The bank executive thought his clever manipulation of financial reports would stay hidden. He also believed that his false disclosures would stay in the shadows of spreadsheets. For months, he shifted numbers like a magician, conjuring profits out of thin air and quietly sold the company shares he held before the scandal brought about a … Continue reading Unholy Acts
The audience was spellbound by the derisive smile and smouldering eyes, as the screens on both sides of the stage magnified his menacing expression. He was not an actor, but a politician in the throes of election fever. He aspired to break thespians' records with his histrionics and ring voting machines. He was disappointed to … Continue reading Shenanigans?
A river does not remain a river when it merges into the ocean, but surely it did not want to remain so. Rivulets regret their decision because they jumped into the flow without gauging where it would take them. The ocean smiles at its victory, while making the whole process look so effortless and smooth. … Continue reading Power
The door of the trash chute shut with a shriek, but she could hear the thud of the previous year’s calendar made of thick, glossy paper falling on the ground. It was a year she preferred to erase from memory, but was sure that echoes from the past would disturb the fresh musical notes she … Continue reading Tides of joy, or ….
The map in my hand glows with certainty, its arrow unwavering; yet every path I choose threatens to disembark me. I walk anyway, trusting momentum over intuition. The wind translates my intentions into a poem, but scatters my signals like static. Still, something in the distance keeps calling—soft, patient, as if it knew I would … Continue reading Disembarked
She did not recognise herself in the mirror, and she knew why she received cold or lukewarm responses in meetings and at social events. Epiphany struck—she was shedding skin and not feeling guilty about it, discarding the weight of expectations. Each layer that fell away revealed a pulse of freedom, raw and unashamed. She took … Continue reading A Toast to Herself
The playpen looks sturdy enough, but Shih-Tzus treat it like a puzzle box. Tiny paws wiggle, noses nudge, and before you know it, the pups have squeezed through the bars like furry Houdinis. The grown-ups don’t bother with finesse—they simply leap out with the confidence of Olympic high-jumpers. Owners stand baffled, holding treats in one … Continue reading Play-Pen
“Hitch your wagon to mine, and you’ll never be disappointed,” he would often brag in an inebriated state. It gradually became clear that he was referring only to organizational freebies, nothing more. “There is no choice but to do things as they are done here,” yelled a cruder version of the monstrosity called a boss. … Continue reading No Shortcuts
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
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
Creative Experiments and More 