Storieo

Category: Life

  • A journey to The City of Destiny

    A journey to The City of Destiny

    The story of a Girl, who faces failure at every move in her life. At one moment she feels Soo depressed that she thinks to Quit but then realizes quitting isn’t an option in her life. Now let’s see how she accepts the failures of her life and moves on to find a new way. And how she starts the new beginning of her life.

     

    Now when am finally here, I will not look back to the days of struggle. And to begin with something new and  to start a new life All what I’ve planned is  A new job, A new place some fun time, lots of friends. It wasn’t an easy task for me to reach here -The city of destiny. Even my decision to shift here has been an ultimate result of long dragged failure experiences. Ever since childhood my one and only dream was to land up somewhere from where I can reach the glories of success.

    The journey to here wasn’t a cakewalk for me. After all moving on after accepting failure at each stage does take a lot of courage. My life wasn’t at all as simple as thought. After completing my degree, I got many opportunities. But none could give me the work satisfaction. Slowly I started feeling low and that sense of unsatisfactory life was growing day after day. In couple of days I couldn’t even concentrate on my present job and the poor work results were solely due to my fault. I couldn’t give my best to what i’m doing, I wasn’t able to satisfy my employers with my work.

    In no time I was out of this company too. This was 5th time when I lost a job and this time I was pretty damn serious about my career.

    After all I can’t spend my whole life accepting failures. All what I had to do was to sit alone, get some peace in life and then rethink about my future.

    Then I planned for a holiday tripping with few of my friends where I had fun at its best. From their I went to one of my colleague’s wedding. It was near to our resort, so I couldn’t even make some lame excuse to escape it. But  to my surprise the bridegroom was my best friend.

    “Hey”, he greeted walking towards me

    “Hi Rohan, how are you?”,

    It’s been a long time since we met.

    And here am totally unexpected and uninvited guest.

    “Am fine Divya, how are you?

    Am sorry I couldn’t invite you to my wedding “

    “It’s OK, actually the bride, I mean your wouldbe is my colleague. So am here for the wedding.”

    Com’on gals we have planned out a wonderful evening for you all, come let’s have fun.

    That evening we spent a gala time after a long time.

    Next morning we all woke late, and found the preparations weren’t yet started. Then we found that the wedding planner had dropped out on the last moment.  We were all in dilemma, and Rohan and his bride have lost all  And being the groom’s bestie and a bride’s colleague I couldn’t stop myself helping them in their  crises.

    The wedding was in three days and I hardly had 48 hours to manage with. Luckily with the help of few of my friends we made it a Grand wedding. People were really impressed by the decorations and the arrangement of everything right from guest receiving to the night dinner. People were so damn excited, that they started asking about the wedding planner and in fact few even approached me with their offers.

    Funny isn’t it,

    What I came for!!

    To think about my future. And have some fun with pals.

    And see  where I’ve ended,

    Getting offers as a wedding planner.

    Now when I look back at my life, these were the only few days, where I’ve enjoyed doing something. And even earned name for it.

    Something struck my mind at that very moment. I finally found the job of my choice, Wedding planner. Though it has no comparison with the degrees I’ve earned, but it gives me pleasure. I’ve actually enjoyed what I’ve worked and now I made it clear what I have to do in my life.

    Yeah!! To be precise, I finally found my destiny. Many like me are still in the same run, neither could accept what they are and  nor move on listening to what their heart says.

     

    Image Source: halliecrawford.com

  • Tweaked Cover

    Tweaked Cover

    This story is the story of every other girl who crossed as well as is dealing through the circle of heartbreaks and despair. How she shreds the innocent cover of her own and gets into a grown-up woman skin is brought up through her emotions and the environment she deals with.

     

    She was a young, untouched hazel eyed girl with a fair unblemished skin. A poetess in her own world of imaginations peeking the life in her rhymes. The unexposed world and balancing emotions has always been vulnerable for such girls.

    At the age of 21, she felt for man of 25. Her diary was the proof of her innocent love for him with every feeling of her inked on its pages. The long nights would end with his voice and she would melt in as a child hearing a soft lullaby. She had grown in a family where mind games and tricks were unknown, where humanity was cherished and taught. her sensitive heart was the result of those teachings.

    Soon to settle down abroad, he was a passenger of another city who would visit her every month. In those initial stages of relation, their meeting was limited to café’s and long walks discussing how would they spend two years in different countries, how the time would pass and she will be with him for lifetime. With a trust kept on him, from holding hands, they unclothed themselves in front of each other. A physical relation was bonded.

    She gave her skin and soul to him.

    Tore away her limits and she laid for him.

    The man would thrust himself into her, again and again with more ardour. He never touched her face, never kissed her but her body was never freed by him. Again, and again this round was played. would she come back into her room, the mirror would chase her reflection saying you are not you. A suppressed smile played on her lips and she felt love grew stronger as if.

    One day, he went away, to a new land, new people. The day he left behind everything he found worthless to be kept. The things that included her, waiting for him.

    Rare, did she knew, she was just a cover to him. A cover to be worn by the man when he needs. As the cover fades, it is to be thrown by him. She too was thrown away by him. He shed the burden on the bed himself and picked up a new destination.

    Seasons passed and she kept waiting for a reason to be unveiled from him for the diminution she was left with in her life. But there was no knock to be heard by him. A lifeless body starting staying in a room that once would make her blush.

    Winter stood by her room’s window pane questioning her presence. The air present inside those purple walls seemed to be heavy. The glass pane in the left corner was left untouched from a long decade. Shimmering green lights were not lightened up. Now, there was always a silence moaning of a sorrow, of a loss no one in that house was aware of, a loss no one was going through. If someone was, it was only the room and the girl who once lived there.

    She was the drawing of his lust,

    Stained by colors of his touch.

    Had he never wanted to drew,

    But to probe his hands on her,

    And line out a girl he need…

    When her screams went silent and tears soaked down one day, she saw the death of innocence in her.  One same Question stroked her mind, for who and how long would she be suffering?

    After months, she strongly stood up to clean her skin and walk back onto the path she had left for him. To be someone for her own self instead of a girl who was left in the black, be an answer to the questions her inner conscience kept yelling. Collecting every broken piece of herself, a woman walked out of the room that one day. For the world, nothing had changed but for her, the world had. She stepped into the cover of a lady who never looked on a defeat and got lost all alone in a world with changed view.

    Year later, he tried to confront the girl he had left behind. But she was not there anymore.

  • If Words Were Enough

    If Words Were Enough

    The story lingers around a father daughter relationship.


    “What have you done to your hair, Jamie?” Catechized Annie with a simper on her beautiful pale skinned face.
    “What…WHAT happened, my love?” He cross questioned with a bewildered look.
    “Those pins and rubber bands? What are you up to?” Giggled Annie expecting an explanation for those colourful hairpins and pony tails on his hair.

    “Ha-ha… Ohh these  …” and suddenly he was interrupted by a sweet little voice of their three year old daughter” Dada…Sit … I have not yet completed.” The culprit for that look of her Dad came running out of her room with her tiny right hand open towards the person she wanted to show her creativity on and her innocent eyes were convincing enough for Jamie to look as stupid as his daughter wanted him to be. 

    A tear rolled down from the eyes of a grown up Sarah when that sweet childhood memory made her realize how her Dada left no stone unturned for her happiness. The door of her room opened up and Jamie came in on his wheelchair.” Why are you crying darling?” Asked an anxious father to his daughter on her wedding day.” I will miss you “she said in her choked up voice and Jamie could not stop his tears.

    He could not walk for a next few months as he had an accident while driving to his job. A lavish wedding waited up with the bride looking the most beautiful girl in the world. An August wedding with the white theme and a beautiful tent in the lawn waited for the bride to complete the ceremony. Jamie had a surprise for the girl he loved the most in this world.

    The wheelchair was given up and he stood up with his legs shaking to accompany his daughter hand in hand for the ceremony.

    Taken aback by her Dad’s surprise Sarah started crying like an infant and her Dada hugged her tight taking her to the stage.
    He took out a piece of paper from his black suit and started to recite a poem.
    “Ahmm… Attention please…This is for you My Princess “said a shaking voice of a father for whom his daughter was the world.

    “I Saw It in Your Eyes My Little Doll”
    “I never knew I had a Heart 
    The day I first met you was the start
    Your eyes spoke when words couldn’t
    Seeing you grow up was the best thing I could have done
    Infinity is just a word for my love for you
    You are my life and I wish I never bid adieu
    Thank You”

    Years later, Sarah gave birth to a baby girl and her Dada was the happiest person dancing in joy holding his granddaughter in his hand. Tears of delight fell from his aged eyes and he named her Robin.
     He knew he doesn’t have much time left to live and a year later Sarah lost the king of her life to a cardiac arrest. Turmoil of emotions ran through her mind and recovering from her Dad’s death was unbearable.
    Robin turned three and one day when Sarah came back from work she saw her husband’s and Robin’s face full of powder, lipsticks and all the cosmetics Sarah had. Sarah started crying as she missed her FATHER……  

    She turned out to her diary she kept in her cupboard for years and wrote down something for the first time. It said:

    “Dear Dada,
    Until we meet Again….
    Reminiscence from the day I learnt to walk holding your hand till the day you ditched me and left for Heaven will always bring a smile to my face.
    If only I could get you back for a while and talk to you like we used to…I have so much to tell you…I hope you can see how much I search for you in the brightest of stars and Robin keeps pointing here and there at the sky looking for her Grandpa…
    Dada… I still get kisses and hugs but none of them is as warm as yours…
    I have everything, but something is missing…
    I wish love was enough to keep you by my side…
    I remember everything and whatever is remembered never dies… 
    I Miss You
    Sarah.”

    Sarah broke down into tears, took out her favourite dress gifted by her Dada and wept. A silent wind blew from the window and she knew her Dada was there.

    Image Source: tumblr.com

  • Leaving Behind The Meadows

    Leaving Behind The Meadows

    This is the story of a 67 year old widow Geetanjali who battles her sorrow, her loneliness; the journey of her survival and of her finding a new meaning in life with the help of her grand daughter and a wonderful bunch of friends- the retired "Retro Royals," after her husband dies in a mishap 7 years ago.

     

    The sun melted into the Beas, painting its, now sleepy currents, orange, red. 

    The river, seemed to slow down as she wound her way gracefully around the mountains, cutting them, eroding them, taking their soil to the plains. The chirpy mountain birds sang a lullaby to the maroon-purple skies that seemed tired and weary, as though, of the long day. The valley, soon to be drenched in twilight, was falling into a slumber. 
    Geetanjali, looked outside the window, feeling the chilly gusts of wind against her face. She wished time would stop. How she wished she could steal this moment right here and tuck it away some place safe. This moment was hers to keep. She would keep it safe in her heart and cherish it forever. 

    It all felt unreal. Like a dream. She drew her head inside, it was too cold now. She gazed a while to see the valley a little longer, till her eyes got tired and finally gave up.                                                              

    …

    Geetanjali lived in a small flat which she and her husband Arvind bought way back in 1968, in a shabby little colony in Mumbai. she was 19 then, newly wedded. Her father had thought that they waited too long for her marriage, as a result her wedding was done in a jiffy. She always felt as though for some reason her father wanted to get rid off her. She only hoped that her "to-be" husband would not be eager to get rid of her too. She sometimes looked at the college going girls today and wondered, how was she married "late". "I was just a kid," she thought.

    Arvind was 26 then. Had a decent job, earned well, looked after her needs, was not bad look to look at either, except for that bushy moustache of his, which she thought was like that annoying herb bush in the garden that grew like crazy all over the place if it did not get its timely trimming.

    She detested it really. But she thought that she didn’t have it in her to see him without one. She tried to push away every little thought of picturing Arvind without a moustache. It was eerie. How naked would his face look without one. Which sight was more bearable, Arvind without a moustache, or bits of food holding on to his moustache as he ate. She chose the latter. At least he could undo it instantly.

    It had been 7 years, since she last saw Arvind. He had woken up one night to use the bathroom and had slipped and fell on the floor, suffering a huge blow to the side of his head.

    "We tried our best, but we couldn’t stop the internal bleeding," said the doctors. And that was it. Her only companion of all these years was no longer a part of her life. Just like that, he left.

    When you are used to someone for every single day of your life, and suddenly you just wake up one day and they are no longer there, You can't see them, Can't feel their touch…it breaks you. People learn to live away from each other, but not even being able to hear their voice, their laughter, the way their voice changes, with every word, every emotion, not having that in your life…that is what shatters you. There were nights when Geetanjali turned over to her side as she lay in her bed, expecting her hand to fall over his chest…but it only fell over to find his pillow, not him. There were evenings when she hurried into the kitchen to make tea, but then would realize that there wouldn't be a second person to drink it, by the time she had filled the 2nd cup halfway through.

    Her life mostly now revolved around her own self. Her son too, happy in his life never really bothered to call or visit her. She would wake up, do her early morning puja and try to cook food which she was never able to finish, because she always ended up cooking more than she could eat. But as days passed she learnt to live by herself, just like she had brought herself to live with Arvind, she would learn to live with herself.                                        

    …

    3 years passed. She grew 3 years older. Her hair thinned at the ends, the wrinkles went deeper, and her hair which she did not bother to dye black anymore, turned a pearly shade of white. The fragrance of her favorite Rose ittar was now replaced  by those of pain relief balms, incense sticks and camphor. Her drawers were now stacked with packs of colorful pills, bandages & a couple of emergency numbers written on a piece of paper, now graced the wall by her telephone. The only good thing was that she did not need a stick to walk with.

    "Not yet. Not yet," she often thought. She would smile to herself, proud of her little achievement. She had given away most of Arvind's stuff by now. The only things that remained were his big, square spectacles, which he welcomed on his 50th birthday…just after she had gotten hers. Both bespectacled, they had finally accepted that they were growing old; his old ink pen remained, and his old tool box which had no tools though, just some photographs of them together and a little diary, which Geetanjali started writing in after he passed away.

    The house was nearly empty, hardly any furniture remained, just a sofa for occasional visitors, her diwan, a little table and a book shelf, which had some of her favorite books.

    Out of the little furniture there was his rocking chair by the window, that remained.
    In the evenings She often sat in it, looking at their old photographs, looking at the sunset till the moon came up, reminiscing their old memories.

    …

    The emptiness of her life started filling up after her 5 year-old grand daughter Sara came into her life. She and Arvind had a son named Neel. He had moved to London after his education, married a local English woman named Laura and had a daughter named Sara. Sara would come home during her winter vacations. The only time when Gitanjali felt a little less lonely. Neel had brought her to him home 2 years after Arvind passed away, and since then, every year Geetanjali would wait for Sara to come home for holidays.

    Sara looked like a little restless bunny, hopping, running all over the house. Geetanjali's legs hurt, but she didn't mind. Sara made her forget all the grief, all the sorrow of her life. She somehow filled in the huge void that destiny left in her life. She would go out on walks with her, bring her sweets, dolls, watched her giggle, laugh, scream her heart out, every single day. She never left a chance to spoil her. But Sara got bored often, there was no t.v in her house, so Neel got one that year…it was better now. Her house during those few weeks would be full of baby powder, chocolates, sweets…  dolls, cars, alphabet books, soft toys, and lots of cute little clothes now covered her empty home. Geetanjali would knit little sweaters and caps for Sara so that she could wear them in London. She knew it snowed there. "Ahhh! Snow!" she thought.
     

    She often wondered what snowfall was like. How it felt like when flakes of snow landed gently on you…was it like rain, but only white, solid and cold. 
    How walking over freshly fallen snow felt like…Did the streets of London fill with waist deep snow when the weather turned bad, just like how Mumbai got flooded  with water when it rained heavily…Neel would often speak about how cold London was, how beautiful and white everything looked blanketed in snow, he showed her pictures but  She never really understood and she was always half satisfied…Someday i would know too…she would convince herself.

    She watched Harry Potter  and the Sorcerer’s stone with Sara and gaped and marveled at every wintery scene that she saw. She tried asking Sara once, what was snowfall like.

    The poor girl gave her a confused look. She couldn't understand the fact that dadi didn't know what snow was. She thought it snowed everywhere. But when her dadi kept asking her, she finally replied after a lot of deliberation that, snow fall was white and snowy and cold, and that fairies made snowflakes. She said that daddy could turn snow into a man which had a big fat snow stomach and a carrot nose. "daddy also gives him eyes and hands. Daddy knows magic like Harry Potter.”

    Before Sara left for London, Geetanjali took her to a toy store, Sara pointed at a small snow globe and started jumping, "Fat snow man! Fat snow Man!
     Dadi ! Dadi! Snow! Snow!" Geetanjali looked fascinated by the snow globe. She bought the snow globe for herself and kept it by the window. later that afternoon after Neel and Sara left, she sat by the window, as of the last sunrays hit the snow globe, it glowed in the soft evening light. She kept looking at it and shaking it so that glitter inside it kept falling on the miniature trees. She kept gazing at it and fell asleep right there in the rocking chair, the snow inside too stopped falling.

     …

    The next morning, Geetanjali went for a walk. She started going on early morning walks. Soon she made friends with the old retired folk like her who would go out on walks every morning. They were 4 and herself the 5th one- a couple- Vineet and Shraddha Muley both 67, a retired old  lady Miss Rama Paranjpe 69, who was unmarried, and lived with her house-help and an old gentleman, also widowed Mr. Prasad Borkar, 68.  they were all retired. Basically they had no agenda in life. They called themselves " the Retro Royals". 

    They would walk for around 45 minutes, talk for about 2 hours before they finally went home by 8.30 am to do their house chores before they met again in the afternoon to have lunch together. They would share their Dishes, chat, sometimes in the late afternoon they would drink tea and play cards. Geetanjali felt like a kid again. She would get up, spend time with her friends, and in the night although she slept a little less these days…she was happy, somehow, after all these years. She missed Arvind, She wished for him to be there so that he could enjoy too…She cried a little less. her memories made her smile more and cry less. Mr. Borkar was an avid reader, and a writer, "a writer never retires," he would often joke as he shared his new writings and poems with them. Mr and Mrs Muley whipped up new dishes for the group. Life was good again for all of them.

    It was mid October. Diwali was two weeks away. And the coolest gang, the Retro Royals, had no special plans for Diwali. This was their first Diwali together.

    They had to make it special. Lets go somewhere nice. "in this heat !" said Mrs Muley. "So what!," Snapped Mr Borkar. "lets go someplace cold. How about Manali?" Geetanjali's heart leaped…"yes!" she said at once. But the next minute suddenly she realised that it was too late and it was not possible for them now. "mmm…Is everyone in? If everyone is ready we will think of something." said Mr Muley.

    "Yes! Yes!"  They all agreed. "I think we do have contacts in Manali…don't we…remember the greenhouse project that you did in 2001 for that hotel guy.. I think he might let us stay in his guest house for a few days..you speak to him." said Vineet .

    "Yes dear ! you are right…I will call him right away," said Shradhha. "But guys, we are not in our twenties anymore. Manali is too far away. Are our joints prepared to bear that kind of travel?" said Rama Paranjpe. " Rama, we will manage.  We are still 60 not 70! We can sure take good care of our own selves and also of each other. And I have never been lucky enough to see snow! Never! Please let's go. We all will stock up on medicines, balms, sprays, hot water bags, all our pills…we would walk as little as possible and carry nice warm clothes….Please say yes.." whined Geetanjali like a little teenage girl. Everyone laughed…"Alright!" said Rama, "but if my hip slides off, you pay for the replacement!" Geetanjali hugged her ! "So all oldies in!" said Prasad Borkar…."YES"! they all cried at once "GO ROYALS! "

    The next two weeks went in planning and making bookings, emptying their savings…but all of them knew one thing-they might as well enjoy before their locomotive skills worsen….who knows…this might be the last trip of their lives before they get bed ridden or wheel chair ridden. After a lot of searching, bargaining, they ended up making a plan for 6 days out of which 4 days would go in heavy travelling they would get 2 days to roam about and do sightseeing  around Manali.

                                          …                                                       

    Two days before their train, Geetanjali went out for shopping. She bought herself a new saree to wear on Diwali, she brought a new muffler, a beautiful beige shawl, a pretty red sweater, Red was Arvind's favorite color.

    On her way back, she stopped to eat a nice ice-cream, she took a little detour and went to the temple, offered her prayers and prayed that they may have a happy and a safe journey, that no one would break any bones…she asked God to bless their journey and thanked him for this second chance. The road back home, was filled with noise, not just of the passing vehicles but also of her past. 

    Memories of when she and Arvind went out for a holiday to Ooty, the only proper one that they could manage after their honeymoon, the excitement, the packing , the confusion of what to carry along and what to leave back.

    The time when she went with her parents to her native place…all those memories flooded her mind. Teary eyed, she thought, So many years had passed, so many moments, so many relations, so many people came and so many of them left, so many ties left behind in time, and now only she remained. Waiting, to be a memory. on the verge of breaking down, her eyes met the shiny snow globe by the window.

    "Am I being too childish?? Snow! how silly of me! I should be sitting right there in the temple and chanting prayers…not harboring some silly desires like these".

    She sat down, sobbing. Why was this childish, she thought suddenly. Who says that we cannot dream of anything when we grow old. And wasn't it right. My life is about to end. I might die any minute…I have every right to complete every single remaining wish of mine, She thought. when was the last time she had done what she really wanted? All her life nobody asked her what her choice was, what she felt like. All her life she did not even know that she could have dreams of her own. She first bowed to her parents' wishes, and then to her husband's, because she didn't know any way else. That was what she was brought up for, To help make her husband's and her son's dreams come true.

    But now, now she was on her own …she could do what she wanted. She had no ties, She was on her own, the realization that she could too make her dreams come true came to her this late…but it did come….she composed herself and got up…went to her bedroom and had a goodnight’s sleep. Tomorrow night, they would be in Manali.

    …

    They reached manali early morning after a super tiring bus travel. but they all thoroughly enjoyed it. Geetanjali was ecstatic….Her eyes opened to peaks blanketed with snow, when she woke up early in the bus. The river flowed lazily, while in some places it splashed against the rocks with all her might. the trees reached up to the heavens, the mountains stood there in all their glory and might. She still couldn’t believe she was passing right through them. At sunrise the sky blushed a pretty pink, and the river glistened a pristine blue with golden streaks. The sunrays hit the snow capped peaks, turning them pink, then orange and then finally golden. It was the most beautiful sight that she had ever seen in her life.

    Their guesthouse was nestled right AT THE FOOT of those mighty mountains, that started with green meadows and ended in snowy peaks. The sky was a clear turquoise blue with a few lonely clouds floating …..Geetanjali felt as if she was in a dream.

    They saw  temples, monasteries, tasted the local food, did some shopping, joked, sang on their way. The hotel manager showed them around, made them try delicacies, showed them some lesser known places, some beautiful sights, Only if Arvind would have been there to see all this, Geetanjali wondered. They clicked pictures by the river, in Himachali outfits, with big fluffy bunnies. The sight of those bunnies reminded her of Sara. They came back finally in the evening, tired and jumped straight into bed, well, not literally. Geetanjali woke up in the middle of the night, wrapped herself in her warm shawl.

    The room was filled with the smell of sweet incense stick, that Rama had bought from one of the shops. It was dead cold outside.

    So she just stood by the window and looked out. The whole city was asleep. Some lights flickered here and there. She Gazed up to the sky filled with thousands of stars. "Are you somewhere up there Arvind? Are you looking over me? 

    I wish you were here. We couldn’t take such a long trip anywhere could we? All our life we just saved up for our son…for his dreams, for his education. I am not complaining. You gave me what you could. what was important was that we were together. I had never imagined that I would come somewhere without you this way. I am happy you know…I would have been happier if only you were here." The stars twinkled back to her like magic. The stars were alone that night, without their moon…just like she was without hers.

    The next day they set out for Rohtang pass. They all looked funny in their snow coats…they were heavy and oversized. they kept driving higher and higher…
    and their heads started to spin. Shraddha  Muley was so afraid to look outside that she went to sleep. Everyone else was terrified too…the roads took deadly turns, they were literally driving along the edge of the road. One wrong turn and they would fall into hell…literally ! Finally when they reached the top….they caught their first glimpse of snow….they got out of the jeep and the cold stung their eyes, their skin…the wind was wild, too much to bear. They decided that they would wait there for half an hour, that's it.

    Rama decided to stay back. Shraddha, Geetanjali, Prasad and Viineet came out and took their first steps in the snow.

    It was cold, and walking in it was tough. They decided that they wouldn't go far. But the fun finally set in. They started throwing snowballs at each other.

    Shraddha bent down with great difficulty and threw a big snow ball towards Vineet. But Vineet dodged it. Geetanjali stood there, completely awestruck with the sight. the clouds touched the peaks …the sky was a brilliant blue and the snow SPARKLED LIKE GLITTER. her glasses kept fogging up. She couldn't believe that she was finally here. That she was standing over something that she had only dreamt of. Something that she had seen only in the movies. She bent down, her slender hand felt heavy because of the enormous fur glove that she was wearing. She couldn't believe that she was holding snow in her hands.

    She made a big glittery ball of snow. She laughed, giggled and threw it towards no one in particular. She wished only  if she was a little younger…she could have ran about…throwing snowballs everywhere. She looked up….there was nothing else there now….just the endless blue sky…She was on the top of the world. But it was getting cold now. Her head started feeling heavy. She started going towards the car…all four of them helped each other through the snow…finally they all sat back in… and started their way back.

    That day Geetanjali got the answer to how it felt like when dreams came true. As the jeep found its way down the bumpy roads, it dawned upon her and that life doesn't stop because you grow old. It made her realise that like the path up a mountain, you leave behind the meadows, you leave behind the green pastures, life becomes treacherous, lonely, but it still remains beautiful. Like some crystals poured from paradise, the snow remains beautiful and shines bright no matter how bitter it gets up there, because water learns to endure the tough, rugged mountain top.

    Life keeps getting tough and lonely, but one needs to hold still like the mighty mountains standing the test of time and keep flowing like the tireless rivers. This, she understood that day.

     The next day, they all sat into the mini bus and their journey back home begun, leaving the mountains and the valley behind.. 
    They were all singing old 90's songs…they even managed to do some whacky steps despite all he body aches they had as a result of the snow ball fights. 
    They were talking about some hilarious moments that happened throughout the journey. How Prasad had slipped while trying to dodge Vineet's snow ball…and how Rama had got terrified when she sat on the back of a yak and it suddenly swayed its head. And how Geetanjaali got scared when the rabbit suddenly sneezed as she was holding it in her arms for a photo.

    …

    The sun melted into the Beas, painting its, now sleepy currents, orange, red.

    The river, seemed to slow down as she wound her way gracefully around the mountains, cutting them, eroding them, taking their soil to the plains. The chirpy mountain birds sang a lullaby to the maroon-purple skies, tired and weary, of the long day. The valley, soon to be drenched in twilight, was falling into a slumber. 
    Geetanjali, looked outside the window, feeling the chilly gusts of wind against her face. She wished time would stop. how she wished she could steal this moment right here and tuck it away some place safe. this moment was hers to keep. she would keep it safe in her heart and cherish it forever. 

    It all felt unreal. Like a dream. She drew her head inside, it was too cold now. She gazed a while to see the valley a little longer, till her eyes finally got tired and finally gave up.

    Image Source

  • The Revenge

    The Revenge

    A story of a girl's journey amidst the feudal mentality of the so-called decent society.

     

    “I love you Anjali. I had always liked you ever since school. I always wanted to tell you but never got a chance. Now that you are here, my feelings for you have spread their wings again. It has taken me weeks of mental preparation to speak to you about my feelings. Please accept me the way I am. I am sure you must have come across many handsome and rich men in your life but I bet no one can love you as much as me. I will love you unconditionally throughout my life and I want to grow old with you.” Ramit stopped at the sound of claps.

    “Bravo!!!” said Rhea clapping excitedly . “It was perfect. This will help me in my rehearsals. Thanks yaar Ramit. You are such a sweetheart,” Rhea said switching off the recorder.

    “Have you changed the script?” Ramit enquired.

    “Oh yeah, a little bit, the previous one wasn’t strong enough I felt.” Rhea tried avoiding his enquiry.

    “But Rhea, we have only a week remaining before the play. Is it wise to make changes now?” Ramit sounded worried.

    “Come on yaar Ramit, We are good to go,” Rhea said dismissing the conversation. “Can’t you postpone your Kolkata visit. We are already short of time for the play and…”

    “No, I can’t, now can we proceed?” She said hastily. Ramit looked at Rhea and thought how normal she looked after a series of unfortunate incidents that happened to her barely months ago. He wanted to ask her a thousand things but something stopped him. He kept staring at her when suddenly he was jolted by a ‘WHAT?’ expression from Rhea. He slowly shook his head in denial.

    ‘Ok, chalo, bye then, see you on Tuesday.’ Ramit casually hugged Rhea and left.

    Rhea, Ramit and Rishi were best of buddies for 10 years ago. While Rishi and Ramit were childhood buddies, Rhea came into the picture only in college. They were fondly called ‘R3’ by their friends. While Rishi chose to become an architect, Rhea and Ramit were interested in acting so they joined NSD after college. While Rishi was comprehensively into acting, Rhea took up script writing and also acted once in a while in plays.

    Five years after they left college, Rishi had surprised everyone by suddenly proposing Rhea one day by climbing on to the stage while she was rehearsing for a play.

    A little taken aback, Rhea had accepted the ring amidst tears of joy and applause. Contrary to everyone’s expectations, Rhea married Rishi and not Ramit.

    Rishi and Rhea led a fairy tale life for two years until one day when Rishi returned from office with a grim face. Rhea opened the door and hugged her husband in elation. “Congratulations daddy!” She said shyly. “Hmmm, you too.” Rishi said with a dry smile.

    Rhea looked at him and his disappointed face and asked, “Too much of work at office? Are you not happy? Rishi….. Let’s celebrate, I have such a good news for you. Come on freshen up, we will go out for dinner.”

    “No… No, ah… not today, actually I am too tired.” Rishi sounded uninterested.

    Rhea tried containing her irritation and remained quiet. That day for the first time after marriage, she had felt left out and lonely. Her achievements were celebrated with great grandeur by her family members until she got married against their wishes. She practically had nobody to share her happiness with. Her in-laws had died in a car accident when Rishi was in his first year of college. Rhea felt it was too early to reveal it to her friends. She wept that night inconsolably with no one by her side. She was a tad stronger the next morning.

    Rishi and Rhea were not talking ever since the good news. There was tension in the air for quite some days until one day when Rhea made-up her mind to confront her husband on the issue. “Rishi, can we talk about it?” Rhea said firmly keeping the coffee cup on the center table.

    “About what?” Rishi pretended to be oblivious.

    “Don’t you know?” She was furious. “What is it that’s troubling you? Don’t you want this child? Tell me, if you don’t. Talk to me about it yaar Rishi.

    Speak up, don’t be mum. Why are you behaving so strange? We are living like two strangers in one house and that too at a point when we should be the happiest. We are going to be parents.” She stopped only to breathe.

    “Calm down. It’s not good for you now.” Rishi showed his concerned.

    “Yeah, right! Huh! It is not good for my health now. My husband is bl**dy not talking to me for some vague reason and I don’t have the right to question him too.” Rhea lost it completely.

    “Sit down,” he said preparing himself for the confrontation.

    “Right after you called that day to give me the good news, Ramit called me too to congratulate.” Rishi began weighing his words carefully.

    “So??” Rhea looked at him perplexed.

    “He said he accompanied you to the hospital,” Rishi continued.

    “Yeah, even Natasha came. Because I suddenly started vomiting on the sets, so they took me to a nearby hospital. But how is that related?” Rhea tried fathoming.

    “Ah….I don’t know how to start…..ummm…Okay let’s do it….going by the due date you told me, my calculations come to 9 months and a week after we had the last relation established . Do you remember, the same night I left for a conference in Bangalore?” Rishi spoke softly.

    Rhea kept staring at her husband in disbelief while he continued. “I also remember that one week after I left, you had a sleepover party at our place to celebrate the success of your last play.”

    “And you had Natasha, Priya, Puja, Ananya and…..” Rishi paused to look at Rhea and then continued, “and Ramit that night at the party. Four girls and one boy. And it was an overnight stay for all of them. Right? So going by the…………..”

    “STOP!!!!” Rhea stood up from the sofa, “Just stop before I ……………..” her voice trailed off.

    “This is disgusting Rishi. I never expected ….I can’t believe what you just said. I am hoping it is all a nightmare and not reality..” Rhea spoke with tears flowing incessantly from her eyes.

    “I left my home for…..and Mr Rishi, it was you who proposed me only to accuse me of this.. I can’t take this. My my….my heart is broken and how….” she said falling to her knees.

    Rishi dashed to pick her up only to be stopped by a strong hand gesture by Rhea which meant – ‘Dont you even dare.’

    “Rhea, people have always spoken about you two ever since college days. He left engineering for a career that you went for. Also, he only acts in the plays written by you or the plays where you act. You need to understand my predicament too,” Rishi tried justifying his stand.

    Rhea walked out of the room throwing her hands in disgust. Their conversation had come to an end now.

    Rhea started looking after herself with no help from her husband. She started going for regular check-ups. Her pregnancy was not too pleasant with a perpetual feeling of hatred for the child’s father on her mind.

    She made futile efforts to engage her mind differently, every time to land up in the same dark thoughts. She distanced herself from Ramit too. The doctors warned her of the complications arising due to her depression and negative thoughts. She consulted a psychiatrist too to seek help.

    Rishi had stopped caring about his wife at such a crucial time of their lives. Both of them kept to themselves most of the time. While Rishi changed his shift to night, Rhea spent most of her daytime in the nearby garden. The cooking was limited to a cup of coffee or tea. Both of them ate out most of the time.

    One night, Rhea got up to acute pain in her stomach. She waited whole night for the morning to arrive. She requested Natasha to accompany her to the doctor. And as expected, the bad times were far from over. Rhea lost her baby and the reason cited was her depression, odd eating timings and the callous attitude towards her pregnancy.

    Rhea was shattered. Natasha told Rishi in spite of warnings from Rhea to no to inform. Rishi arrived at the hospital to take them but Rhea refused to get into the car and took a rickshaw instead. While Natasha got down midway, Rhea reached home followed by Rishi.

    “I want a divorce,” Rhea uttered with a firm face as soon as Rishi stepped in.

    “What?” Rishi looked taken aback.

    “I want a separation. I can’t ..I don’t want to live with you,” Rhea said with a straight face.

    “We will talk later about……”

    “There’s is no later. It’s over, finished and done with. I want a divorce from you Mr Rishi Acharya,” Rhea said looking straight in her husband’s eyes interrupting him in the middle.

    “Why not?” Rishi began. “Why not Ms Rhea? When your dirty intentions were exposed, you chose to abort the child and now you try to blame me for all this. This is the biggest benefit of being a woman in our society. Shed a couple of crocodile tears and get all the sympathy.”

    He continued, “I know where this is going. After taking a divorce from me, you will marry your boyfriend. Good plan, I must say. But there is still something which is unclear. Why did you drop his child then haan?” Rishi was unstoppable.

    “You must have had calculated too of what you will do with the alimony, right? It’s not so easy darling. It’s not so easy,” he said with a smirk.

    “Are you done? I don’t want anything from you. You cannot give me anything. You are a coward, poor man. With this, you have proved today that you were my biggest mistake. Someone who could not trust his wife, someone who is not sure of his own child, is talking of giving alimony? Huh! I will get back to you with the papers and by the way I am not leaving the house since I am also paying for the loan,” Rhea said in one breath before leaving the room.

    They continued to live in the same house like two unknown people. The news of their separation also spread like forest fire. They are questioned in their respective workplaces about the same. It did not take much time for the reason of their separation to spread too. Gradually, the news reached Ramit. He had already felt the cold vibes by Rhea recently. He understood the entire matter. Somewhere deep down, he saw this as an opportunity. It was not a hidden fact that Ramit was truly head over heels on Rhea from the college days. In fact, he had confided in Rishi too about his fondness for Rhea which the latter had dismissed knowing his flirtatious nature. Ever since Rishi proposed Rhea, Ramit had felt cheated by his school friend and held a grudge somewhere at the back of his mind against him. As much as the fact remained that his presence had wreaked havoc in the married lives of his friends, he was unapologetic about it.

    Rhea started seeing a lawyer to get a divorce from Rishi as they continued to stay in the same house for namesake. Rishi spent most of his time at a friend’s place only to drop in to pick things of his use. He stuck to his stand on not divorcing Rhea for reasons best known to him.

    Months after Rhea avoided Ramit, one day he finally approached her in the canteen. Rhea sat there with her friends. Her friends left the table on seeing Ramit approaching them. While Rhea also tried leaving, she was blocked by Ramit. “Ramit please, let me go!” she said turning her face away.

    “I will, just talk to me for ten minutes, I have something for you,” Ramit pleaded.

    “No, please don’t create a scene; I don’t want anything from anyone. I have had enough from people….let me go,” she pushed him away.

    As she dashed towards the green room, Ramit ran from behind and flashed his mobile in front of her. He showed a picture of Rishi with a girl in front his office casually holding each other’s hand.

    Rhea stood dumbfounded not knowing how to react. “Why are you showing it to me? And that is none of your business.” Rhea tried pretending that she was unaffected but her face gave way to the truth, which was otherwise. She was burning from inside to see that man smiling with some other girl.

    “This is the girl who is the reason behind your separation and not me Rhea!” Rishi said with a firm face.

    Rhea looked at him a little perplexed trying to gather what he meant. She agreed to talk to him.

    Ramit started explaining as the coffee arrived at their table. “She is Anjali. She was with us in school. She was an introvert and mostly kept to herself. She recently got transferred to Delhi and her office is in the same building as Rishi’s. I met her one day in a mall when she told me about it,” Ramit said sheepishly trying to interpret Rhea’s reaction.

    “Rhea, I clicked these pictures only to make my stand clear. My name is embroiled in your issue unnecessarily. So I wanted to come out clean from all this. Going by the way they interacted in public, it looked more than a casual friendship. And at the time of………”

    “Wait! Are you trying to provoke me?” Rhea asked suspiciously interrupting him.

    “I have no business doing that. I am just showing you the actual reason behind your separation,” Ramit said a little annoyed at being accused of provocation and got up to leave.

    “Can you give me these pictures?” Rhea asked.

    Ramit nodded in affirmation.

    After that incident, Rhea and Ramit gradually became friends again. They began acting in plays again. Rhea also interpreted Ramit’s fondness for her easily. She chose to remain neutral to get more information about Rishi and Anjali from him. She started keeping an eye on the two with his help. She could also feel something brewing between her husband and his school friend. And one day when she received divorce papers from Rishi, it was clear that there was some plan in her husband’s mind.

     

    THIS DAY:

    Rhea opened the door to see Ramit standing. He had dropped in to record the lines of a play they were doing together as Rhea was leaving for Kolkata that night.

    “Can’t you postpone your Kolkata visit. We are already short of time for the play and………….”

    “No, I can’t, now can we proceed?” she said hastily cutting Ramit in the middle.

    Soon after Ramit left, Rishi arrived.

    And as he was leaving the house after picking some necessary stuff, Rhea stopped him, “Rishi, can we talk for a minute?”

    “I am listening,” he said turning towards her.

    “What made you agree for the divorce now?” Rhea questioned.

    “Well, this is exactly what you wanted? Then what is bothering you now. Let’s just finish it on a pleasant note,” Rishi reverted.

    Rhea smirked and took out the photographs from her bag. “Pleasant note? Hmm!! I got to know that you are in a relationship with someone.”

    “That’s none of your business,” Rishi was furious to see his pictures in her hands.

    “Well yes, it is. I am still your wife……unfortunately!” she said with a pause.

    “Are you spying on me? Come on! Get a life. Have better things to do,” Rishi suggested.

    Rhea instinctively started laughing on hearing that. “Why not? Thank you for the suggestion.”

    Rishi left the house red-faced. Rhea felt very light and nice. She didn’t have such a hearty laugh recently. Her face was beaming with confidence and her eyes sparkled in the moonlight. She opened her clenched fist. A flight ticket lay there in her hand. She started laughing again all by herself. She kept laughing until her stomach started hurting. Her laugh resonated in the empty house which soon trailed off as soft sobs. She covered her face and began to cry. First slowly and gradually it rose. She felt wounded, cheated, secluded and lonely. She had come to the city with different dreams. She felt cheated by two men and her own fate. While one man was responsible for her divorce, miscarriage and infidelity, the other saw it as an opportunity to make his own way. Rhea came into her bedroom and picked up the recorder. She pressed the play button thoughtfully and a familiar voice began –‘I love you Anjali. I had always liked you ever since school .I always wanted to tell you but never got a chance. Now that you are here, my feelings for you have spread their wings again. It has taken me weeks of mental preparation to speak to you about my feelings. Please accept me the way I am. I am sure you must have come across many handsome and rich men in your life but I bet no one can love you as much as me. I will love you unconditionally throughout my life and I want to grow old with you.’ She took out the divorce papers and meticulously signed on them.

    Rhea then neatly put the recorder and the papers inside a big envelope. She kept the envelope then in Rishi’s cupboard. The top of the envelope said- ‘Begin a new search.’

    The taxi honked and she was out with her bags. She looked behind at the house one last time. Her eyes were wet but remorseless. She bid bye to the house and started her new jourrney.

     

    Image Credit: indianewengland.com

  • FAMILY TIES

    FAMILY TIES

    One of those things you do not have the power to choose.

    You simply chance upon a few people, grow up around them, coincidentally forge similar mindsets and ideals, and learn to call them your family.

    Or, maybe not.
     

    Maybe you don't just 'chance' upon them. Maybe they were handed down to you for a specific reason. Just maybe there is quite a good explanation for why you chose to take birth in the particular house that you were born in.

    Amidst those people you first opened your naive eyes to.

    Down those rusty halls that you crawled and troddled around which you would begin to rightfully claim as your home.

    That sneary sibling who loves teasing you and whom you'd learn to love to hate, have a lot of fights with, and alongside whom, you would grow. That same one who would proudly or whiningly boast of her abrupt new tag, 'the elder one' amongst friends, duly because of you.

    That senile, wise, worn down couple showering upon you all their love, amused with your silly old antiques; never letting a moment to spoil you, pass them by. Yes that same couple who you'd suddenly start calling grandparents, something entirely new and endearing for them.

    Was all this really sudden, unplanned, not chosen and abrupt?

    Were you actually powerless in picking out your clan mates?

    Or is this yet another abstruse, ambiguous and enigmatic query that stays hidden beneath the layers of stark facts stored in your brain.

    Were you destined to make your entry into this world through a particular womb, which was made ready to especially nurture, shelter, shield and protect you when you do arrive, whose eyes were taught to fathom out what you needed even when you could not spell it out to her.

    Remember that first time you clutched onto your daddy's big languid hands with your tiny tender ones… was it really the very first time, or was it a routine gesture; something you did to reassure yourself that you've landed in the right place, that those hands were still right there to support you, caress you, even after the elapse of such a long time.

    Oh yeah, that infuriating sibling you had to put up with, all those years. The one you shared a lot more than just a room, maybe even another lifetime way before, was she given to you for a specific reason? Maybe you would help ass to her responsibilities, even as she's unaware of that big word's meaning. And she will in turn help you evolve and grow up in a way, no one else ever can or ever will.

    The innumerable days you spent with her- bickering, fighting, wrangling and laughing. Those chilly nights you slept next to each other, snuggled in, each comforting and cradling the other.

    All those birthday parties, anniversaries, vacation trips and shopping sprees and every other occasion where your lot stuck out as a "family" and endured it all together, that personal package of your halcyon days was maybe conspicuously gifted to you.

    Yet another infant being born on that day in that hospital ward that day. Maybe that was what you were.

    Or maybe your lingering, craving spirit, took a human form that fateful day, to play its due part, assume its indisputable role in the long running, untold, unshared story, that only you and your 'coincidental family' mates have been a part of, have been living since eons of lifetimes before.

    And maybe every argument you have, every hug you share, every laugh resonating within those familiar walls, every damn emotion that you dispense amongst yourselves, somehow works in weaving and strengthening these enchanting family ties.

  • A Promise

    A Promise

    This story is about a girl who was in a trauma of losing her friend. She was disheartened and lost her faith in people. She felt it's better to remain in isolation than making friends. Then came a girl in her life who wanted to be her friend. She made her realize how important it is to share your pain and happiness with closed ones. Also, she succeeds in getting her out of the trauma.

     

    There was a girl in our class. Her name was Sonali. She was a quiet girl,always lost in herself. She had no friends. She was lonely and loved to remain in isolation. She was a backbencher and thus remained unnoticed by teachers most of the time.

    She used to be there in the class but not mentally. There was something, something that was nudging her conscience. Something that made her feel out, not speaking to anyone. Something that made her alien. And students often mistook her silence to be her arrogance.

    I always used to wonder why she is like this. Why she don't make friends? One thing I had noticed was that she used to write a lot. She used to convey her feelings through writings only. I wanted to know what was there running in her mind. I wanted to talk to her.

    So, one fine day after the classes were over, I went near her and said -"Hi, Sonali "

    Without looking at me, she replied -"Hi"

    I gathered some courage and asked her -"Sonali, why do you always remain isolated? Why you don't talk to anyone in the class?

    She looked at me and said -"None of your business". After saying so, she left.

    I was so curious to know the reason behind her behaviour. So I thought I will talk to her next day.

    Next day again I went to her and said -"Sonali, I feel so bad when I see you alone. I want to know why you always prefer to be lonely. Life is not about being isolated from everyone, it’s about taking the most of it. Unless and until you interact with the world, you will never experience the true essence of it. You will never know their behaviour. I was continuously giving her a lecture on what life is all about.

    When I stopped I could see, her eyes were filled with tears. I don't know why but I was slightly scared. I went near her, hugged her and said -"Hey ! I didn't mean to hurt you, but I genuinely want to be your friend." Listening the word 'friend' again broke her into tears.

    Still, she didn't say a word. She just handed me her diary and left the classroom. I was very much curious to know about her. So, I opened the diary and started reading it. On the first page of it, was a picture of a beautiful girl and below it was written "YOU BROKE YOUR PROMISE". I turned the pages and read each and every single word written over there. As I read the last page of it, I was totally lost. My eyes were filled with tears. I didn't know how to respond.

    I went outside and saw Sonali standing there. I returned her the diary and left. That entire night, I had been thinking about what I had read in Sonali's diary.

    Next day, I was eagerly waiting for her. When she came, I asked her -" Sonali, I had read your diary and I know how you must be feeling. But until and unless you share your pain with your closed ones, you will never feel good. I know the reason behind this behaviour of yours but still I want you to tell me. I want you to open up your heart today and tell me all that's disturbing you. I know you will tell me. Right?

    Sonali said -" yes, I will tell you”

    And she started narrating whatever had happened with her.

    We were childhood friends. Yes!! We had grown together, studied and played together. It's been 15 years since we were together. I was lucky to have her in my life. Everything was fine. But then something happened, something which I couldn't even dare to imagine. Yes, I never want to remember that black day.

    It is the incident of two Months before, Shikha and I were returning home after attending award ceremony in our school .Shikha had stood first in her class, so it was the celebration time. We both stopped near an ice-cream parlour. We were giggling and enjoying .At that time she told me -"Sonali, I can't even imagine how my life would be without you. You are the one who made my life so meaningful and lovely. I promise you that I will never leave you alone. We are meant to be together 'TODAY AND ALWAYS'.

    I said -" yes, we are inseparable and would always be".

    We were merrily eating our ice-cream while walking on road…when to our sudden realization we were in the middle of the road. And no sooner did we realize this, than a speeding car came and hit us. By God's mercy, I was saved but Shikha was badly injured.

    It all happened in just few seconds. We couldn't even realize what was happening. When I saw my friend injured lying on the road I was shocked and clueless of what should I do.

    I shouted and cried for help. Seeing the crowd I felt that they would help me to take her to the hospital, but to my surprise they didn't lend us a helping hand. People were watching us continuously but didn't dare to help us. Shikha was unconscious and took hold of my hand. I was feeling helpless .Within a few seconds, I could realize that my friend was no more. Yes, she has left. Breaking her promise, she just left. Leaving me in isolation, she just left.

    Sonali while narrating this incident almost broke into tears. I was listening patiently to her.

    She further said -"On that day, I didn't lose my friend only, I lost my happiness, I lost my faith in humanity. I have started believing that humanity never exists. I have a feeling of guilt too. She was suffering and I couldn't even help her.

    Having lost my faith in almost everything, I just prefer to be lonely. Atleast there won't be anything to lose. So, I don't make friends too.

    When she had finished telling her story, I hugged her and said -"Can I ask one simple question?”

    She said -" Yes'

    "Do you think seeing you in pain and lonely, your friend would be happy?"  I asked her.

    She did not reply and left the classroom

    Next day, she came to me and said -"I know seeing me so lonely and sad, my friends would not be happy, but I always fear. That dreadful incident doesn't allow me to trust anyone. Whenever something happens, people are just to stare only. They don't care to help others. So, I don't trust people anymore.

    Listening to her, I said -"Sonali, I want to be your friend. I want to see you happy, talking and giggling. I want you to interact with everyone. Can we be friends? And yes I promise you that I will never leave you alone and I will never break my promise."

    Even after knowing that life is uncertain, I made the promise. Sonali didn't say anything. She just hugged me and I could feel happiness in her eyes.

    It's been years we have been friends. She now no longer feel lonely and has become my best friend. Her smile everyday makes me feel out of the world. Yes! She has changed and seeing her happy, I feel great. 

  • Seconds of choice

    Seconds of choice

    This story revolves around the protagonist Meera who just like every indian girl aspire for success, fame and above all true love. Here, we will know how the choices of people will bring a great change in her perception and choice. Will her choices prove to be of benefit or fatal, let's find out.

     

    And there she stood at the corner of the bed gazing through the window to the tall buildings .There was a time when she aspired for all the success and fame and her heart was full of dreams.

    When Meera was a teenager, she went through the most desirable feeling that one could get into…..

    the feeling which was different and yet too complex, the feeling which could turn every odds in your favour and the feeling which teach us to be concerned, to care for a person more than oneself. This is the feeling called LOVE.

     Meera’s first encounter with love was when she was in 10th grade.Raghav and Meera were childhood buddies. They were in the same school and class from 1st grade. Raghav considered Meera as his best friend and they were too close to each other. Meera at reaching her mid teenage started living in the world of  fantastical and everlasting love stories. She started imaging Raghav as her prince charming who would rescue her in every odds of life and what if they could live as the happily married love couples in the future and lead a happy life. She started taking their friendship relation as a love story and gradually she fell in love with him. But, she never dared to speak her heart out to him. And after their 10th Raghav father got transferred to some other city. This was her first love story, her first realisation of the feeling of love which was left incomplete.

    Then slowly and gradually as the time passed Meera finally decided to move on. Now her college life started, the environment in the college was that girls were usually dating more than one guy. She could see a single guy flirting with a number of girls. She considered these people as uncivilised and often predicted the girls as Sluts. Meera often felt very low when she saw all these incidents. Then after few days in college Meera met a guy named Samar. They both were persuing the same course and in due coursebof time they became good friends. After few days spent together,Meera started falling for Samar and one day Samar himself proposed Meera. The propsal was happily accepted and from then they were together. Meera imagined Samar as her life partner and the only boy she will marry.After 3-4 months of their realtionship Meera found that Samar was cheating on her with another girl. She was broken and shattered. Meera's nature was that if a person shows little care and affection towards her,she becomes consious and in no time considers that person as if  her world rests in him.

    After many passing years came the last year of college The farewell night of the Graduates. Meera was happy that finally she is leaving college n now she could persue her furthur education in abroad (Canada).

    At the farewell night a band came to perform. As the party was over Meera was waiting for a taxi when Rajdeep came to her. Rajdeep was a guitarist from the performing band. Rajdeep with his introduction started having a conversation with Meera. Earlier,Meera was hesitant to talk to him,but as they talked she became comfortable. They shared their interests, hobbies, likes, dislikes etc. When Meera told him about her dreams of studying in Canada,Rajdeep made her believe that he could actually help her out as his father has sources and even he is moving to Canada for some training in music. Meera was really happy that day. Then,they both exchanged their contacts and started to meet. Rajdeep showed Meera his every effort so that she could get her admissions. As the time passed and there meetings increased they became very good friends and even Meera started feeling for Rajdeep. And one day Rajdeep proposed her. Meera could not deny his proposal as she could also feel for him and Rajdeep was even accompanying her to Canada and they would stay together there and would be happy thereafter. After two-three months,Rajdeep asked Meera for Rs. 2 lakh in the name of his dad as the admission fee. After a week, that evening Meera decided to go and give the cash to Rajdeep when she heard in the news that Rajdeep and his dad are caught in a scandal charging money from students  by fake promising them for admissions in abroad.Meera became unconscious for a minute. She was unable to believe that a caring and helpful boy like Rajdeep could be such a selfish person.

    This time Meera left every hope that she will ever be able to trust somebody again. She was so shattered that she started living in solitude. She now stayed at home and studied day and night so that she could get admissions and a better life in the new country. The exam was given and Meera successfully cracked it. Within a month she got her tickets and flew to Canada . She was happily settled there and her life was going in pace .Apart from studying ,Meera was also going a part time job. It has been one year in Canada, when Meera got a schlorship for her good performance and she decided to go for a ten days tour to her dream place Las Vegas in the vacations.

    The bags were packed, the tickets ready. The day has come when Meera was finally visiting Vegas,dream place of many ,including her.

    . As she has imagined and even saw in pictures and movies Vegas  was a city of lights with amazing, unparalleled views. Las Vegas, in Nevada’s Mojave Desert, is a resort city famed for its vibrant nightlife, centered around 24-hour casinos and other entertainment options. Its main street and focal point is the Strip, just over 4 miles long. This boulevard is home to themed hotels with elaborate displays such as fountains synchronized to music as well as replicas of an Egyptian pyramid, the Venetian Grand Canal, and the Eiffel Tower. Meera got a room in one such hotel known as The Red Rock Hotel.

    Meera's most of the evening went in viewing and admiring the scenic beauty of the city and her nights were spent in the Casinos and bars. The environment of these casinos and bars was of desire, sex and money. She heard about high level prostitution in Vegas but when she saw that in real, she was really shocked at the first place. The girls were dressed in the most expensive outfit and cars just to have sex and money. It was a everyday happening and Meera became used to this environment. Its been a week and Meera has visited the best and the most expensive of all the casinos and bars. She planned to stay for a week more and study the city. Meera was getting out of money and she was  late to realise this fact. On the 10th day of the trip she was left with nothing. All her saving were spent. Meera became addicted to this regular visiting of casinos and bars. She somehow managed some cash and this time she went. At the Bar,Meera met a man who seemed to be Indian. Meera realised that he was continuously staring at her and then he finally approached her and asked her for a coffee. She accepted his proposal very easily as she was happy to find an Indian in an unknown city. They went upstairs in the room and were engaged in a regular conversation on a cup of coffee.

    Next morning, Meera found herself lieing  naked on the bed with some Dollars kept beside her. She starred at the notes and could not resist herself from crying. She screamed in anger,shouted cried but nobody was their to listen and console her.

    After sometime, she came out of the trauma,dressed herself and ran out of the room. She saw on the way nobody was noticing her impure body except herself. She checked her pocket and found that she was left with nothing. She was shattered.

     Then,after engaging in deep thoughts for sometime she rushed back to the room of the casino and picked up those dollars and placed them in her pocket.

    Meera became addicted to the city and started spending all her nights on the bed of the Casinos and bars in the hope that one day she might get her True love. She realised that it is not about civilisation, it is about your NEED and above all your own CHOICE. It is just the matter of choice and the place you put urself in. Her life was now confined into Money, expensive and high class outfits, cars, casinos, bars and Sex. Its been two months in Vegas and eventhough she met many new people she was totally alone.

    The love and the affection for which Meera craved for,from so long had become very distant from her.  She knew that she could never get out of the whirlpool she has thrown her into. There is no other alternative to the vicious circle of life she has chosen for herself and this realisation was mentally eating her up.

    Meera now spent her entire day in the hotel room at the corner of her bed drinking , smoking and  inhaling drugs.

    After three to four days she was found  at the corner of the bed gazing through the window with all her dreams and aspirations of success and fame and most of all her True love enclosed in the Eyes which will never open again and in the heart which will never beat again…

  • The Familiar Stranger

    The Familiar Stranger

    A family got a dog and kept it with great love and care. However due to some unavoidable circumstances they had to donate him to a new family. How it feels to see that same dog after few years and the feeling of being stranger-zoned by the dog is what this story is about.

     

    I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

    I heard a dog barking.

    Easy does it.

    A lady clad in a dirty sari opened the door. I assumed she must be the maid. She looked at me questioningly. 

    "Is Rajesh Uncle here?" 

    She looked at me suspiciously and said "I'll just call him"

    I waited. The maid was clever. She didn't let me inside the house and closed the door in my face.

    One minute passed. This was my moment. I could run away. 

    The door opened and a man in his 50s looked at me and smiled 

    "Namaste Uncle" I greeted him

    The last time I saw him, he had more hair on his head. Now he was almost bald and the remaining hair on his head were almost white. He looked tired. Oh well, people are allowed to look tired on a Sunday morning. 

    "Hello beta, sorry , the maid doesn't seem to trust anybody here. Come inside. I hope you did not have any difficulty finding our house?"

    "No no uncle" I smiled. Giving fake smiles was one of my greatest talents. 

    I looked around for the dog that was barking.

    "He's outside in the balcony. Don't worry" Uncle seemed to read the look on my face.

    "Thank you Uncle" I sat down on the sofa.

    I looked around. It was a huge house. Well furnished and beautifully decorated. 

    The dog started barking once again.

    Have patience.

    "Hello beta" A friendly lady came. I assumed she must be Rajesh Uncle's wife, Preeti Aunty.

    I stood up and greeted her. The same maid came again and placed a tray filled with a glass of juice and biscuits and dry fruits. She smiled at me too this time.

    Preeti Aunty asked me about college and how I was commuting and how my parents were. I patiently answered all her questions. 

    "He's eating right now. You can meet him after that"

    I could feel my own heartbeat. I wondered if my heart was visibly pounding or something. I wondered if Aunty could see it too. Sometimes my brain thought really stupid things. Right now was that time.

    The dog barked again. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. 

    A few minutes more baby.

    The maid came inside again. 

    "He's done eating. Come inside" 

    My pulse started racing. Tachycardia, yes that is what was happening to me. I felt like my heart would come out of my ribcage. My head started pounding.

    The last time I saw him was two years ago. I wondered of he remembered me.

    The barking intensified and so did my heartbeat. 

    And then Uncle opened the door. What hit me back was the familiar waft of dog smell. Brought back so many memories. And there he was. 

    Black and furry and magnificent. 

    My Don. My baby.

    " We call him Fred now" Uncle informed me. 

    But for me he'll always be Don.

    I looked at him. He was barking on the top of his voice after seeing me. I knew it wasn't the ' I recognise you' bark but the ' who are you, stranger ' bark. I had mentally prepared myself for this.

    "Fred , look who's here. Do you remember her?" Uncle asked him.

    Don wouldn't stop barking. He was pulling the leash. He was tied to the window. It pinched. We never tied him anywhere. 

    "He bites. Don't go near him please." Uncle warned me. 

    I stopped. I hadn't expected this. I wanted to go near him and I want him to lick me the way he used to do. He had grown so big in two years. Last I saw him, he was a medium sized puppy. 

    "Hi Don… Fred (I looked at Uncle) Hi baby, remember me? "

    Don kept on barking. It didn't sound like a happy bark at all. 

    He showed me his scary teeth and was barking at me like the way he barked at other strangers.

    But it's me Don. I cuddled you and rubbed your belly. I fed you milk and bread and chicken. I cleaned your pee and poop. How can you bark at me baby? 

    Aunty came in the room. "Fred, keep quiet " 

    She sat next to him and let him lick her face and and ran her hand through his fur. She signalled me to come to her. She held his face the other side and asked me to run my hand through his fur. I used to do the same when scared children wanted to let him.

    He barked as soon as he felt my hand and tried to reach my hand with his mouth. 

    I stepped back. I had had enough.

    The maid came inside. Apparently Don loved her as he was jumping and licking her lovingly.

    It was time to leave. 

    "I should go now Aunty. Mom and Dad will get worried and I have college work to do too" 

    Aunty gave a me a friendly smile. She asked me stay for a little more time but I refused. My heart had suffered enough anyway. 

    The whole ride back home was like a blur. 

    The pain of giving Don away had died its natural death a long time ago. But now a new pain was born. It seemed familiar to the old one but slightly different. 

    We got Don on my 21st birthday. He was a naughty boy when he came. He didn't let us sleep the first night as he kept scratching our bedroom door (mom didn't let him sleep in our room). German shepherds are supposed to have erect ears. But when he came he had small tender ears. His bark sounded like a squeak. As Don grew, he became a very obedient yet naughty dog. He broke four vases and ruined the sofa covers. Yet we loved him. We treated him like a prince. 

    And then one day it happened. 

    Mom developed dyspnoea and couldn't breathe after awhile. Her body was burning with fever and had to be rushed to the Hospital.

    Diagnosis – Severe hypersensitivity to dog hair. 

    And what was the solution – giving Don away.

    It was a tough decision. My little brother who was 10 at that time, cried and hit all of us and shouted and threw tantrums. Mom cried too as she felt she was the reason why he had to go. Dad kept quiet. Out of all of us, I knew he was the one who loved Don the most. I shed my share of tears too but the new onset of maturity told me that family is the biggest priority. 

    Rajesh Uncle got to know about our decision to donate Don for free from a mutual friend. The last moment with him was unforgettable. I had read that animals sense stuff that is happening around him. So I expected Don to behave exceptionally well. But he acted as normal as he could he be. He tried to bite my hair as I tried to hold him. It was hard holding the tears back. 

    The pain of losing Don was immense. For days, looking at other dogs became unbearable. Dog posts on Facebook were always skipped and concentrating on anything became horribly tough. I felt even sadder for my brother. He learnt about sacrifice at such a young age. But he was young and I knew he would forget and move on easily. He didn't even bother to accompany me today. 

    I tried to play the moment again in my head. Don had forgotten me. And why wouldn't he? I couldn't gather the courage to meet him in two years. He was somebody else's dog now and would remain theirs. I was history for him. 

    I wiped the single drop of tear from my eyes.

    I know I had to make peace with it. 

    Don isn't Don anymore. He's Fred now.

  • Suicide letters

    Suicide letters

    Do you believe in destiny and plans? Do you believe that whatever happens happens for a reason? Let’s begin with a very small yet a very big question.

    What is life?

    If you know the answer then tell me what is death?

    How would you begin describing your life as?

    I asked her these questions and she made me wonder even more about her soul. She said,

    “Life for me is my family and friends. My love for them and their love for mine. I wonder what would be if even a single one of them vanishes for all our lives are interconnected. If you cut one string, you’ll cut down the whole rope. Life is where I live happily with my friends and family. Without them I was nothing and I would be nothing. I love them and I always will.

    Death on the contrary for me is the beginning of another life where I would end up everything by being selfish. I don’t want to be selfish because death means non-existence of every smile that one floated in air. So if death comes to me before I demand it, I would ask first to let my folks know how much I love them and then grasp me to begin again.”

    But there I was sitting next to her staring at her closed eyes and listening her thoughts.

    It was late at night and all her family members along with her friends were waiting outside the operation theatre. They had been there for a quiet a while. After an hour or so the doctor came outside with a terrible news.

    “Sorry! We couldn’t save her”

    Everyone was shocked. They didn’t knew how to respond. It felt as if even their lives were at an end. They could hear their heartbeats grow louder.

    All of a sudden they thought that darkness were grasping them from every side. This was the first time I saw so many eyes groaning in pain without uttering a single word.

    Just when a girl known to all of them came by and handed everyone an envelope.

    They opened it with more shock. I could see their hands shivering, I could sense their pain, I could hear their screams in silence but I just watched them sitting by her side.

    Dear muma and papa,

    I know you must be in shock when you’ll be reading this letter. I love you a lot. I never wanted to do this, what I am thinking of doing now and that is why I thought of sharing my words with all the special people I have met in my life time before ending it. I know it must be so hard reading this.

    I am so sorry that I am making you go through hell right now but I couldn’t help it. I am tired of being like this. I am tired of hiding my pain. I am tired of me. It’s nobody’s fault. The fault is mine. I know you love me a lot and trust me you are one of the best parents one would ever get. I am a lucky child. But again muma and papa I don’t understand myself anymore. I have no strength of living up to my own expectations. I am tired of expecting things from others. I am tired of getting broken and yet standing strong hiding each and everything I feel. I am tired of everything around and that is why I want to end it at once. I am sorry I am doing this. Please don’t blame yourself, I know you must be thinking that I would have come to you to share my problems for once. I tried but there are things I couldn’t explain to you. I know I laughed out hard, I was mischievous with everyone around, I studied, I danced and I sang but that was only because I didn’t wanted you to know how much my eyes wept. I am going to miss you all. I apologize for being a coward. I apologize for being scared and taking this decision.

    I am so sorry.

    I have to do this.

    Sorry

    Love

    Your daughter

     

     

    Dear bestie,

    You have always been there in my good times and bad and I know you always tried more than 100% of yours to make me walk the toughest part of my life and you succeeded. You were always the morning sun of my life after the dark night that passed. I know you must be the one right now consoling everyone because you are strong and I know you’ll stand with my family as valiantly as you did with me. I just wanted to tell you that you are my lucky charm and you don’t have to feel bad for my absence. We always lived together in our friendship and always will. I have no justification for this bestie. Maybe I am a fool who has taken such a big decision without even telling you. I am sorry, I tried to communicate with you but you were busy in your own world and I had no intention of ruining your life because of me.

    “Because I love you, I couldn’t be selfish with you”, I tried showing you my eyes, you couldn’t read. I asked you to hug me more than once but you took it rather casually. I asked you not to let me weep, but you even got fooled by the fake smile I had kept for everyone else. You believed all my drama and took it for real. This is one thing that I expected from you. I thought you’ll be able to sense my pain even if I am fifty miles away. But what you sense was what people showed you. You believed so much in the drama I had created for others that you forgot to see my heart. I don’t want you to feel bad. I just wanted to tell you truth like I always have so that I would close my eyes with peace that I didn’t kept my words in my heart before leaving. You are my one lucky charm and I am glad I had you in my life. You are one of a kind and I thank you for being there by my side in my good and bad. But this thing I had to fight on my own, maybe this is the only thing I had to fight alone without you beside me, “Expectations”

    PS: I want my diary to be in your possession. And you were not just a gem of my life, you were the crown I owned.

    Love you loads

    Your partner in health and crime

     

    Dear love,

    You are that one reason who made me fall in love with myself. Your sweet talk, your stupid texts would just bring a million dollar smile on my face. You made me blush, you made me realize that someone can love me the exact way I love people. I have no complains for you. You always loved me despite my rude behavior, despite my ignorance towards you, despite my telling you that I would never say I love you to anyone, not even you. That is why I am writing this to you, maybe you were not my first love, and maybe I never showed you what I really felt from inside I do love you. You have always treated me like a princess. And holding your hand has always been the best part of our meeting. I know I have hurted you a lot with a full fly over of my expectations because somewhere I wanted you to hate me. I was too scared of your love and I still am. I am not breaking my promise of leaving you, trust me I am not leaving you. I am going to stay alive in your heart. Remember your beat is mine. Thank you for everything.

    You need to promise me you would never feel bad because I am not there with you anymore. I want you to promise me to do everything which would bring a smile on your face for that would bring a smile on mine too. I wish you would have known me better than this.

    PS: get mature but don’t lose the small kid that you are.

    Love you,

    Your love….

     

    Dear roommate,

    You are one of the best roomie I have ever met. Your innocence, your mischiefs are one of the reason that made me alive for so long. Every time I was upset your naughtiness would just vanish it away. I know I have always ruined your expectations and I can’t give any explanations of it. I didn’t meant to do it, I always hurted you unintentionally. I don’t want you to have any regrets of my life. I want you to live and laugh and stay the same as you are because you are one of the most expensive gem I ever got and I thank god for bringing you in my life.

    I know you are so younger than me but I know you’ll understand this thing without getting angry from me. I know you will like you always have been.

    You are a beautiful soul and I would always pray that nothing would come in your life to take this beauty away from you. I would always wish the best for you in your life.

    And after I leave the room, make sure you get even a better roomie and don’t you ever cry because of me. Because if you do I promise I would come and haunt you in your dreams. And then you won’t have my hand to hold on to.

    PS: I totally, completely and insanely love you.

    Your di

    Dear Donald duck,

    I know you must be showing right now that you are so strong but deep inside you must be missing me the most. I even don’t know how to begin. I never intentionally avoided you. It just happened, often when we start getting closer to someone else we get away from that one person whom we had been with for such a long time that doesn’t mean I changed, I was fighting with my very own self. At least now you would believe me because I know one would never say their last words false. I know you would still be annoyed at reading this. And would have slapped me right away if I had been there in front of you right now. I know you hide a lot inside you and you are that one person I respect the most.

    Please forgive me for everything I ever did. I would always keep you safe in my heart, and in my memories. Thank you for making me realize that you are a real friend of mine and again apologies for how I ruined up things between us. Nobody is to be blamed for all of the mess but me. And again thank you for staying here even when I am not into existence anymore. I am a lucky one to have you people in my life.

    Loads and loads of kisses,

    Muaaahhhhhhhhhh,

    Your motiii

     

    Just as I saw everyone read their letters their pain increased even more. They never expected this would happen. They thought it was a nightmare and were waiting for it to break. They loved this girl a lot and she did the same. I wanted to tell them all that she didn’t kill herself. I wanted to tell them she never wanted to leave them like this. I wanted to tell all of them how much she wanted to be there, with them right now, wiping their tears off but I just couldn’t. I was bounded by rules of my own. What was I supposed to do then I just thought for a fraction of seconds.

    Yes I found a loop hole, yes I shouted to myself. “miracle do happen even in this world, it had happened before and it can happen again” I threw life back into her, I gave her a second chance because only I knew she didn’t end her life, it wasn’t a suicide, it was another murder planned by someone only she knew and I know she wouldn’t tell anyone about it. I knew she wasn’t so weak to just end everything like that and I knew these letters were not for them, it was for me so that I could save her. She’s far intelligent than any of us. After all that is why she is meant to love and nobody can take this from her.

    “I know this would sound surprising but she’s breathing again, your daughter is safe, this is the first time something like this has ever happened. She is out of danger, you can meet her now.” the doctor said.

     

    Everyone’s eyes grew wider with a light that could shine the whole world. This was her, their light. She was their pride but they had taken her for granted and that is why he planned this murder so that they could know what she couldn’t tell them for her words were important to be imprinted, for she couldn’t explain everything directly. For she loved everyone more than herself….