The Poor Copy

"We have been waiting for you all day," Shilpa said with wide-eyed wonder seeing her nephew at the door. Raj was looking dapper in his grey suit, white shirt and red tie. His cropped hair highlighted the leanness of his face, his sharp jawline a proof of his efficiency and focus.

He smiled sparingly and walked in past his aunt with a nod. "There was cocktail and dinner after the full-day seminar, but I couldn't refuse your persistent invitation," he said, smartly weaving in the fact that he was giving up something better for having dinner with them.

A Veil of Waves

They rose and fell, night and day, without respite. Sometimes in the middle of a hot day, they lay down dull awaiting the next breeze to rouse them again. Sometimes, in that dull moment, they sank to the bottom, pulled down by undercurrents. They rose this way and that, they were pulled this way and that. When the sun and the moon shone, when the the bright light brought them under the spotlight, they rose to capture the glory and imprison it forever. But when the orbs were covered and darkness fell, they touched new lows, grumbling and complaining.

Awaiting Inspiration

Not inspired by Mother's Day
Not inspired by any other tale
Staring blankly at the white page
I wonder what I can write today

Discarded and Refused

You throw me after use
Sometimes on the road
Sometimes in the woods

The Summer Heat

Ankita, her husband Satish and their son Bhavesh entered Nikita's cool abode with a sigh of relief. "It's so hot outside," Ankita complained and wiped Bhavesh's face. The 7-year-old pulled away, embarrassed at this molly coddling in front of others.

Yug, Nikita's husband, joined them with a warm smile. After the usual exchange of greetings and enquiries, Ankita asked about their son Aditya. "Where is he?"

Give Her the Sword, Give Her the Gun

A face and limbs,
Just like any other
A curve here, a curve there
Too young even for that

Dead and Buried - Part IV

Start reading this short series here:
For Part I, click here
For Part II, click here
For Part III, click here

"When will you reveal the true secret?" Ila asked eagerly.

Shekhar grinned sheepishly. "In good time."

"You said there is a murder in the film too? Who is going to die?" she probed.

"You," he said. Her startled look made him smile. "Don't worry, you are not just a corpse... You are also the one who is going to be romancing - not one but two men."

"Don't make it sound like an incentive!"