They saw a callous criminal without a conscience who could kill to attain her nefarious objectives. They wondered how so young a mind could be so venomous, language so vitriolic and demeanours so remorseless. She struggled to analyse the instincts that drove her - the inner compulsion, the act of rebellion, the courage of taking … Continue reading Cliff-Hangers
She did not know what delicate meant until she felt the pressure and assessed her capacity to withstand it. She did not fear Power until the intense heat threatened to wither her away. She made no effort to avert deceit because she did not see a reason for anyone wanting to harm her. Curiosity drove … Continue reading Shadows lengthened
The genie emerged only when someone wiped off the dust of stories from the lamp. She felt suffocated in there, especially because she was punished for no fault of hers. The claustrophobia had also compelled her to look inwards and find a light beyond what the lamp could imagine. She was destined to be a … Continue reading The Power of Ideology
Sheena was a gift from God to her mother, who had been childless for five years after her marriage at the ripe young age of 18, and was being lambasted for infertility. Her mother’s position was precarious as her maternal grandfather told her she would be welcome back home, only if she visited with her … Continue reading History and Story
The celebrity conducting a famed chat show is flummoxed by the same photograph placed in the offices of three of her interviewees. Could there be a connection? Anaita, a Parisian model; Sandy, a startup founder in Silicon Valley; and Saraswati, a Professor of Psychology at an international university, conducting classes in India. The research team … Continue reading Three Believers
I count the villains on my fingers and watch them fall away like decrepit branches. I wish a carpenter’s hacksaw blade would perform the last rites, but they start rising again from slush with new names – Power Politics is now called The Orange Puppeteer, Corruption is Lord Rotveil, Entitlement is King of Claims, Racism … Continue reading Entitled
A bolt of lightning leaps at me, but I’m ready to catch the thunder. Electrocution is a possibility, as much as being activated by a divine force. I call the winds to help me decide, but they are busy pushing stubborn clouds. Those tiny people sitting behind rectangles in concrete structures speculate on various things, … Continue reading Wind Song
The city flows in my bloodstream. How do I separate this from my being? It has loved, hated, mocked, and accepted me, driving me towards different points at different times. I lost track of my destination as I sprinted across the roads to meet the day's target. Meanwhile, the city tiptoed through my being, transforming … Continue reading Remains
He finds himself split between his options and longing to explode. An attractive woman who used to be a man, another one who is the poster girl for the plastic surgeon – both unbelievably rich and vying for his attention. He couldn’t have imagined a better future for himself. He scrolls through medical and legal … Continue reading Options and Derivatives
She measured the countless hours of dedicated painting on the walls. He was sweating, but cheerful under a bright sun. He was weary, but inspired under cloudy skies. It was her job to shield him and his work from the vagaries of nature. At times, she held the lights at night because a deadline was … Continue reading Accused
Creative Experiments and More 