The man shoves Jimmy's limp body aside and comes after me.A head-butt to my chest sends me crashing to the ground.Two firm hands press my throat, and a leg chokes the wind out of my chest.Croaking and gasping, I scrape my fingers on the ground but can't get a grip.Only grass, mud, and gravel come up in my fingers.I pull a handful in my fists and rub them into the man's face, not relenting on my force till his hands loosen around my throat.
My attacker screams and groans, rubbing the grit out of his eyes.This is my chance.I hit him in the groin with my knee.He crumbles to the ground, clutching his balls.
Throat dry and hurting, I gasp to fill my lungs and look for the log I dropped, but the broken tree trunk is too far away.My frantic search lands on a boulder, sitting a few feet to my left.God, I hope those hours in the gym work.I grab and raise the stone overhead, flinging it with all my might at the black jacket.The man scrambles backwards on the ground, clawing at the grass.He is not able to go far...the boulder hits his hand.He cries out, clutching his broken fingers.The man stumbles to stand and scampers off.
“Addy.Ad-addy”, Jimmy's ragged calls draw my attention back.I crawl to him as he lies face down on the ground.When I turn him over, my hands are covered in blood.The soil is a deep red.
“Help!Someone, please help!”I scream my lungs off.“Please save my Jimmy.”The damp, grey skies open, pouring the cold vitriol of the world on us.
“Jimmy, speak to me.”Clutching his t-shirt, I plant kisses on his face.“I love you, Jimmy.Don't leave me.”
But Jimmy does not respond.Sobbing, I bury my face on his chest.
“Please, oh God, please save my Jimmy.Take everything I have, all my possessions.I will sell my soul to you, but please help me save him.”
***
“You should rest.”Sahilsqueezes my shoulder and sits beside me outside the intensive care floor.The last few hours have gone by in a daze.After an endless argument over next of kin, the doctors put Jimmy on a ventilator and rushed him to the ICU.The head CT scan showed no internal bleeding, a welcome relief, but the gunshot went through the stomach.By the time we managed to bring Jimmy to the hospital, he had lost a lot of blood.
“Aditya, you are injured.”Sahil pleads.
“They are only scratches and bruises.”I rub the nail marks and the swelling.The nurse applied an antiseptic ointment, but my neck still burns.“I won't leave Jimmy.Not till he wakes up.”The relentless tears continue.
Sahil answered my call.He was at the resort’s gym and helped me carry Jimmy to the waiting car with a few other staff.We drove like fanatics to the nearest hospital.By the time we reached the emergency, Sudhanshu and Kiron had arrived.They are speaking to the police while we wait outside the intensive care ward.
“Are you Mr Hirani?”A doctor comes out of the ICU.I hurry to answer him.
“I gather there is no immediate next of kin.”The doctor questions Sahil and me.We both bite our lips.We had a hard time convincing the staff here to allow us near Jimmy.
“Yes, sir.But we are the closest Jimmy has to his family.”I hope my greying hair reduces the doctor's concerns.
“But can you make decisions as a legal guardian?”
Sahil and I have no answer for this, so I tell the doctor the truth.“Doctor, please help us.We will give anything in writing to get things moving?”
The doctor hesitates, studying our faces.“Let me speak to the superintendent.”He returns to his station in intensive care.
“Sahil, what are we going to do?”
Sahil dials Sudhanshu and informs him of the situation.“Sudhanshu is on his way.He has already spoken to the superintendent.”
I sigh in relief.This is the harsh reality of queer life; we have no rights if our families abandon us.
“Okay, I have spoken to my seniors.This is a blood requisition form.”The doctor emerges from the swinging ICU door and hands me a paper.“We need two units on an urgent basis.After the surgery, we will need two more.Please go to the blood bank on the ground floor and donate blood.If the blood does not match, they will issue a matching bag available.”The doctor explains and leaves.
“I will give one unit.”Sahil takes the form from me.“But what will we do about the rest?”He chews his lower lip, his forehead furrowed in concern.
“What is the problem?”I question him.
“Aditya, the national guidelines.They won't allow you, Sudhanshu, or Kiron to donate.”
“What guidelines?I have donated blood at least once a year since my college days.No one has ever stopped me.”
“Something to do with AIDS.The blood donation guidelines restrict any trans and gay persons from donating blood.”Sahil rubs his forehead as he reads the form.
His words are a punch to the stomach.“In this age?Anyone can have HIV.And don't they test the blood first?Jimmy and I tested clean a month back.I have my reports.”
Sahil's worried eyes give me the answer.
