Fiction

An Ordinary TV Remote

I am dying. I’d like to tell you my story before I vanish into oblivion. I know what you are thinking. You think just because I am an ordinary TV remote, my life wasn’t worth living, let alone recording. Unglamorous and undistinguished are probably the adjectives snickering away in the dusty corners of your mind. […]

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Passionate Fifty- Fives

Love He calls me Ragini. I’m not just an inanimate flute to him. I come to life in his hands. I breathe with his breath and sing to the music in his soul.. matching him… beat for beat, rhythm for rhythm. I desire nothing but to belong to him- to draw my life from his […]

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Drenched

seriouslyfunny: I was thinking raginionline: That’s encouraging. You also think! seriouslyfunny: Yes Ms smarty two-shoes, I do. Stop teasing me or I won’t tell you what I thought. raginionline: Blackmailer! Alright, tell me! seriouslyfunny: When we meet, it’ll be June-end. Monsoon will have arrived by then. We’ll go for a walk in the rain. raginionline: […]

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Life in 55 Words

ONE “Dad, let me take this summer job.” “What?! You’re just sixteen! People will think I can’t provide for my family.” “It’ll be good for my future, I’ll learn so much. Please?” “I’ll become the laughing stock of town. I’ve said no, discussion over.” The child fell silent, spirit crumpled under the weight of society’s […]

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Enough To BE

The restaurant was dim and cool after the blistering heat outside.  I had been window shopping since morning and now my feet were avenging themselves on my pointless rambling. All I had to show for my aching feet was an ugly, cheap umbrella I didn’t need to buy. It was my misguided attempt at beating […]

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Hot Chocolate

“My my! Someone’s looking like thunder today? What happened Amrita?” Runoo Mosi’s (Mosi: Mother’s sister, aunt. Forming bonds with people one is not related to is very common in India) voice was concerned, her brows puckered up. “Nothing Mosi”, said little Amrita looking utterly woebegone. Her eyes lowered, she took her place amidst the other […]

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A Cheap Silver Ring

Somali was excited. Her mother’s birthday was barely three days away. Somali had decided that this birthday she would buy a gift for her mother. And it would be a surprise! Somali was going to be eleven a few days after her mom’s birthday. They shared a birthday month. The thought made Somali glow with […]

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Traveling With A Stranger

I took my seat in the Delhi bound AC chair car, pleased that the adjoining seat was empty. At Agra a man came and claimed it. Resentfully, I glared at him. He was a compulsive talker. In fifteen minutes, I wanted to tape his mouth. When mono-syllabic answers failed to shut him, I got progressively ruder. It was […]

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Fragile

Raman’s heart sank as he feverishly searched his pockets. With rising trepidation, he turned his bag inside out- another blank. He ran his classroom and searched there. He even lay flat on the floor and peered under the ancient wooden cupboard. Almost hysterical now, he asked all his friends, begging them to end the cruel […]

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To Be A Magnet- (Conclusion)

Continued from To Be A Magnet- (II) For many minutes, Cheetah kept silent. Tiger waited. “You do have a point, I can’t deny that”, said Cheetah reluctantly. “But that doesn’t mean we run down what we had. We too had bonding. We too supported each other!” “I am not running down our group Cheetah! I […]

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