Lying horizontally on a table, strapped down, barely
able to move, except to breathe and wriggle my toes, I was fed into the mouth of
the monster that resembled tunnel, except it was white. Half way inside, it
stopped.. The surface was a few inches from my face. It’s a good thing I am not
claustrophobic, even so I wanted to scream and shout and run out. A grey tongue-like line originating somewhere
beyond, terminated mid way on the surface of the tunnel. I couldn’t move my head
enough, even to look up at the other end, however a faint yellow light glowed, the
origin of which I could not determine. I couldn’t move my head, just my eyes.
So I tried to observe my surroundings. To the left, right and top were the white
hues, beyond my feet I could see a glass.. the rest was a blur.
It was deathly cold, whites and blues the only
colours visible…. It was spooky.. I wont lie, I was petrified. My heart was
beating a little faster than normal.. the monster emanated a faint breathing
sound, like an old person breathing in quick short gasps.. a few seconds later I
was accustomed to the surroundings and even thought I could doze off until this
was over.
And then it started, the loud thumping sound, “dhang,
dhang, dhang, dhang…”
My heart went “thump thump thump thump..” I looked
around frantically, in my limited field of view.. has something gone wrong??
And then the table began to spin around in the giant
tunnel, the whole room started spinning before my eyes, and I screamed.. “Aaaaaaaah….”
Ok, that didn’t really happen….
A few seconds passed but the “dhang, dhang, dhang,
dhang…” continued.
And then suddenly red, yellow and blue and green
lights started blinking out of the tunnel, swords and knives emerged from slots
I hadn’t seen before and started chopping at me.. blood was spurting from my
extremities .. and I screamed.. “Aaaaaaaah….”
Ok that didn’t happen either.. stupid spooky movies
have my imagination screwed up!
A few more seconds passed… I held my breath...
waiting to scream if anything happened.
But then a whole minute went by, and nothing
happened. I barely breathed an inaudible and suppressed but relieved sigh. I was
disappointed.. and just as abruptly as it started it stopped.. the sound receded.
However the monster continued snoring noisily…
And then another sound.. like a little tyrant of a
child pulling the string of a guitar over and over again, non-stop with the
same intensity.. my heart pumped faster again. The table started vibrating.. and
thus it continued .. a different string being pulled every minute or two, I can’t
say, I lost track.. as soon as I got accustomed to one sound, I would doze
off.. I thought of my dad that instant, considering I inherited the-being-able-to-sleep-anywhere-anytime
gene from him and which was putting me to sleep on what could possibly be my
death table..
When I realized this wasn’t a cheap spooky movie, I concocted
a new theory to kill time.. maybe this was a thriller movie about serial
killings.. I mean this was a secluded place and come on, when serial killings
begin, there is always the first gullible innocent scape-goat right, what’s to
say I wasn’t the first her… I was alone.. but not like I hadn’t informed people
I was going to be here.. there were three people.. surely they would piece
things together.. in case the inevitable happened..
By now my feet and hands were cold, numb and felt
stone-heavy. I ached all over, to move just a little bit, to crack the bones in
my neck, back and knees and toes.. my shoulder hurt.. the pain was
excruciating.. I kept floating in and out of consciousness and then it was
over.. just like that.. the sounds stopped.. and silently the table slid out of
the giant’s mouth.
Phew!
I saw the faint lights over head.. I blinked my eyes
and tried to move my head..
The door flew open.. the technician walked in.. he
undid the harness by which I was strapped down.. I sat up gingerly. He hit a
button, the table moved vertically downwards for me to be able to slide down.. I
tottered to the changing room..
As I left, I asked him, “So when do I come to
collect my MRI report”
“Tomorrow 3 pm madam..”
