Swerving through choking traffic, I jump a red light, go over the speed limit and park at the hospital. The ambulance doors open: a stretcher flies out and they all gather to check his pulse. Still going strong. We made it just in time.
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Category: Stories
Year End Musings
After 2 years of lockdown and social distancing, 2022 felt like a breath of fresh air. I could finally go out with friends without the looming fear of Covid on my mind! And the fact that this is my last year of school made it all the more memorable. Words cannot describe how happy I felt to be in a class, meet my pals again. Things felt normal for a while.
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Garden in Bloom
I envy those who are lucky enough to have their own garden or lawn or any patch of land they can call their own. Endless possibilities await the yard. Will it become a picnic spot? Or perhaps a trampoline will cover it up? Maybe a fountain will adorn it? But the best use of any such space, in my eyes, is a blooming nursery.
Rows and rows of rose, jasmine, hibiscus embedded in the ground, sweet smells in the air, leaves rustling in the wind, birds chirping with joy- for a moment it feels like nature has engulfed you.
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My trip to Ranthambore
When someone hears the word ‘Ranthambore’ an image of fierce tigers pops up in their mind. And rightly so, the best chance of you seeing the big cats is here. But that’s not all that this town has to offer. Though our national animal is the main attraction, there are plenty of other beautiful wildlife to observe there. On my trip to this wonderland with my family, I went on 2 safaris- a river safari and a forest safari.
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Inside The Mind Of A 1000 Rupee Note
I used to be a God. Everyone in this magnificent country wanted a piece of me: the 1000 rupee note. From corrupt politicians to honest policemen to roadside paupers, not a single soul could escape my temptation.
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We Rise By Lifting Others
When was the last time you appreciated someone? When was the last time someone appreciated you? In this day and age of social media and the omnipresent internet, it gets very easy to give each other joy through a small combination of words.
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Letters for you
Connor wanted to be a policeman. Solving cases fascinated him. Yet here he was in the courtroom, desperately trying to convince the jury that he didn’t kill his professor. All of his pleas were dismissed. Connor was sentenced to 15 years in prison because of his clean record and the fact that the murder wasn’t conducted using a firearm. As he was brought into his home for the next 15 years, he made a vow: to never bring coffee to other people ever again. He didn’t want to go to jail again.
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Meow
Hey, I didn’t see you there. How are you? You can stay here as long as you want to. Oh, where are my manners? I’m the guardian of this universe. There are many universes you see. We guardians protect them from threats like supernovas and other celestial villains. When I’m not on duty I can be found lounging about anywhere as anything I wish to be.
Right now, I’m a tiny tabby kitten and calling a beautiful resort my home. The premises are well maintained and there is greenery all around. This place is very calm and peaceful but it’s quite uneventful as well. It’s very rare for something unexpected to happen. But today was a special day.
I was relaxing in the midst of some tall, sturdy bamboo trees when suddenly a girl dressed in blue crouched and started meowing. I was dumbstruck. I thought only cats meowed. Had humans updated their language? Then I realized that she was calling me to come to her. Me, the guardian of this universe, willingly go into the hands of a silly girl? Ha! I lured her with my adorable looks and darted into a clump of enormous, ancient trees. She couldn’t possibly find me in this thicket, right? But she did! Her eagle eyes spotted me with ease. She continued to try and coax me into submitting to her will.
I smiled at this pathetic attempt and ran like the wind, simultaneously changing my form to that of a swan, my fur transforming to feathers, my feet becoming webbed. I jumped into a nearby pond that had some ducks waddling around. Perfect. They would help maintain my cover. I waited for the girl to run after me. I wanted to see her befuddled face. I wanted to see her mortal mind try to comprehend all that had happened.
But all of my expectations were shattered. Nothing of that sort happened. She just shrugged as if it was nothing and went away with her mother, who arrived just now.
I was getting extremely annoyed. No one ignores me. Only I am allowed to ignore others. This was not the way I had to be treated. I demand justice!
I turned into my kitten form again and ‘hid’ in a bush. I was visible enough to be seen and covered enough to be considered to be ‘hiding’. The girl saw me and was about to come when her mother dragged her away. But I wasn’t going to give up. It was a matter of honor now. As soon as her mother was gone, I stepped out of the bush and slowly approached her. She crouched, as expected, and held out her hand. I was ready to ditch her, leave her alone, in tears. But her eager face made me forget all my bad intentions.
I was in a trance. Hypnotized, I edged towards her. She quivered with joy and then gently pet me. My body shook under her touch. My stone heart crumbled and I curled up in a ball, begging her to pet me, love me. I had opened up for the first time in my life and it felt amazing. The feeling of being loved is a special one and I, the guardian of this universe can now tell you that I’ve experienced it.
– Maleika Hussain
The Message From Beyond
2nd February 2020
Vanessa trudged along the snow-covered forest with a mix of nervousness and euphoria tingling in her stomach. A science student at Moscow State University, she had been chosen as an intern at the esteemed Quark Deep Space Centre, located in a remote corner of Russia. Although the center was very old now and was made almost obsolete by the new centers all over the world, it still was a highly respected research facility.
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