Sumi gasped for breath as she gulped the water down her throat. The chilled air conditioned room and a cool dawn couldn't halt her generously forging sweat. As she recalled her dreaded nightmare, she dwelt in actuality, hoping to broaden the thin line of divide between her dream and reality. Swallowing down her hypertension pill, she had a clash of thoughts between overwhelming hopelessness illuminated by her nightmare and a tinge of hope from the will to bring a change which was interrupted by the ring of her phone. She quickly gathered herself and answered the call- “Hello, Dr. Sumi here.” a few seconds of silence which was broken by a ‘ yes I will rush’.

Driving amidst the dark with the tiny beam of the car’s fog lights guiding the way, Sumi again drowned in her pool of thoughts. The silhouettes rushing, commotion of ambulance’s sirens, cries of toddlers and screams of men and women over dead bodies from her dream again started to haunt her. As she drove across a police checkpoint, a policeman shoved his hands gesturing her to stop. Sumi immediately showed her Doctor’s ID to which the policeman greeted with folded hands and a slight bow, motioning her to drive off. Sumi felt a sudden surge of energy within herself. The small gesture from the policeman suddenly ignited the flame of hope which was about to die from the ghastly rushing wind of fear within her. It was as if that small gesture acted as a beam of guiding light amidst all the darkness around.

Sumi pulled off her car and rushed to her cabin. Putting on the PPE kit, she spent a minute in front of the idol of Krishna placed on her table and with a deep sigh raced towards the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). She reminded herself, the struggle was not over yet. She had to constantly fight with her demons within and the demon outside conspiring to bring the whole of humanity to a standstill, as Sumi perceived. Medically termed as Covid 19, this virus was not just physically ailing humans, but also took a great toll on mental health. She thus determined to rest only when the whole world is victorious in this battle against the brutal pandemic. She understood the strive was tough yet not impossible. However, only constant endeavour from everyone could bring an end to the dreaded pandemic. Her motivation from successfully treating 18 patients and sending them back home, well, made her realise how important her own mental strength was. At a time when everyone looks up to the doctors with hope and belief, Sumi affirmed herself that she couldn't lose her strength. It was not only her mere responsibility to treat, but also a stand of humanity to instil hope among the sufferers. She promised herself not to let her agonies work as a blockade towards bettering the condition. Rather, her agonies along with her skills must now be vested in progress; progress towards the cause of the whole of India’s fight against the deadly pandemic.