The Last Call
It was a quiet, rainy night, and Gautham was driving alone on a deserted highway. His eyes were exhausted after a long workday, but he was eager to reach home. The rain picked up, pounding the windshield like a relentless drumbeat, and the visibility dropped to almost nothing. Suddenly, through the sheets of rain, a truck swerved into Gautham’s lane. He tried to steer away, but the car lost control and spun off the road, smashing into a tree. The impact was brutal. His head hit the steering wheel, and everything went black for a few seconds. When he opened his eyes, he was pinned inside the wreck. Blood trickled down his forehead, and pain shot through his body every time he tried to move. Terrified and disoriented, Gautham fumbled for his phone in the darkness. His mind raced. He had no idea how far he was from help, and his voice was weak. Desperately, he opened his contacts. Over 800 numbers were saved, but only one name stood out: Nirmal. Nirmal, his childhood best friend—hi...