Stop running from yourself. You can’t escape the inevitable. She stared back wordlessly into those empty eyes, eyes that betrayed nothing. Yet, she knew it was a matter of seconds. Just a few agonizing moments of time, until everything would…
Joyful Embrace All other emotions drain away, your mind is drugged on its hormones. Sadness and moroseness are shown away without much fanfare, and you finally rest easy with a steady outlook. Your eyes start to twinkle, the morning…
It was strange how often she sat by the windowsill, expressionless, as if she was delirious. Her hands played with the keys of the house she meant to give away. The window in question ran along the length of the…
I walk down the cobbled pathway, my head down. For a reason unbeknownst, I always felt comfortable walking with my head down. Not from shame, or guilt. No. I just felt better like that. I just did. The cobbled pathway has changed,…
It is often believed that walls have ears and Cordelia would receive a shocking reminder of this later in the day. The day started plain and uneventful, even more so than the past few days which had been as exciting as a…
Trigger Warning: This article talks in depth about death/loss, and serious medical conditions. Proceeding with due discretion is advised. I thought I’d keep up with my fate of encountering the usual, monotonous days, with COVID-19 still dawdling in our…
Eli kept her face passive as she felt the cool material of the smooth polymer gloves and biohazard suit slide over her body, and then a high definition EQ-12 helmet, a standard, adjusted on her head. Nothing new. Just her…
I’m sorry, Noah, it reads on the back of the faded postcard he holds. It’s not safe here. Go home. I’ll catch you later. There’s no signature, not that Noah needs one. Not when he can find that familiar lopsided…
“1 cup flour ½ cup powdered sugar 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 1/3 cup oil 1 tsp vanilla essence 1 cup milk ½ cup dark chocolate Oven preheated to 180ºC” Jenny finished reciting the ingredients to me as…
The only sound he could hear was the crunching of pebbles under his footsteps. The crowded thoroughfare was eerily quiet and deserted today–– it was a Friday evening, too–– on a normal day, the public would be out and about.…
Disclaimer: The story is a disturbing and dystopian account of the year 2020 and may not be suitable for all readers. The key finally twists inside the rusting lock. The door carefully creaks open so as to not wake…
For as long as I can remember, I have had the ability to see angels and devils on people’s shoulders. As a kid, I used to think of them as dolls. So, there is a white doll and a black…
Disclaimer: This story contains content meant for mature audiences. “Why do you poets never write about happy stuff? Your life cannot be this sad,” he says with a smirk as his fingers trace my eyelashes and cheekbones. “I am…
This fall was a harder and deeper one than the others. It had knocked any remaining wind right out of her lungs. She was tired of it, for every time she clambered out, she’d be pushed back in soon. It…
It is a harsh town, much like its weather: winds playing with roofs, water jumping over swings in the park during the most extreme of days. Edith has become quite acclimatised to the nuances of living in this ‘town without…
Beechwood Penitentiary, in spite of being a large and complex underground facility, housed only one inmate within its metallic walls, in a padded cell, at the end of the corridor on the lowest floor. Sat inside was Bryce Felhart, a…
The first memory I have of my mother is of when I was four years old. She held my hand as I went down the slide, straight into a puddle. She giggled as water sprayed on her and hugged my…
The man, dressed dapperly in a black suit and crisp white shirt, slowly lowered the girl onto the floor. She smiled at him with her blue eyes bright, her unnaturally silky blonde hair flying as she bounced up and down…
Sanya and her childhood boyfriend, Vikrant, had finally moved into their own home in Green Park, New Delhi. Everything was going well for them as they had to no more worry about monthly rent or showering from ice cold water…
Trudging down the corridor that connected your formidable past and ominous future, images flooded your mind. Beads of trepidation rolled down your forehead and a flush coloured your cheeks. Emotions, foreign and unknown to you, were taking over your quivering…
It was as if the past one year had gone by in the blink of an eye. As Ahmed lay on his death bed, breathing his last few breaths, he remembered… Ahmed was a dashing young boy, a reckless fellow…
The sky was submerged in velvety darkness, with the moon peeking from behind a veil of clouds and the stars sparkling like jewels. Krishna was walking towards his home with the satisfaction of a fruitful day and full tummy. Today…
It was Valentine’s Day, the day when most of the boys came to school with a rose hidden in their bags, and the girls brought the cutest handmade cards in the cluelessness of their parents. Many secret one-sided lovers were…
Patrick looked up at himself in the mirror. He was so proud of his smooth and round face. Yet, he couldn’t groom it the way girls could. “Hey, Pat! You better hurry, if you wanna go to your football class!”…
THE WORDS ARE MINE, BUT I AM SURE EMOTIONS WILL BE OF MANY OTHERS. THOUGH THIS MAY BE FICTIONAL, I AM SURE IT MUST HAVE HAPPENED WITH MANY. It’s been a year since I discovered my sexuality. I am a…
“You’re not leaving, are you?” “I think it’s for the best.” “It’s not. Who do you think will handle all the living beings ready to exit the Earth when their time comes? Really, Death, you can’t make impulsive decisions like…
Her eyeballs crept back to catch his sight as his wolf whistle echoed in her ears. Her shoes were drenched in the mud as she hurriedly ran away from that dark alley. She opened the door and the house felt…
“I guess we should be happy for Germany. Britain is taken, Russia about to fall, with the help of the Japanese. All that is left is the Americans. We’ll win there too, by the end of the year. The Fuehrer,…
It was an era when arms really revealed fates. They declared the moment of your end, the moment where your fragile self would cease to exist. Yet, as they say, love always finds a way. June 23, 1985, was the…
Please note: The protagonist of this story suffers from derealisation disorder, with occasional episodes of depersonalisation. These are real mental disorders, which the author has tried to portray authentically after researching about them and their symptoms. The intention is to draw…
“Who was Giuseppe Garibaldi? Explain his role in the reunification of Italy?” Fifteen-year-old Kyra looks up at the clock staring down at her from the wall. 1:00 am. Oh, well. Just one more hour and she’ll be done with her…
I must confess that I had never really given much thought to stereotypes, at least not before stories of the same were shoved before me. One night (all eerie things are bound to happen at night, surprisingly); I woke up…
