The letter stood innocuously on the table, unopened. Naina looked at it uncertainly every time she passed by. Its familiar monogram smiled back at her in a vain effort to break through the passivity of the observer. It was an invite for the annual alumni meet at St. Michael’s High school, her alma mater. Like every year she decided to ignore it “You cannot keep thinking of what happened ages ago,” her mother finally said “You have to let go. Besides, it’s been a long time Naina. I am sure…
Tag: short story
The Journey
I knew it was insane but I still decided to do it.I embarked on one of the most extraordinary journeys of my life by expertly vaulted over the raised eyebrows, delicately waded through pools of tears and strategically evaded the curious questions seeking answers for my unexpected decision. Despite everything, I managed to remain focused on my heart’s desire . The strangest thing about this strange journey is that it began with a word. “Coddiwomple”. It haunted me all through my youth, adolescence and right into my adulthood. I heard…
The Gift
The gift arrives The gift managed to change Sudha’s world as unexpectedly as it appeared on her tea tray. It came in a brown envelope and lay innocuously on the tray where Rita, her full-time maid had placed it. Sudha sat staring at it and finally decided to open it. Stirring her tea distractedly, Sudha held up a birthday card that came out of the envelope. Her mouth relaxed in a smile as she realized it was from her son and daughter-in-law wishing her on her 60th Birthday. Sudha had…
The Accident
Rati and Rohan are driving down the Mumbai-Pune Highway on a rainy night when a woman who has met with an accident approaches them for help. Who is she and should they help her? What if the accident costs them more than they can afford?
Short Story – The Chant of Faith
Short story about a doctor’s trust in Faith She pushed in the needle well aware that a bad stitch would leave the child scarred for life. “Does that hurt sweetie?” crooned the mother standing behind her. The child lay still before Amrita, eyes brimming with tears. She was not looking at her mother. Her eyes were fixed on Amrita, searching. Amrita knew that glance. Her patients would always look at her at moments such as these and she would placate them. She smiled back looking deep into her eyes while…
The King’s Offering
Mohan settled down in his usual place near the traffic signal. He looked up and realised she was still there on the other side of the road. He averted his eyes quickly though not before she had shifted her gaze too. It seemed that neither could face each other – the little girl in a worn down printed dress and the one- armed beggar. The father and the daughter. He willed her to leave but knew she would be there till he was done. It was the same everyday ever…
The Dress
Mala waited anxiously to see if the dress would fit her. She had fallen for it the moment she saw it. It was a pretty lacy ensemble with pink and white floral prints embossed all over it. She knew from the moment she saw the dress that it belonged to Kavyaa. Though her daughter would need to put on some weight to get into the dress perfectly, but Mala would wait. As soon as the doctors removed the tubes and the pipes from her baby, Kavyaa would grow into the…
The Clock
Tick Tock! Tick Tock! Tick Tock! It would simply go on all day grating on Gandharv’s senses! Its incessant rusty twang was fast accelerating from an irritation to becoming intolerable. Sometimes he wished he could simply wrench it out of the wall where it was lodged since forever and throw it out. The Clock was a headache. Moreover, it gave the wrong time and would groan out a gong at the wrong hour of the day. Gandharv however, was not invested with the power to announce its banishment from the…
The Window Seat
Sukanya knew it was him the moment he boarded the bus. The slouched shoulders and the bushy eyebrows could not belong to anybody else. His hair had thinned out no doubt. Sukanya smiled as she remembered how she had loved running her hand through the thick mane once upon a time. It seemed like time had left her standing at the same place where he had left her or was it she who refused to move? “ Was Sukanya’s love able to defy the mere constraints set by death?…
My Published Works
Hiraeth – where the heart belongs 11-year-old Amodini is bereft of the power of speech or hearing. She lives in Chilapata, a forest village in the Dooars region of North Bengal, India. Though deprived of these abilities, she possesses a unique power to connect with animals. When a forest fire breaks out leading to an elephant rampage which threatens to destroy her village, Amodini comes to the rescue. As the elephants leave for the forest, Amodini accompanies them. Shrikant, an investigative journalist, reaches Chilapata to scavenge the truth behind this…
