My head! My head!
It felt like someone was crushing my brain very hard.
My vision was getting blurred.
"Mom!"
It was the last word I could shout.
The last thing I remember was my mom calling out my name while I was lying on floor, and then it was all dark.

And today I am here, at the hospital.
After I woke up, Lisa told me that it's been three days since I'm here, and I have gained consciousness today only.
"What happened? My head feels so heavy." Alice asks Lisa.
" Doctor said that you had a little bleeding inside your brain." answers Lisa.
" What? But how's that possible?"
" They are linking this to your hypertension, for now. Rest, I don't know."
"OK. Does Hayden know?"
"Yes. I called him the day after you collapsed and he came straight away. He was here today also. He came in the morning. He left after the lunch. I'll let him know that you are awake now."
"OK."
Just then Alice and Lisa's mom arrives.
"Oh honey. How are you feeling?" says mom.
"I'm fine mom. I'm sorry, I made you worry so much." says Alice.
"Oh cmon. Is this important right now?"
"I don't know mom, it just happened so fast. I couldn't do anything."
"It's ok my dear. It's ok. It's all under control now."
"How long will I be staying here mom?"
"Two more days for now, they said. They have to monitor something. They'll tell us after that."
"OK."
"For now, have some rest. I'll see you later."
" Hmm OK. Bye mom."
Mom kisses Alice on her forehead and then leaves.
Alice closes her eyes and rests her head on the pillow.

After a few hours.
"Alice? Babe?" says Hayden.
Alice opens her eyes and sees Hayden.
" Hayden.." says Alice and tears start rolling down her cheeks.
Hayden wipes her tears.
"How are you feeling?"
"Fine."
Smiles.
Hayden  takes her hand and kisses at it's back.
"Don't worry, it's okay."
"Yeah."
"Don't cry."
"I thought I'll never see you again."
"No hun. That's never gonna happen.
" Don't cry. You have to have rest. Don't stress yourself."
"Yeah."
"You sleep now. I'm here."
"OK"
Alice goes to sleep while Hayden sits beside her, holding her hand.

2 hours later. Alice wakes up.
Hayden was not there.
"Do you want water?" asks Lisa.
"No, I am fine. Where's Hayden?"
"He got an urgent call. So he left, almost an hour ago."
"OK."
Being an introvert, the only person whom I could confide in was Hayden. The mere thought of living without him was enough to give me a serious trauma.
"Give me your phone." says Alice.
" Here. Are you calling Hayden ?" asks Lisa.
"Hmm." and she calls Hayden.
"OK. I'll see you later then."
"OK."
Lisa goes out of the room.
"Hello Lisa? Is everything alright?" asks Hayden.
"Hey, it's me." says Alice.
"Oh Alice, you are up?"
"Hmm.. You were not here. I was missing you, so..."
" I miss you too."
"Hey, I know it's not right to ask such thing.. But.."
"But..?"
"What if I was gone... Forever?"
"......"
".. hello? Are you there Hayden?"
"Why do you have to say such things babe?"
"I don't know, I'm sorry."
"It's not about sorry, just don't say such things."
"Okay."
"Yeah."
"Ummm... One more thing."
"What now?"
"I want something from you."
"From me? What?"
"A gift."
"A gift?"
"Hmmm. A gift."
"Not again Alice."
"I don't know. I just.. I just want one."
"We've talked about this so many times. And is this thing important right now?"
"No. It's not. But.... I don't have any..."
" Alice. I've already told you so many times that I can't. You know that I am not good at these things."
"But you haven't tried ever. You can atleast make some effort. Like.. A rose. That will also do babe!"
" I can't Alice. You just buy anything you want, I'll just pay. Okay?"
"No."
"......"
"OK. Forget it. I don't know why I bought this up again today. Just leave it."
"Hmmm. You know you have me?"
"Hmmm"
"Good. Don't be sad over things like these. And don't stress yourself. I'll see you tomorrow , okay?"
"Okay."
"Okay then, bye."
"........."
"Hello?"
"OK bye."
"Bye"
Alice puts the phone down and starts crying.
"Why is it always so hard for you? Is buying a rose that much hard? It's been 5 years and still...." and keeps on crying.
Just then Lisa comes in.
"Alice! What happened!"
"Nothing, I was missing Hayden."
"Hey. Don't be like that. He'll be back tomorrow."
"Hmmm"
"Hmmm. Don't think too much."
"Here. Your phone.
Can you get me a paper and pen?"
"Why? You're gonna write your will or something?"
Alice laughs "No you idiot! Just get me one!"
"OK. I'll get one."
Lisa leaves for a while and then comes back with some papers and a pen.
"Here you go."
"Thanks."
And Alice starts writing.
"What are you writing? Dots. Dashes?"
"It's morse code."
"A secret message? To whom? Hayden?"
" Yes. Give this to him if I die first."
"Hey! What's wrong with you!"
"Cmon. It's not like I'm dying right now. Just in case, in future, if a die first, give this to Hayden. But if thing is got done in the meantime, I'll let you know. Then you just have to discard it. Okay?"
".........."
"Cmon! I can trust only you! It's nothing serious!"
"Okay. Fine."
Alice finishes writing. She writes something at the back of the page, folds it and then wrap it in another paper and gives it to Lisa.
"Here. Keep it safe."
"OK. Mam!"

A few moments later, mom arrives.
"Hey mom." says Alice.
"You two. What are you talking about?" asks mom.
"Nothing special mom." says Alice.
"Okay tell me, have you eaten something?" asks mom.
"Yeah, the nurse just left." says Alice.
"OK. And what about you Lisa?" asks mom.
"Not yet mom." answers Lisa.
"Okay. Then you go and have something. I'll stay here." says mom.
"OK. See you later Alice."  says Lisa.
"Hmm. OK." says Alice.
And Lisa leaves.
"What does the doctor say mom?"
"Nothing much. Just that you'll have a CT scan in the evening."
"OK."
"Do you feel pain anywhere?"
"A little , in my head. And I feel very exhausted also."
"It's because you have been doing chit chat for so long!"
"O.. K..."
"See, it's 4:45 right now. Have some rest amd we'll wake you up for the CT scan later. Okay?"
"Hmmm okay."
"I'll tell the nurse not to let anyone meet you till your CT scan."
"Okay mom."
"OK then I'll be leaving. Take care."
Alice smiles and nods.

The same day, 5:45 PM
Nurse comes to Alice's room.
"Alice. Are you awake? It's time for your CT scan." nurse asks Alice.
Nurse shakes Alice gently "Alice?"
But there's no response.
The nurse gets panicked.
"Doctor! Doctor!"
Alice's vitals were showing no signs of life.
Doctor rushes in and finds Alice dead.
Alice's mom and Lisa also rush in.
"What happened doctor?" asks mom.
"What happened to Alice?" asks Lisa.
" I am sorry. She's no more." answers doctor.
"............" Lisa and her mom go speechless and shocked.
" But... But... She was fine..... What.... How...." asks mom.
"I think there was a  re-bleeding while she was asleep. And before we could find out and treat her, she was already gone." says doctor.
Mom falls down to the floor and she and Lisa start crying badly.


After Alice's funeral.
"Hayden. This is something Alice wanted me to give you if she.... if she dies..first......
She wrote this in the afternoon.....
I never knew..... I will have to.. give you this.... so early..."
Lisa was choking while crying.
She hands the paper to Hayden.
Hayden, with teary eyes, takes the paper.
They both sit down and Hayden unwraps the paper.
On the outside it read :
'When I Die'
Hayden touches the words with his fingers and tears start rolling down his cheeks.
Lisa places a hand over his shoulder.
Hayden wipes away his tears and turns the page.
The page had everything written in morse code :
  
..  .. _ .      ..       _ ..  ..  .        _ _ _   _ .  .
_ ..   . _   _ . _ _
..     ....  _ _ _  . _ _ .  .        _ . _ _   _ _ _   .. _     . _ _  ..  . _ ..  . _ ..
_ _ . ..  .. _ .  _       _ _   .        ...   _ _ _  _ _   .   _  ...  ..  _ .    _ _ .
_  .... .  _ .
_ . _ _   _ _ _  .. _   . _ .       . _ _ _ _  ...   _       . _   _ .   _ ..
. _ ..  . _  ...   _         _ _ .   ..  .. _ .   _

They both googled Morse Code and decoded what Alice had written.
And then Hayden cries very badly.

It said :
' If I die one
day
I hope you will
gift me something
then
Your 1st and
last gift.'


     The End

- bani745