Monika smirked as reporters packed the gallery. “Nobody would be surprised if a bullet caused bedlam in the courtroom. But here it was a description deemed to be offensive.” The transcript glowed on every screen. The accused hadn’t shouted or lied. She had called the president “below average.” Gasps rippled harder than gunfire. By noon, … Continue reading Honest
Remove the blindfolds slowly, lest bright light blinds me again. I’ve crawled underground for ages, not because the gates were shut, but I was not aware that another world exists. I wonder if I was genetically programmed, or cultivated in the petri-dish of ignorance and inactivity. I did not see a reason to suspect anybody’s … Continue reading Point of No Return
He watched her back as she walked out of the door, knowing he would always have her back without letting her know. Not very long ago, she had arrived broken, certain she would drown in the weight of grief, and he offered what she lacked most - a steady shore where she could rest her … Continue reading Bonds that set free
The last train at 1.30 am never failed to show a world that did not exist – at least during the day. He was privy to many secrets of the night – petty criminals sharing the booty on railway stations, movement of contraband goods on the roads, hookers trying to lure customers and the paanwala … Continue reading Nocturnal
She stubbornly refused to let the kids go out. She insisted they were allergic to sunlight. “You’ve returned after decades. Only I know how I’ve raised them.” He couldn’t gather the courage to talk about his amnesia. He did not recall having a family, but was learning to accept them. He often wondered what made … Continue reading Overlaps
Don’t break my heart.It learned your shape in the park,and has called it home ever since. Don’t break my heart.Blood may map the past,but your touch named my world. Don’t break my heart.One hug eclipsed ancestryand made a future out of skin and light. The physiology of touch and love outweighs genealogy – anytime, anywhere. … Continue reading Physiology of Maternal Love
Success conceals unpleasant truths. Edited highlights make it difficult for anyone to raise a finger, as the accuser lives in mortal fear of vociferous attacks by the servile majority. But the dark shadows need to be acknowledged before being swallowed by Time. The crowds compel a passing vehicle to drive into a cesspool, and the … Continue reading Unscathed
The dictionary kept fluttering, page after page surrendering its words to the hacker’s search, but failed to find a match with my splintered self – numbers and characters slipped between alphabets. “Don’t make yourself too predictable, Kiara, not because the world is watching, but because the world is always searching for a clean definition, a … Continue reading Unpredictable
There is someone still alive in that castle, who has watched people die. The walls are silent with echoes of footsteps long gone, and the air is heavy with secrets. Each window frames a memory—faces of people long gone pressed against glass, pleading for escape. The survivor moves like a shadow, carrying the burden of … Continue reading Who wants to meet me?
She is no babe-in-the-woods. The internet and AI connect her to the world outside. She has friends, opinions, critics …. not necessarily in the same order. The family keeps warning her of the perils of over-exposure, and home is touted as the safest place in the world. A cryptic post from her, “Do people outside … Continue reading Discovery trip
