Nobody’s shocked

Did I hear truth shrieking loud - underground?It was buried alive - lies took a walkI withdrew my extended hand - confused Not a whimper of protest, not a sound -Is the world dumb, forgotten how to talk?Did I hear truth shrieking loud - underground?It was buried alive - lies took a walk They say-what … Continue reading Nobody’s shocked

Blow My Skull

The New Entrant distinctly remembered leaving Halloween two weeks behind, before entering the Bistro, but the silhouettes at the corner table, with their indistinct features, sent a shiver down her spine, adding an intriguing layer of unease to the scene. She wondered why Denise had said something bad was going to happen, and Sister Aclima … Continue reading Blow My Skull

Reena’s Xploration Challenge #407

Welcome back! PROMPT #407 We have a sentence to kick-start your imagination. If I fall, I will take you all down. If I rise ......... tell me where you want to go? Who is the character saying this? What is the probable situation? This line could also be reframed as a metaphor for consequence—the idea … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #407

Impending

Life is movement, but life is not always progress. We do slip back and catch up. What was unfathomable for me is life coming to a grinding halt, and it’s not death. These gasps, these moments of stillness, were not accounted for in my life goals. A change of geography and culture taught me how … Continue reading Impending

Unsent

A fold of paper, never creased,No ink to trace the heart’s release.The words you wrote, I’ll never knowThey vanished where the lost winds blow. The postmark faded, never stamped,Your voice a ghost, the edges damp.I hold the space where it should beA letter lost, yet haunting me. dVerse - OLN#395

Reena’s Xploration Challenge #406

Welcome back! In a country where Halloween is not a popular festival, and is largely celebrated by the young, the richest family of the nation set a trend by hosting an extravagant affair (their parties can't be anything but extravagant), and celebrities had to fly out of Bombay to attend it. A majority of the … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #406

Shunned

The artist walked to the dais to receive the award, her gown's train carrying a not-so-glorious past. Despite being chucked out of her job for asking uncomfortable questions, and her marriage failing because she did not give in to gaslighting and unfair demands, she stood firm. She walked through a subway every day, and empowering … Continue reading Shunned

Immigrants

It is Christmas again, the first after her husband’s departure. The house opposite hers has distinctly changed. The new owners strung lanterns shaped like moons and stars, not snowflakes. No inflatable Santa, no blinking reindeer—just quiet warmth. Curious, she watched them humming tunes she didn’t recognise. On Christmas Eve, they left a small box at … Continue reading Immigrants

Crafting an Identity

On cosy winter evenings, she delighted everyonewith perfectly shaped wontons and steaming soup Reluctance fell drop-by-drop like chilli oil or vinaigretteas she dressed the saladwhile planning the outfits she would needon her impending trip to the Wild West “You have your fifteen minutes of fame”,said the organiser, “may be less”“You don’t receive awards under the … Continue reading Crafting an Identity