.Amaira's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her phone buzzing in her pocket. She hesitated for a moment before answering."Where are you?" Scar Boss's voice was low and menacing.Amaira took a deep breath before responding, "I'm at the hospital. My brother's condition relapsed."There was a pause on the other end of the line. "I promise I will be back as soon as this is solved. Please understand. This is fatal!" Amaira snapped taking the silence as threatening.The line went dead.Amaira looked up at the doctor with courage, "Doctor, Please operate on him!"He stayed silent for a while and then, with defeat, said, "I am sorry to disappoint you, but I can't take up the surgery. I am sorry Amaira. I am at my last phase of life and all I want is to retire without any death from my hand. The surgery we're talking about here is a huge deal considering your brother's situation. If even a millimetre mistake occurs, it will result in the patient's immediate death."Amaira's pleading eyes were not helping anymore. The doctor had made his decision and Amaira knew that this decision would cost his brother's life. Just when all the hopes were about to die, the door burst open as a man with green eyes in white scrubs walked in.