"We are losing her! Charge up the defibrillator," the doctor announced to the nurse.
I knew my time was up. I could now barely feel alive or happy. We were holding hands but his touch felt very feeble.
"On the count of 3 - 1…2…3…."
The doctor gave me a shock, and my lumpy body gave a huge jerk. I waited for something, but nothing happened.
"Again! 1…2...3…." and again, nothing happened.
It's so pathetic to see yourself die.
"Again…." all other words subsided in background as a small silver ball appeared in front of me, it felt like it was calling for me.
"Armaan, what the hell is this? Please tell me it is door to heaven and not to hell?" I asked, holding on to him as tightly as I could.
Armaan, who was hiding his face in my hair, looked up suddenly and jumped with excitement, "This is it, this is your chance, take the ball, it's the ball of life; it will take you back to life!"
"What?" this was the best news ever.
"Yes, and in your case, it is very small, take it now or you'll miss it," and he pushed me towards it.
Wow, this is it; I can now finally be alive. I was about to take it but a thought stopped me.
"You missed taking this ball?" I asked turning back towards him.
"Yes," I could see pain in his eyes, but I could also see happiness that I was coming back to life.
"I am not going alone."
"What? Are you crazy?" He asked as though I was completely mental.
"You are coming with me." I held out my hand for him.
"What? I missed my chance. You have to take it else you'll miss it too. Anyways I am going to be there around you always now," he replied with an assuring smile.
How perfectly he could mask his pain.
"Well, this even forces me to take you with me. I don't want you to haunt me invisibly," my words made us smile.
"It will not help, it's for you."
"How do you know, maybe it will bring life to both of us. Please Armaan, what is the worst that could happen?" and I forcibly took his hand.
He hesitated but as the ball was about to disappear, he grabbed my hand and I grabbed the ball but nothing happened; it just gently disappeared in my palm.
I saw my heartbeat sink to almost zero and heard the doctor shout hopelessly.
"Last time, 3…2…1..." and suddenly I felt a jerk, like there was a hook in my belly, pulling me back very hard, darkening everything, and I woke up in my own body gasping for breath with a sudden surge of life.