Beneath the Scar – (By Aditi Lahiry)
The Army Hospital, New Delhi
23rd May 2025
Mohit woke up in the middle of the night screaming and twisting in pain. He held his lower abdomen. Nirmal, his roommate, woke up. Sweat dripped from the edges of his forehead like cold streams of blood.
Mohit elaborated, “It was again the same battlefield, Nirmal. There was firing going on in a full-fledged manner. I was fighting against the enemies. My companion got wounded and fell down on the ground. Blood dripped and covered his entire face. I tried to wipe his face, but he fell down and died as I held him on my arm.”
He wiped the sweat from his face and added, “That’s all I can remember.”
Nirmal listened to the vivid details given by Mohit and advised him to meet the senior surgeon in the hospital, Dr. Mitali Sinha. Mohit had been waking up in the middle of the night and sharing his dream with Nirmal since they joined the Army Hospital as medical students. Along with the dream, the pain in the lower abdomen had also emerged. Moreover, Mohit had a birth scar exactly where it pained. He had undergone many tests, but nothing could reveal the root cause of the pain.
Nirmal was aware that several soldiers were injured during the Kargil War and some were treated in that same hospital, as their seniors had mentioned.
Mohit asked Nirmal, “But why should we visit Dr. Mitali Sinha and share all these details with her?”
Nirmal then informed him, “Dr. Mitali Sinha was the main surgeon who had treated many Army officers. I know this through an article that was published with the title ‘The Role of Dr. Mitali Sinha During the Kargil War’ in a leading newspaper a couple of years ago.”
When Mohit learnt about this, he did not waste a single minute and rushed to meet Dr. Mitali Sinha and shared the recurrent dream he had been having since joining the hospital, accompanied by the pain in his lower abdomen.
Dr. Mitali calmly said, “I had treated many patients back in 1999. I had also performed the critical surgery of Officer Sanjay, a lead officer who fought at the Kargil War front, but unfortunately, I could not save him. His intestines were injured at exactly the same place where you have your birth scar.”
Mohit and Nirmal looked at each other, puzzled.
Dr. Mitali continued, “Your dreams echo Sanjay’s ordeal during the war—experiences he captured in a letter to his fiancée, Sunita. I still have it. Would you like to see it?”
Mohit and Nirmal nodded with anticipation.
She opened her drawer and took out an old and weathered envelope that was addressed to Sunita, and handed it to Mohit.
Mohit hesitantly opened the envelope and took out the letter.
The Last Letter – (By Urvi Mehta)
Army Hospital, New Delhi
31st July 1999
Dear Sunita,
I write to you after a long silence. I know you were worried, as I barely had time to send a message before we were summoned to the Kargil front.
We were ready, even as our brothers fell around us. Their sacrifice strengthened our resolve.
The enemy had the advantage of higher ground, making our men easy targets. The loss ratio was 10:1. The air was thin, the cold merciless. Every step forward felt like walking into uncertainty. Nights were the worst—the chilling winds gnawed at our bones, but there was no turning back.
As the martyred bodies were carried back to our posts, we climbed the rugged terrain with rifles slung across our backs, making near-suicidal uphill assaults.
I remember seeing a fellow soldier lying wounded, writhing in pain. I wiped the blood from his face with a handkerchief and tied it gently around the wound on his cheek. I whispered a short prayer and moved on.
Closer to the enemy post, we came under fire. On our captain’s command, I ducked behind a large rock—my comrades did the same. I saw two enemy soldiers fall. A faint smile crept onto my face. I touched the ground, and then pressed my fingers to my forehead.
For hours, we remained still, calculating every movement. At one point, my companion shifted to better cover—he was shot instantly. The bullet missed his head by inches. Death hovered close.
We remained still till dawn.
At dawn, we were ordered to change positions. As we moved, fresh fire erupted. A bullet struck my companion’s head—he died in my arms. Another hit me in the lower abdomen. I dropped silently, our training forbidding even a cry. I felt blood pooling beneath me, pain surging, before everything went dark.
When I opened my eyes, I was in the hospital at the base camp. I learnt that India had successfully reclaimed our lost territory despite the brutal terrain and high-altitude warfare. We had won—but at a devastating price. We had lost many of our brothers!
Doctors said my intestines are badly damaged. Surgery is the only hope. I’ve been airlifted to the Army Hospital in Delhi. The operation is risky—but necessary.
Sunita, I’m heading to the operation theatre now. I don’t know if I’ll make it.
You are the only one I have ever truly had. We had dreamt of building a beautiful life together. If I return, I’ll tell our children about the bravery, the pain, and the triumph.
But if I don’t… please don’t cry. You are the most beautiful soul in this world. Build a life. Love again. Be happy.
Love you till eternity.
Forever yours,
Sanjay
Conclusion – (By Urvi and Aditi)
Mohit was in tears. Clutching his abdomen, he wept.
Nirmal, stunned, asked, “Does this mean… you were Sanjay in your previous birth?”
Mohit sat frozen, still reeling from what he had heard.
Dr. Mitali gently interjected, “That’s what it appears to be—though I don’t believe in such things.”
Nirmal turned to her. “Then why did you keep this letter with you, Dr. Mitali?”
She looked down, her voice softening. “Sunita was my best friend. She died in a car accident just a week after Officer Sanjay left for the Kargil War.”
A fresh wave of shock washed over Mohit.
Wordlessly, he placed the letter back into the envelope.
His questions—the scar on his abdomen, the persistent pain, and the haunting dreams—now had answers. But the letter left behind one more mystery.
Sunita.
Where was she now?
He couldn’t rest. Not until he found her.
But how?
Thus, Mohit began his new mission: to find Sunita.
He said, “There are miles to go before I sleep” — the words of Robert Frost.
Image Courtesy: https://www.pexels.com/@lance-reis-255748881/
We’d love to know what moved you in this story — share your thoughts in the comments below!
Written by – Aditi Lahiry & Urvi Mehta
About The Writers:
Aditi Lahiry is an English and French language teacher based in Hyderabad, with a deep passion for storytelling and poetry. Her works have appeared in several acclaimed anthologies, including Airavata 1 by Mayaakatha and Pachyderm Tales, Letters for Santa, and Project 11 by Tell Me Your Stories. In March 2024, she released her debut collection of short stories for children, Bedtime Stories with Animals, published by Shrihind Publications.
Urvi Mehta is a Company Secretary and Cost Accountant who navigates the worlds of corporate governance and finance with precision. Beyond the boardroom, she is a trained vocalist and Kathak dancer, passionately pursuing the arts. Writing serves as her personal space for reflection and catharsis—an outlet where she transforms everyday challenges into meaningful insights. Urvi believes that life’s trials are powerful teachers, shaping her journey of personal and professional growth.
