Recent weeks have been fertile! Here is a collection of what I have written for various fora.
I For the #55fiction page on Facebook:
103. Close to the fence
where he stood, the race-track traced its oblong trajectory. The man moved
away, satisfied. He would be unseen when he took photographs of the newest
stallion as the animal was put through its practice sessions before the Annual
derby his boss wanted to win before Parliament met for the monsoon session.
104. One day each week,
the old lion suffered hunger pangs. He really missed his ambulatory buffet of
delicacies that started to stream all over the vast space, on 6 days, gazing at
the inmates, reading information on habitats, and since the past few years,
taking photos of themselves with all the inmates as uncomprehending
fellow-subjects.
105. It had become a family quandary, much
discussed. They were so different. She was clearly older, worn out. He was
younger. With so much potential!
Desperately, every night,
he clutched at her, held on tight; she comforted him, he said! And no-one
really understood this strange bond between the young man and his grandmother’s
shawl.
II For the #VeryShortStories page on Facebook:
32. Finally, the day dawned bright and
perfect! The ceremonies were to start at daybreak, the final blessing being
given just a few minutes after the sun crossed the meridian. In the vast hall,
guests and family milled around in complete disorder, which was to be expected
at the large, society wedding. Conspicuous displays of wealth were everywhere
as two prominent business dynasties were to be joined together in holy
matrimony.
Taking advantage of the general
hubbub, the bridegroom managed to steal away to the rear of the building.
Dressed in fine silks, he stood huddled with his cronies, their tight circle
could not, however, contain the lazy wreath of smoke that arose from the six
cigarettes burning simultaneously. From above fell a folded sheet of paper, hitting
the groom on the forehead.
He looked up – in time to catch
sight of his intended move swiftly away from the open window. Smiling, but touched
to his core, he moved away from the group of friends and opened the paper.
Swiftly, he scanned the few lines scrawled on the paper, and his face flushed
uncontrollably!
“You left it too
long, my darling, and soon it will be too late for us. I shall be the wife of
another, and you will never be able to fulfil your promises to me.”
Puzzled, the bridegroom turned back
to stare at his friends. They stared back, puzzled. All, that is, except his
best friend. That gentleman alone looked fiercely at his own feet. He too, had
seen the bride dart away from the window above after throwing down the missive
that hit the wrong forehead! (273 words)
33
(sequel to 32)
There was a hush – the embarrassed
best friend slowly turned to leave, others stared in complete incomprehension. Moving
swiftly, the bridegroom found his cousin, requested her to take a message to
the bride as she prepared herself for the ceremony. The unusual request might
have raised eyebrows older than the cousin’s, but she was a modern girl with an
independent mind!
Three more co-conspirators were
pressed into service as look-outs and guards and the confabulations began in a
room on the second floor.
The bride had no defence whatsoever,
other than that she was too scared of her father to state her own preference.
The best friend, scion of another respected business dynasty, admitted he did
not dare bring up the topic of any matrimonial alliances until he “settled”
into his role of CEO in the family firm.
The bridegroom, armed with a degree
in Finance from a top-drawer Business School, was perhaps the best qualified of
his group of friends. He was, in all senses of the word, “a catch!” But this
latest crease in his perfect wedding day had messed up his carefully coiffed
hair in more ways than one!
The bride sobbed, the best friend
was petulant, the groom looked sombre.
The Summit gathered momentum and
gravity as three foolish humans faced their first truly adult decision!
In the end, appearances won hands
down!
The wedding went on as planned.
The best friend continued his affair
with the bride, her lawfully wedded husband was their cover!
The best friend was the perfect
cover for his best friend’s affair with his gym instructor.
The MBA textbooks had described this
as a “win-win situation!” (275 words)
34 --“I have something to tell you,” she
started timidly.
--A grunt, in response. It meant she had his permission. And his
attention.
--“You know, she started gingerly,
we have not exactly been happy with each other for the past few months …” she
could feel his jaw clench, his eyes narrow.
--“ . . . and so I was wondering if
. . . we could perhaps talk about it …calmly!”
--She said the last words in a rush,
flinching as if to stave off a blow she anticipated across her cheek from his
strong palm.
Today, however, no blow came!
She drew strength from this, and
continued.
Tersely, dryly, she outlined the
numerous complaints she had collected over the past six years, day in, day out.
She expressed her anguish, her
torment, her low points and her fears! Each with the corresponding action (or
lack thereof) from his part.
It turned out to be a long speech –
almost 40 minutes altogether. Six years of practice had, after all, made her
word perfect!
Sighing at the end of her tirade,
she sat still for a moment. Then she turned off the recording equipment she had
borrowed from a cousin.
She waited for the DVD to slide out
of its sleeve on the computer, then wrote his name on it with a red marker.
Leaving the DVD on the desk, she
turned, picked up her purse and walked to her loaded car, slamming the door
shut behind her with a sharp, satisfied bang.
And this morning, I was especially inspired to write free verse!
6 August 2016
There it stood.
Plainly in sight,
Coming closer with every passing minute.
Looming larger as I moved along
My destined trajectory.
Steadily I stared at it
Willing myself to dare
Telling myself I must
Reminding myself of the past!
A shudder went through my being
Resolve steeled itself
I found untold strength
And I pushed firmly!
The door opened so very easily
To my better tomorrows.
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