Coincidence

He licked his fingers, unfazed by his wife’s consternation. “This tastes exactly as my mother used to make it.” “Enjoy the food you like, but don’t let go of manners.” His wife’s coiffured head shook in disgust. The family recipe was thought to have been lost ages ago. Suddenly, he froze on seeing a familiar … Continue reading Coincidence

Threads of Control

Meera sat at the dining table in her parents’ home. The clatter of steel plates and the aroma of curry filled the air. Her mother fussed over a second helping, her father wiped imaginary sweat on his forehead and adjusted the fan. She knew he would ask her mother to get the hypertension medicine. Her … Continue reading Threads of Control

Easy Day

A body found on the road, no claimants, no identity documents – the case is neither too easy nor too complicated, just incredibly dull. Inspector Ahaan stretches his limbs and reprimands himself for being lazy, “Time to get into action, dude. You need to earn your living.” His tall, uniformed frame and handsome face attract … Continue reading Easy Day

The story goes on

He realized that she had seen him and he couldn’t let her get away. This is a hackneyed story plot for a thriller, and the author decides to ditch the familiar today. The protagonist follows her to see what she is up to after seeing him. He is ever grateful to that momentary thought. He … Continue reading The story goes on

Dignity

Who would think that awful b---h could have been a victim of abuse? The black diary reveals that she was a plaything for the top boss, who executed his wicked plans through her. How do ya’ know all this? Read the news item - A search of the woman’s desk revealed previously unknown details about … Continue reading Dignity

War and Peace

War spells disaster – especially those that drive hatred between two sections of the human race. We concealed our dwellings with black paper on window panes and skylights to avoid being detected by bomber planes. Those were the days when fighter planes were not as technologically advanced as today. The sound of planes buzzing overhead … Continue reading War and Peace

Confronting the Real

She sat in the chair, just staring off into space. She wondered if Neil could see her from his spaceship. Maybe he is out on a spacewalk. “It is not easy”, he had told her, “it takes a lot of practice to experience nothingness.” She rummaged inside to check what her feelings were like. Is … Continue reading Confronting the Real

Career Preparedness

She had never met a person as toxic and abusive as her boss. The girl in the next cubicle gently warned her to be circumspect in her speech, as the femme fatale who was her boss was rumoured to be close to the CEO. It wasn’t idle gossip, since the boss herself mentioned it in … Continue reading Career Preparedness

Remnants

“Why can’t you sell a part of your ancestral property to fund the purchase of a new house for us?” “I’ve told you many times. I cannot sell anything while my mother is alive. You don’t have the patience to wait till she dies.” He walked out in a huff, slamming the door shut. It … Continue reading Remnants

The Coup

The city’s traffic lights started blinking in Morse code, spelling out a warning almost no one could understand. All those who could were in gaol, because their forecasts did not match the rosy picture painted by those in power. The masses were swaying to the tune of the Pied Piper, oblivious to the fact that … Continue reading The Coup