What is that one picture that describes the lowest point in your life?

Once upon a time, this picture was taken on January 5th, 2023, after all the serious stuff was done, my parents decided to take a leave of absence from life, one after the other, within just 13 days. Fast forward to now, I’m in a position that’s like standing in line at the DMV – no school, no job, no cash, basically nada – living the solo life in my house. My friend circle's so tiny, I could count them on one hand, maybe two. So, basically, I’m like a solo superhero without the cape, trying to navigate this mess.

Flashback to November 5th, 2022, the last snap of my mom. She wasn’t herself, looking all frail and not so hot. It all started on February 14th, 2022, the day my dad and I got the news flash that she had stomach cancer, and where it came from, nobody knew. Docs were scratching their heads, and treatments were like throwing spaghetti at the wall. She did the chemo hustle for six months straight, puking her guts out daily, barely nibbling on anything. But man, she had this epic faith in herself, like she was gonna kick cancer's butt, no questions asked.

Jump to October 22, 2022, the day of the hospital hop for her usual chemo session. She was hurling like a champ, but still, with a tear in her eye, she pushed me to grab some grub, even though she hadn’t chewed solid food in ages. The next day, she couldn’t face another round of chemo agony. We packed up and headed home, a solid 190 Km from the hospital. That was her last chemo ride. Come December 7th, she bid adieu to this world.

Now, onto my dad, snapped during the 2018 Durga Puja looking all festive. You’re probably wondering why he wasn’t in the mix earlier. Well, while mom was fighting her battles, he was in his own ring with kidney failure, a side effect of being a diabetic dude. So, by July 2022, he was a regular at the local hospital, doing dialysis dance sessions like it was his new hobby. It was a tag-team struggle – mom with her chemo woes and dad with his kidney blues. Seeing them both battle it out for dear life was like watching a tragic comedy show.

Fast forward to December 19th, 2022, the night we laid mom to rest. Dad wasn’t doing too hot, but he still managed to pull me close, promising to have my back, even though mom had already clocked out.

December 20th, 2022, the day I wasn’t feeling too peachy myself. Suddenly, chaos erupted, and there I was, in the middle of it, watching dad wrestle with his breath, shouting about seeing black spots. Rushing him to the hospital was a chaotic blur, only to be met with a no-show from the doc squad. Thanks, government hospitals. Dad fought hard, but eventually, he clocked out too, right in my arms.

So, here I am, 21 years young, feeling like I’m doing the limbo at rock bottom. But hey, I like to think they’re up there, chilling together, free from life’s chaos.