Bitter past

*** GREYVIEW PRIMARY HOSPITAL***

Looking at the unconscious Atlas laying on the hospital bed, Mrs Chase felt her heart tightening. She clutched the mobile phone in her hands tightly.

This son of hers had suffered a lot and it painted her.

" Is he always like this? I mean, does he frequently lose consciousness?" Dada asked Molly. The two women were sitting on the couch by the window as they watched the happenings outside.

Molly and Rex were well known childhood friends. They had grown up together, played together and went to school together. Although this was the case, she did not know a lot about Rex's brother named Atlas as they were not that well acquainted.

" Am not quite sure as it's my first time seeing this. I haven't seen this happening before or it happened before I became a part of the Chase family." Molly answered back.

She alone could not provide any definite answer to Dada's question as she married Rex two years ago.

Mrs Chase sat not so close to the two women but still, she managed to overhear their conversation. She looked up at them and went on to answer Dada's question.

" Atlas rarely shows his vulnerable side to anyone. The first time such happened was when he realised that his parents were never coming to pick him up. He was seven years old by then. Somewhere in his heart, he had always wished to see them come back for him.

When I found Atlas, he was a little boy with no place to call home. My husband and I lived in the city at that time. Atlas was left on the streets to die, and one day as I went to dispose the garbage, I heard a baby crying from across the street. I found him placed next to a baby accessory bag which had his belongings and there was a name card on him. I took him to the police station, and the police just looked on without assisting. Later on, the children's home took him in. I couldn't sleep well after that encounter as I dreamt of him daily, therefore a month later I took him in as my eldest son.

As he grew up, Atlas would stare at financial magazines. We knew of his parents through the television and magazines, they had a great resemblance to Atlas. He would point at the pages and cry. Then one day, he saw his biological father on the news. For that moment, he stared at the television in a daze and called out, 'daddy daddy' in glee. He had greater expectations and he surely missed his family a lot. That very same night, he lost consciousness due to a high fever and he fell ill for a month.

The second time this happened, he was eighteen years old. He was an active university going teenager until one day he stumbled upon his family dining at the hotel he was a part- timer at."

Listening attentively, Dada kept her eyes focused on Mrs Chase. She would now and then turn to steal a quick glance at Atlas.

" What happened? Didn't they notice and recognise him?"

With a sad smile on her face, Mrs Chase looked at the sleeping Atlas. She remembered his melancholic expression when he came home that day after his part time job. The words he said still rang in her ears.

" When he came home that evening, he looked lifeless. He came before me and kneeled down at my feet. I was confused till I saw tears rolling down his cheeks, I knew something had happened. He cried for a long time, and kept repeating, ' Why don't they want me? They say am a jinx, a devil, an abomination.'

He told me that he met his biological family and they seemed happy without him. He went on to tell me how his mother had asked to be served by a different waiter when he approached their table. I cried seeing him being heartbroken like that. He fainted thereafter, and woke up after two days.

And now, this is the third time. My boy has suffered a lot through the years and instead of healing his old wounds, he seems to be bruising further."

Mrs Chase sighed deeply after finishing her narrative.

The atmosphere within the room became tense and heavy. No one said anything for a long time. It was as though they were observing a moment of silence.

" Am going for a stroll. Call me if you need anything from home." Rex stood up and walked outside the ward room. He couldn't take it anymore. He took his phone out of his trousers pocket and dialled one of the saved contacts.

*****

' Krrr' krrr'

" Hello" Answered Louis in a tired voice. He shifted from his seating position on the couch and he laid on it. His other hand held his tablet as he scrolled up and down.

" Have you seen the news? Well, I bet you did as you wouldn't do anything even after seeing it." Asked Rex in a sombre tone. He rubbed the space between his brows as he took a seat on the concrete block by the waterfall. He lifted his eyes and looked into the distance.

Louis sat up on the couch hearing the question as a serious expression graced his face.

" What are talking about? What news are you referring to?" He became nervous all of a sudden. His eye kept twitching uncontrollably and he scrolled to the web app and searched for the trending news.

" D.O.T! Isn't this brother's studio? And Midnight Blue! This is his childhood friend, right? When did this happen?" In a frenzy, Louis asked question after question.

" Midnight Blue and his wife passed away early this morning. After hearing the news, Atlas slipped into a coma. He had to be transferred to a better hospital, and in case you want to see him, we are in GreyView Primary Hospital."

" Coma?"

" You heard it correctly."

" See you later, let me check it out." Louis disconnected the call and went to read a different article. He clicked on the trending searches with the top search being, ' The cease of Midnight Blue's reign.'

He clicked on the article and pictures of the young man filled the tablet screen. He knew Midnight Blue. He had seen him on various occasions when he had gone to Atlas's home. Though the two never met occasionally, they shared a bond as if they knew each other from a long time ago.

His brother's friends were also his friends.

Louis stood up and strode out of the room in hurried steps towards the garden. He found his parents and Blake enjoying a late morning snack. Their laughter reached his ears from afar. Increasing his pace, he came to stand before them and placed his tablet heavily on the table.

" What is the meaning of all this? Who taught you such manners?" In an angry voice, his father questioned. The smile that was initially on his face which bore a slight resemblance to Louis froze the moment the young man placed the tablet on top of the table revealing a frown.

Not affected by his father's angry scolding, Louise scanned all of them before opening his lips, " Brother is in a coma and you are all here treating and enjoying yourself to a late morning snack?" He tried to sound calm while fighting to keep his emotions in check.