Twenty Word Story

Memory Album

faded

blue

eyes

dusted

family

album

with

care

pressed

flower

corsage

caressed

lifetime

 of

sepia

memories

with

spider

veined

hands.

Five 55 Word Micro Fiction

Robbie’s mom was seriously ill.  Quickly he filled water in the blue vase.
Gingerly he removed flowers from his pocket. He had gathered them in the jungle due to lack of money.
His mom loved blue color as it reminded her of the sky.  Her body turned blue even as their fragrance permeated the room  
 
**
 
The sleeping toddler was placed in the shelter crib.
His mother was searching for him in the rubble where his father had been crushed.
She fainted out of exhaustion.  When she came to, she found herself at the shelter.
Then she heard gurgling sounds nearby.  It was her son.  Relieved, she smiled and fell asleep.
 
**
 
Sheila had run out of options.  Her son’s school fees were due.  Cornered, she placed that dreaded phone call.
A gruff voice picked up the phone.  Timidly, she said “daddy I need your help” eating humble pie.  Then she
squared her shoulders for the expected tirade.  She had married her lover against her parents’ wish.
 
 
**
 
Daisy had a litter.  Little Robin loved playing with them.  He was horrified when he was told they would be given away.
Quietly, he picked up one pup and crept out.  Everyone went berserk and then heaved a sigh of relief after the phone call.
 Somehow Robin had reached granny’s house safely.  The pup stayed.
 
**
 
Limping horribly the septuagenarian got in line.  Graciously the person at head of line changed places with her.
She conducted her bank business with practiced ease.  Next, straightening her back and limping leg and now carrying
the walking stick on her arm, the oldie Goldie jauntily breezed out much to the stupefaction of her onlookers!

The Fog

The Fog

Seth household was like a war zone.  The three “bahus” (daughter-in-laws) were constantly bickering and elder Seths had had it up till here.  They decided to make an early run for it to their summer home in the hills.  Their one and only daughter Minnie was visiting from USA with her twin boys Samir and Ranvir and she decided to go with them. The foursome along with the nanny got in the family jeep early a.m. and took off without a backward glance.

**

Minnie had met Alex Burns at NYU (New York University) and had fallen headlong in love.  They were kindred spirits with lots in common. Once married, they never looked back.  Alex had had specialized training in military intelligence and was on call as and when needed.  Currently he was on an assignment.   Minnie took this opportunity to visit her parents in India for a few days.   

**

Seths quickly settled in and the caretaker couple soon had a warm fire crackling with hot food on the dining table.   Warmed and replete, they decided to retire early.  The peace here was a stark  contrast from the pandemonium at home.

**

Whimpering sound in the middle of the night woke them all up.  They hurried to the nursery and saw Ranvir crying in his sleep.  He was having a nightmare.  Minnie took him in her arms and coddled him.  Suddenly the elders screamed, “Where is Samir?”  His bed was empty!  Minnie turned to stone!  Hurriedly she thrust Ranvir in her mom’s arms, and armed with flashlights, her dad, nanny, housekeeper and she fanned out in search of Samir.  A thick fog hung like a curtain, hiding everything.

**

Sirens cut the silence and fog like a knife! Squealing sounds of tires burnt the asphalt.  The tolling from the prison bell tower a couple of miles away announced  the escape.   The night was fraught with danger becoming nightmarish progressively.

**

The ringing phone startled Mrs. Seth.  It was the DC (District Commissioner) calling to warn them to be careful as the convict was armed and dangerous.  DC and their elder son were classmates.  Mrs. Seth secured the house tight and started reciting Hanuman chalisa (holy mantras).

**

There was a soft knock on the back door.  Mrs Seth opened it cautiously and a gun was thrust in her face.  A ferocious wild looking man was carrying Sammie and waving the gun at her.  He pushed her aside and hastily closed the door.

The front doorbell rang.  The convict hid in the next room.  Standing at the doorstep was a young couple.  They were lost in the fog and wanted directions to nearby hotel.  Mrs. Seth invited them inside so that she could give them written instructions.  The young couple looked at each other wondering why she looked so edgy.  Mrs. Seth hustled them out on the double.  They drove off soon after.

Then the front door opened.  Mrs. Seth quickly hid him in the children’s room.  Her family had returned, downcast.  The fog had hampered the search.  They decided to wait till it lifted.

In muffled tones Mrs. Seth filled them in.  They sighed in relief and then were full of consternation.  They decided to let the escapee rest for the night in the children’s room and worry later.  Things settled temporarily.  Their minds were racing trying to find a solution to this risky dilemma.

**

After a couple of the longest hours of their lives,

they all trooped into the nursery.

The sight that met their eyes took them

by surprise filling them with delight.

The convict had dozed off and little Ranvir

had calmly picked up his gun and sat pointing it at the convict.

 His eyes were unblinking! Samir was hiding behind Ranvir.   Elder Seth quietly dialed the DC’s number.

(picture from the internet) 

(just wrote this for a creative challenge- a fog- a house at a hillstation, a 3 year old missing, escaped convict w/cops in hot pursuit and a lost honeymoon couple)

 

picture from internet

The Pink Ballet Shoe- Oxymora replete Micro Fiction

 

Twist of Fate

Twist of Fate

Raja could clearly hear his old man’s chant.  It was uttered daily during his formative years.

“Jab jab jo jo hona hota hai, tab tab so hokar hi rehta hai”

(Those events that are meant to occur will occur happen what may)

Then one day Raja found a crowd gathered outside their one room shanty.  Corruption and disease had taken their toll and the courageous hearts of Raja’s parents finally gave out.  They scotched their lives with rat poison.  Raja was orphaned at the tender age of seven…

Hooded thoughtful eyes, wiry frame and nimble footed was Raja.  To survive he resorted to petty thefts.  Not a single person had held out a helping hand nor given him a job to make ends meet.  This was the beginning of the end of Raja’s innocence.  He was a quick study. Life was a hard task master.

Homeless, sheltering in temples and churches Raja passed his time reading old discarded textbooks.  They gave Raja a measure of relief out of his bleak loveless existence.  Those words that he could not follow, he referred to his prized possession, a tattered Oxford dictionary that belonged to his father.  His self education thus continued.

Today was Raja’s 25^th birthday.  He quickly bathed and headed for the temple.  There was the usual early morning throng plus a rush of college kids.  Admissions were open and there were long lines already outside the colleges.  After getting the priest’s blessings, he sat down against a wall and watched the crowd marking his next victim. 

Prayers over, the pious were now decanting swiftly.  Soon only Raja and the deity were left.  As Raja looked defiantly at the image of god, he noticed a backpack near the south pillar.  In one fell swoop he picked it up and fled.  Seated in a secluded corner he opened the backpack and found textbooks and thirty thousand cash.  He whistled involuntarily.  His eyes popped out and he felt a rush of joy.  He planned a dozen things at once.  Tucked in the books of the backpack was a letter from the college giving last date of fees submission.  It was due the next day.  Raja felt a twinge of conscience.  He valued education and wondered if he should return this money.  His dormant conscience pricked hard.  He quashed it.

The lord had given him this windfall and he was grateful.  He turned over a new leaf.   Raja rented a handcart and became a street vendor of hot snacks that he bought from quality stores.  Soon his business grew and he opened a snack store.  In a few years’ time he owned a chain of stores and became very wealthy.  He opened his own manufacturing facilities and exported packaged snack food.  He became a respected businessman. 

Monica cut short her music lesson and sent the kids home.  Her throat was painful.  She rushed upstairs where her father lay weakened with cancer and chemo therapy.  He was a fine musician and had opened a music school.  The running of which now fell on Monica’s slender shoulders.  Music coursed in the family veins.  After a disastrous marriage and divorce Monica had never married.  The only blessing from that alliance was her five year old son Manu (Mohan).  She loved him dearly.  Her mom took good care of him while Monica ran the business.  They lived above the music school. Monica was petite with large almond shaped eyes and full lips.  Her hair was light brown and lustrous and her figure was perfect.  She was beautiful.  Her fragility belied inner grit.  No one messed with her.

Today was Manu’s sixth birthday and she decided to visit the temple.  Raja was also there per his usual practice.  He came to the temple every day to thank the lord.

Manu was restless as the prayers were boringly long.  He simply wished to eat the sweets him mom was carrying.  Suddenly his elbow knocked the offering of sweets and fruits from his mother’s hands.  The apples rolled everywhere.  Raja bent down to help and his head collided with Monica.  Apologizing profusely he helped her gather the offering and then left.  He sat in his car and wondered about this beautiful woman and her son.   He was drawn to them. So, he followed them on foot as they made their way home which was nearby. 

Outside the building was a nameplate – It read:

Pundit Sham Prasad Rastogi.  That name rang a bell at once.  It was etched in his brain!

The bag of money belonged to a person with the same name.    He decided to investigate further.  A detective confirmed that indeed this was the owner of the lost money laden backpack.  He also found out that Monica was divorced and ran the music school.  Financially they were just able to keep their heads above water.  Ever since Pundit SPR had stopped giving concerts, the big money checks had dried up and now they survived on the music school fees alone.  Luckily the school had a decent number of students.  He also came to know about the illness of Monica’s dad.  He decided to pay back his debt and woo Monica.  He had been greatly drawn to her after colliding with her in the temple.  The mischievous little boy would be an added bonus.  His family would be complete.

Word count 891

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