The television screen flickered as a breaking news broadcast took over, displaying the title: "Strange Phenomenon Strikes City: Mysterious Energy Causes Destruction." The reporter stood in front of a collapsed building, the scene chaotic with debris strewn everywhere. Behind her, a group of emergency workers cleared the rubble, and in the distance, the flashing lights of police cars illuminated the wreckage. She adjusted her microphone before addressing the camera.
"Good evening, this is Channel 5 News reporting live from the scene of a bizarre and tragic incident that occurred just days ago. A sudden and inexplicable energy surge from the sky caused a construction site in the city to collapse. Several workers were injured, and one, in particular, has captured the attention of many. His name is Aryan—a laborer who miraculously survived despite being buried under tons of debris."
The camera cut to a pre-recorded interview with one of the construction workers, his voice shaky with recollection.
"I-I saw it with my own eyes," the worker said, trembling. "This… this light—it came out of nowhere, bright and loud like thunder, but different. I don't know how to explain it. Then it hit the building, and everything just collapsed. We were lucky to escape, but Aryan… Aryan was right under it."
Another witness was shown, nodding with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"It was like nothing I've ever seen before," he said. "People say it was some freak lightning strike, but that wasn't natural. The whole thing felt wrong—like it wasn't supposed to happen in our world. Aryan shouldn't be alive after what happened."
The reporter returned to the screen, standing solemnly in front of the damaged site.
"Aryan, who was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, miraculously survived despite suffering life-threatening injuries. He has been in a coma for several weeks but finally awoke earlier today. Doctors are baffled by his survival, but the news is bittersweet as Aryan faces a new reality—paralyzed from the waist down due to the severity of his injuries."
In the hospital room, Aryan slowly stirred from his coma, his eyelids fluttering weakly as the dim light of the room filtered into his vision. Everything felt heavy, as if he were waking from a long and oppressive dream. His muscles ached, and a dull pain radiated from his entire body, but it was the unfamiliar silence that gripped him the most.
He blinked, his eyelids struggling to stay open, and slowly, the sterile white walls of the hospital room came into focus. His breathing was shallow as his mind tried to piece together what had happened. The last thing he remembered was the collapse—the heavy weight of the rubble crushing him, the suffocating dust, the darkness...
"Am I… really alive?" Aryan whispered to himself, his voice hoarse and dry. He raised a trembling hand and hesitantly slapped his cheek, feeling the sting of pain. It was real. He was still here. "I'm alive..." he muttered, disbelief washing over him.
Just then, the door to his room opened, and a female doctor entered with a warm smile. "Ah, you're awake. Welcome back," she said softly, her eyes filled with relief.
Aryan, still groggy, managed a weak nod. He felt disconnected, like his body wasn't fully his. The doctor approached his bedside and began checking his vitals, her movements gentle but efficient. She used a stethoscope to listen to his heartbeat and then examined the IV drip connected to his arm. After jotting down some notes on his chart, she let out a deep breath.
"Your condition has improved significantly," the doctor said, offering him a comforting smile. "When you were brought in, your injuries were very severe, especially to your legs. But you've come a long way."
Aryan's heart skipped a beat at her words. "What do you mean... 'especially my legs'?" he asked, his voice laced with growing anxiety. The doctor's expression grew somber, and Aryan could feel the tension in the air thickening.
The doctor hesitated for a moment before sighing softly. "Aryan, there's something you need to know," she said gently. "You've suffered extensive damage to your legs in the accident."
A sudden wave of fear surged through Aryan's chest. "What... what do you mean?" he asked, his voice trembling. "Are they... are they okay?"
The doctor didn't answer immediately, instead, she gently instructed him, "Try to move your legs, Aryan."
His heart pounded as he stared down at the blanket covering his lower half. His breath caught in his throat. Slowly, he concentrated on moving his legs—willing them to respond—but felt... nothing. Panic set in. He tried again, harder this time, straining every muscle in his body, but still, there was no movement. His legs remained motionless under the blanket.
"No… no… no…" Aryan's hands trembled as he frantically threw off the covers, revealing his legs—intact but heavily bandaged and covered in thick layers of gauze. "They're... still there..." he whispered, confused. "But why can't I feel them?"
The doctor's face softened with sympathy as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "You were brought to the hospital with critical injuries, particularly to your spine and legs. The collapse caused significant trauma to your lower body. I'm afraid... despite our best efforts, your legs are paralyzed."
Aryan's heart felt like it had stopped. His vision blurred as the doctor's words echoed in his mind—paralyzed. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What do you mean... paralyzed?" he asked, his voice cracking. "Are you saying... I'll never walk again?"
The doctor lowered her gaze, avoiding his eyes as she gently shook her head. "I'm so sorry, Aryan. The damage to your spinal cord was severe. As of now... there's no known way to reverse the paralysis."
For a moment, the room fell into a suffocating silence. Aryan's mind raced, his chest tightening with overwhelming dread. "No... no, this can't be true," he whispered, tears welling up in his eyes. He reached out, grabbing the doctor's coat with trembling hands. "There has to be something—some surgery, some treatment. Please, tell me there's a way to fix this."
The doctor met his gaze, her own eyes filled with sorrow. She closed her eyes for a brief moment and shook her head again, confirming Aryan's worst fears. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
Aryan's body went numb as reality crashed down on him. He let go of her coat and slumped back into the bed, covering his face with his hands as the tears flowed uncontrollably. His chest heaved with sobs, his mind spinning in despair. The weight of his new reality crushed him. Everything he had known—his ability to work, to live as he once did—was gone.
The doctor stayed by his side, silently watching as Aryan wept, understanding the depth of his grief but knowing there was little she could do to ease his pain.
Aryan, barely able to breathe through his sobs, whispered, "Why... why did I survive... only for this?"