The Short Short Stories Part 2

8th July - Love in Disguise

She packs her bag and is ready to leave the next day. Past midnight she hears her invalid mother in law coughing. She slips out quietly into her room and massages her chest with Vicks and tucks her in waiting till the cough stops. She comes back to the bedroom and watches her husband, snoring - oblivious. His mother could die choking and he would not know. He is not worth leaving, she thinks and stays back. 

9th July - Sacred and Profane

The Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.

The blast killed seventy people in the mosque and injured hundreds. The call of the mezzuin was drowned by the wailing. The sufi dance turned into a macabre of death. The fragrance of rose water gave way to the stench of burnt blood, flesh and bones. Allah gave one last sad look and finally left. 

10th July - Leftovers

It is cold. Really cold. Minus 8. I dont know that really. My old bones feel it. I had a family once. Husband and two sons. I thought my world was complete. After my husband, both my sons left saying they will come back for me. Now it over ten years. My daily food is boiled rice and dal. Three times a day. And I have my prayer wheels. Oh, what would I give for some vegetables and a slice of meat. But I am happy surrounded by people like me. We pray together, eat together, wash each others dishes. We dont take bath for days. Not enough hot water or firewood. Our bodies smell. But when you come here to help us, we can smell your soul. 

Kaza - Lahaul Spiti. Old Age Home. 20 inmates. Orphans at 60+. Life goes on.

11th July - The Marriage

His hand reached out for her involuntarily and he woke up with a start. Her side of the bed was empty. Off course. She wouldn't be there. She was gone after all. He looked at the watch. It was 4 in the morning. He got up and went to the kitchen to make some coffee. He sat sipping the bitter brew. His wife would have had added some sugar. His eyes misted, missing her terribly. At sixty life was not easy alone. The children were all done. He stared at the wall vacantly. The bell rang. He hurried to open the door and stood the trying to hold back his tears.

"What Kuttipa? I go for one day and look at you!" His wife chided him as she walked in.

12th July - The Voice

The cars collided and plummeted down the ravine. Mine got caught between two boulders. I crawled out of the passenger door that had flung open. The ledge to safety was an inch higher. 

"Let me help you," the voice said; a petite girl in torn clothes and bleeding. With that, she gave me a push, heaving me half over the ledge and I scrambled home safe. Quite strong given her size. The other car was resting against a tree, mangled and upside down. On the driver seat was the same girl, hanging head down, eyes open, unblinking and quite dead.

13th July - The Jump

Both his kids jumped off the plane with their parachutes on. If they could, so could he. He grabbed the nearest one, strapped it on his shoulder and jumped. Last thing he heard was his wife screaming - "That is Paul's school bag."

14th July - The Confession Box

I have sinned Father.

May the Lord deliver you.

I had sex.

Are you not too young for that?

Yes Father.

What time tonight?

15th July - Kashmir

I cant stand being touched. The pup that night had its little paws stuck on my chest. The whole night I craddled it. It was not even mine. It belonged to a "Country without a Post Office."

My Kashmir. 20 years. My friends there are not terrorists. I dont know politics. I just hear heartbeats.

16th July - One Night Stand.

The rain was incessant. The thunder unrelenting. She was no longer sure about the one night stand at her home. He nibbled ar her throat, making her squeal with laughter. By the time he sank his fangs in her nape, she had already passed out. Next day, everything changed.

17th July- The Butcher's Wife

He left her alone and disappeared. He was rougue anyways. She had had no option but to take over the shop. Business picked up - she was good at the job of cuts and was kind to her customers. It took her three weeks to dispose off all his body.

18th July - The Dead

"What are you doing here at this time of night? Go back to your bed." The nurse reprimanded the old patient. He obiediently went back to his hospital room. He look at the bed but did not know how to get back into his body.

19th July - A Trip Out Of Grave

Washed myself, got ride of the grime. Confined in a box for ten years was not a joke. I had to get out because they prayed so much. Killed the keeper to get his dress. His blood revived me. I walked into my ceremoney with my photo and flowers.

20th July - The Child

Two year old child; picked her from the accident site and unofficially adopted her. Three years down the line, as I plunge down a floor, pregnant, I realise I had made a big mistake. Not enough time left to warn anyone.

21st July - The Orphan

Where do people go when they die?

To heaven. They become stars.

She cups her face in her hands and ponders.

All stars are beautiful.

Yes, sweetums.

Are they also beautiful before becoming stars?

Question: What would you answer?

22nd July - The Departure

You left the pillow damp

The bed sheet crumpled

Your fragrance hangs in the air

I taste you on my skin

Taste your sweat on the towels

The incense smoke no longer

Hides you photo.

Everyday I seek the answer

Why you became just a photo.

23nd July - The Widow

The sex was good. Now she muched on her meal contently, eyes half closed in pure bliss. Men are so stupid; for sex they can throw away their life, pondred the Widow Spider as she devoured her mate.

24th July - The Mongrel

It was way past midnight. The street was covered in ice and he was in a foul mood. The mangy little mongrel tried to sniff at his heels with its tail wagging and he kick it hard. It gave a yelp and backed away. Two steps and he slipped and fell breaking his tailbone. No one in sight and he shivered unable to get up. The mongrel crept up to him whining and licked his face. It then lifted his head and started to bark and howl for help.

25th July - Food Chain and A Murder

The beetle ate the insect. The bird ate the beetle. The hyena ate the bird. The tiger ate the hyena. The man shot the tiger.

26th July - Water

She took a long hot shower for nearly an hour and stepped out smelling of lavender. Far away in a drought ridden village a woman squeezed her sweat into the parched lips of her new born.

27th July - The Butterfly

The flower finally bloomed and the butterfly was ecstatic. They both flirted. Just as the butterfly was about to straddle it, a hand plucked off the flower. The butterfly went away looking for another one.

28th July - Contract of Silence

He left for an official tour to Colombo. She left for a conference in Pune. They both bumped into each other on the beaches of Bali and pretended not to know each other, despite the shock. 

Who was he, Laila asked her.

Who was she, Rohit asked him.

29 July - Power of Faith

USA. The doctor said the baby was malformed and she should abort. We came back home with the baby. Four months we sang the Gurbaani hoping it was listening. Four months later she delivered a healthy baby without any defect predicted by science. Now we will sing it daily till it does not learn it by heart.

30th July - The Necklace

Pretty.... Jade and silver. The seller did not remember. A faint memory of an Afghani couple bartered it for few rupees. Everyone fell in love with it, adorning my throat. And THAT undid me, when the strings tightened around my throat in my sleep. Now I know who sold it and why.

31st July - Death An Illusion

One month that I lived. I used another body and mind to tell you my story. Some of you liked, some commented and some retweeted. @sujitrukhsat and his FB posts were my conduit. You dont know if I, the one inside his head, is real. You dont care. Read back my stories - 31 of them. You will never believe I am writing out of my grave. I know you all now. I will visit - each one of you. Very very soon. Wait for the bell to ring and keep an eye on who you let in.