It’s not what you look at, but what you see

It’s a pleasure to see flowers bloom in the unlikeliest of places. Look at the reflection. Water carries memories, and its freshness will go a long way toward touching all those who use or consume it. I see rocky reflections too… Take a deep breath, pause and watch the rocks float. They are not as … Continue reading It’s not what you look at, but what you see

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

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

Reena’s Xploration Challenge #405

Welcome to another week as we move closer to winter and the end of 2025! SPECIAL MENTION If the following lines pique your interest, click here. a book not yet birthed, wombed pages making impressions of would-be flowers pressed with care by imagination’s muse ‘tween the leaves of a tome not yet written its expectant … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #405

Fermented Fables

The canvas has not moved, but the picture has changed. I’m not one to be tricked by visual illusions, but Earnest Easel insists it is the Truth. The Creative Canvas is an Empath that captures colours and shapes from the surroundings and reflects them. Tonight is the night of judgment, as Brewing Bucket manufactures a … Continue reading Fermented Fables

Book Summary – Elixir by Shinjini Sengupta

The protagonist of this novel, “Elixir” finds a magic potion which takes her to a dream world where she leads a parallel life. An actuary in real life, she is a sculptor there with a partner who respects her, unlike her husband. She quits her job to be in that somnambulistic state, and the diagnosis … Continue reading Book Summary – Elixir by Shinjini Sengupta