Exceprt -
He called both of them to his chamber, to get the explanation for the deed. After all this kind of activity disturbed the entire hospital and created an uneasy environment for other patients also. Being a patient doesn't mean that you are free to do anything.
They came to his chamber. But, after seeing those kids, his anger reduced to some extent. Because, both of them were handicapped.
One was blind and the other one was disabled in both of his legs.
They did together the act (for which they were called up). The child who was blind was pushing the wheel chair and the other was sitting, shouting and guiding the path. So, they both were the culprits.
Now, the culprits were standing in front of Dr. Barnard. He observed both of them from top to bottom. They were wearing the uniform provided by the hospital to the admitted patients.
The face of the blind boy had scars as if he had been burned, and the other boy had both the legs disabled.
"So, what you both were doing? And, what do you want to prove by doing such kind of an activity? And, have you realized what you were doing?" Dr. Barnard asked, somewhat angrily.
"We want to live. We want to feel alive. That is all." They both answered in a single voice as if they were not two but one.
"What do you mean by this? Can you explain?" Dr. Barnard asked in an annoying tone.
"We had a bad accident, fifteen days before and from that time we are in this hospital. We both were living fantastic life, with our families." The blind one said.
The other was sitting silently, with sorrow in his eyes. His eyes were explaining the sorrow of their bad time, they were passing through.
"We were living as neighbors in a nearby village to this big city. We were and are very good friends." His eyes were glowing in the name of friendship.
He further explained.
"One day, we don't know how, a fire gripped the colony we were living in. The fire was so big that many flats burned immediately. In which our house burned together." Tears started flowing from eyes of both of them.
"Our families, nobody is alive now. Everyone from our family is dead. My father, mother; his father, mother and sister everyone is dead now." The flow of tears exceeded.
After a long pause, he again became able to explain further.
"I lost my both eyes, in that accident, due to burn on my face and my friend lost both his legs, as he jumped outside from the window and his spine got injured."
After pausing for some time more, he started telling again.
"Neighbors brought us here and admitted to this hospital. After some recovery we started talking, and consoling each other. Initially, we were very sad and living as if dead. But after getting each other's company, we started living our life again." A smile returned to both of them.
The other one explained with pride, looking at the face of the blind boy
"And, last night we have decided to show this world and to ourselves, that we are living, that we are alive and we can live our life with zest, with enthusiasm. And, to prove that, we have done what you have seen us doing."
And, they both started laughing; laughing as if to tell the whole world that they are happy.
Dr. Barnard was listening and a thought process rose up inside him. He had been angry but now he surprised himself by the courage these children showed. A soldier does not do a more courageous act during a time of war.
So, he leave them, but, made them understood that their enjoyment should not break the rules and discipline of the hospital.