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

Clues

“I can’t stand him.” “Take time before you judge. The flibbertigibbet you hate actually showcases the content of his mindset.” “There’s nothing there.” “If he mentions a calendar, check the dates. If he is stuck in the past, he is not absorbing fresh inputs. That is the reason for the disconnect and growing apart.” “Hmm, is … Continue reading Clues

Reena’s Xploration Challenge #398

Writing Prompts

Welcome back! Thanks for the humongous response last week, with each entry vying to be the best! My deepest gratitude to all contributors... A special mention this week is for Dan and Violet. PROMPT #398 I start the Challenge Week to inspire writers with two quotes. If the word doesn't exist, invent it; but first … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #398

Un-musical

Death parted the two topmost talents in the music industry, not divorce. She raised a hue and cry when she was barred from accessing his bank lockers and other assets by his children from a previous marriage. She was drunk and particularly vocal that evening, “My voice complemented his music well, but I wish we … Continue reading Un-musical

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

When Walls Speak

“Walls have ears” is a saying she’d often heard. She was back in her grandfather’s crumbling mansion to check if the walls had memory. They had eavesdropped on and absorbed family secrets for decades. The portrait of her exquisitely beautiful great-grandmother fell as she came near it, revealing a hole behind. It was a path … Continue reading When Walls Speak

Plugging Leaks

“A whistleblower and a hacker have created havoc with our systems and profitability, and both happen to be former employees”, whined the CEO in the Board meeting. The seniormost member with grey hair had a grim look on his face, “There was a time when a worker was handed back his sack of tools when … Continue reading Plugging Leaks

Reena’s Xploration Challenge #397

Welcome back! PROMPT #397 The theme this week is Compressing an Emotion in Few Words Write a piece—poem, microfiction, or even a single sentence—that captures a profound emotion using minimal language. The challenge is to evoke depth, resonance, and imagery with as few words as possible. You may choose one of the following emotional tones, … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #397

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

Gone

“I think we should….” She was brutally cut short with a negative statement. The proper way was only what they prescribed. And one day she was gone, as unnoticed as she had lived there. Her acts were never cromulent enough. She ran out of patience. Weekend Writing Prompt #431