They were finally at the destination wedding venue, despite opposition from the families, whom they had somehow managed to convince. Tisha stopped in her tracks as she was laying out her makeup for the next event. A table emerged from the shadows with eight legs bending and twitching, moving with the grotesque rhythm of an … Continue reading The Table
Aman walked out of the insurance office after getting the claim settlement amount on home insurance. A short circuit had burnt down his inherited property, and he had to shift to a rented house. He had barely fallen asleep with numbers clouding his mind – all that he inherited, gained, lost and retained to leave … Continue reading Karma Coins
The words come in bursts, sharp and caffeinated, from her deepest core, but her focus keeps wobbling. Outside, rain streaks the glass, blurring the city into familiar watercolour smudges. Where will her words land, and what will be the impact on wet earth? Will they sink in the slush, or ignite firestorms in the form … Continue reading Facing Yourself
He sat in the padded room, tracing invisible maps on the walls with trembling fingers. The nurses whispered about his eccentricity, though their eyes showed more pity than awe. Every word he spoke came from another world, as if he never belonged here and was struggling to find his way back. Was he searching for … Continue reading Alien-ated
When two fundamentalist powers fight, blame each other for the same crime, who will you support? The side that supports my interest. You have been indoctrinated about your interest and that you need protection; actually you don’t. The voice wavered for a moment, “But yet, I can foresee who will rule the future.” And that, … Continue reading The End of Analytical Thought
You are just a character, so you have to follow my instructions. The character does a few somersaults on the page, changes colour like a chameleon, and shows a face that looks AI-generated. This won’t help me carry the story forward. He waves his hand like a magical wand and changes the shape of a … Continue reading The Story – Beginning and End
The quarterly review meeting had the tension of a courtroom, every slide a potential indictment. When you flag a concern, take care to not expose someone's manipulation. Arjun knew this, yet his report on “phantom revenue streams” cast a shadow across the CFO’s polished smile. The room fell silent, executives shifting in their seats as … Continue reading Flagged
Change the footwear if it is uncomfortable. It is a legacy. Shuffling feet won’t get you anywhere. Design your itinerary, make travel bookings, buy appropriate footwear and don’t let anything pull you back. But those are my roots. Then you are a tree, and trees are immobile. Six Sentence Stories
Outside the crumbling courthouse in Lucknow, a group of activists proudly announced their “relay hunger strike,” as if skipping lunch in shifts would terrify a politician who dines on stolen millions. Ramesh took the first turn, dramatically sipping water every five minutes, while declaring he was “on the brink of collapse.” Meena replaced him after … Continue reading Protest
Once upon a time, a Piper wandered into the marketplace of nations, his flute gleaming with promises of aid and his shadow heavy with threats of tariffs. The rulers, eager for prosperity, fell into step, marching to his tune, believing his melody would lead them to abundance. But the Piper’s song was woven with threads … Continue reading The Pied Piper
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