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The Unnamed Negotiator

Apr9

The police inspector stood amongst the rioters, negotiating.

“They started it first,” screamed a youth leader.

The inspector told him what would happen to his future was he arrested. Anger reduced, they jeered at him. He was not the aggressive cop they were hoping for.

“Did you open teargas?” thundered the commissioner.

“No signal, sir.” The inspector cut the call and stood between the rioters, talking in soft tones, reminding them not to fall prey to their passions. Their mockery turned to exhaustion and they dispersed in the midnight, as a lonely figure walked back to his police car.

This story was written for Charli’s Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge. This week’s prompt is to write a story that rethinks the hero. Thank You, Charli.

Late Realization

Mar23

Sam completed his homework as his sister waited patiently with her Math problems. After helping her, Sam organized the table for the primary school students he tutored. He could hear his mom typing away in the next room. She was also training to be a Montessori teacher. Sam thought about their lives a year ago. His mother spent all her time on TV soaps while Sam and his sister fought over petty video games. His father, the sole breadwinner, labored until he fell sick with Covid. Now Sam wished his father had been around to see his ‘responsible’ family.

This was written for Charli’s Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge. The prompt this week is to write a story that takes place a year later.

Short Story Published in Page & Spine

Oct3

Hello Friends,

My short story, ‘Shopping with the baby’ has been published in Page & Spine. Thank you, Nancy, for the kind words of appreciation and the publication. Please find a link to the story below.

Shopping with the Baby

There are two adult characters in this story. If you read this, do let me know if you have come across such characters in real life.

Lina’s Blossom

Jul4

blossom

Lina looked at the aging blossom in her balcony, eagerly sucking up every drop of rain nature had to offer. The edges of its petals were dark and she could see small holes in the rose. But, it persistently held on. Lina did not know how long she could persist. She thought back to when she was healthy, young, and idle. Now she wanted to make everyday count, no matter how numbered her days were. Determined, she limped painfully from her coffee table to her laptop. Even the morose Robin of the Willow sang with unusual energy and vigor.

This was written for Charli’s Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge. The word prompt for this week is Blossom.

Loyalty – Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge

Feb11

dog in daisies

“Wait here. I will be back,” he told me as he walked inside the house, coughing. He stumbled and I heard a loud crash. I wanted to check on him, but he had asked me to wait. I heard a voice sobbing softly. People came and left, wooden-faced. That evening, I smelled lilies and heard the wail of terrifying silence. Everyone from his house came out, except him. I knew where he was kept. Should I follow him? But, he had said he would be back. I waited in the garden, amongst the daisies. He always kept his word.

This was written in response to the prompt at the Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction. Write a story to the theme “a dog in the daisies.”