The Silent Under Dark Clouds

Chapter 2

In chapter 1, we came to know about Hannah’s character. She was neither weak nor bold. She was an ambivert. She was the kind of person who questioned the things that people thought never needed to be questioned. One of those things was responsibility.

Now let’s see what she questioned next.

One day, Hannah was very sick and in pain. Her mother took her to a nearby hospital. There she saw a family.

A father was busy watching videos on his phone. Beside him was a sick mother carrying their three-year-old child. She was coughing and sneezing with a high fever, but still she was holding the child with her trembling hands. On the other side, she was also carrying the things needed for the little boy like his feeding bottle, snacks, clothes, and other things.

Hannah looked at the father again.

He did not seem bothered by his wife’s condition. He was still enjoying the videos on his phone. Hannah felt angry and questioned him in her mind.

“Is bringing your family to the hospital alone called responsibility? Shouldn’t you also take care of them when they are weak?”

She wanted to place the bags in his hands and say,

“It is your responsibility too. At least hold these things while your wife is struggling.”

But Hannah stayed silent.

Was it because she was scared?

No.

She stayed silent because she realised this was not only one family. When she looked around, she saw many people behaving the same way. Some left their sick loved ones alone while they stayed busy with their phones.

That moment made Hannah think deeply.

People had normalised the shallow responsibility.

Many people think responsibility means only earning money or bringing someone to the hospital. But they forget that caring for loved ones, staying beside them, and showing concern are also responsibilities.

Medicines may help the body heal, but presence can heal fear.

Hannah felt helpless. She knew she alone could not change everyone’s mindset. Still, one question stayed in her mind:

“Are we truly responsible people… or just shallow responsible persons?”

Hannah looked around the hospital once again.

The room was full of people, but somehow, it still felt empty.

Maybe responsibility was not only about being present physically.

Maybe it was also about being present emotionally.

That day, Hannah did not just leave the hospital with medicines.

She left with another question.

And Hannah’s questions will continue….