Today, as I was unlocking my door, a butterfly hovered before me.It lingered as if asking to be let inside.For a moment, I thought of opening the door wider, then I hesitated.Inside it would trap itself, fluttering against walls and windows, yearning for the flowers and sky it could no longer reach.So I raised my … Continue reading Gentle Harm
Tag: short story
Loops (of us)
He found the earring under the cafe table after Nila left. Instinct made him pocket it, the way you keep a movie ticket, as if holding on to a piece of someone could anchor them back into your life. One evening, when he was closing shop, he realized his bike keychain had snapped. With nothing … Continue reading Loops (of us)
Mom Never Taught About Dating
Ethan and Leslie chose a date that was fun, a crowded Saturday night farmer's market. They laughed over ugly shaped carrots, debated over the tariffs, suspiciously examined artisan soaps that looked like pastries and treated themselves to ice cream. By the time they ended up in the park, the moon was climbing high. Ethan congratulated … Continue reading Mom Never Taught About Dating
Silent letters to you
Every morning Edgar sorted letters in the back of his small white mail truck while the sun slowly rose from the mountains around Pine Willow. The town was so small that he knew every crack on the side walk and every name on every envelope. His favorite stop had once been the newspaper office on … Continue reading Silent letters to you
Leaving Twice
The car idled at the yellow line, the low hum of the hybrid engine noise filling the silence between them. Inside, she adjusted her scarf, fussed with her passport, doing everything to avoid looking at him. His hands were still gripping the steering wheels, knuckles red in the wash of the overhead light, also because … Continue reading Leaving Twice
Crash into me
The crash erased his past. That is what happens when you push a car built for 130mph to 200. When he finally opened his eyes, a year had slipped away in a coma, his memories along with it. His old life was now a stranger’s diary.Friends filled the gaps in his memory, some with laughter, … Continue reading Crash into me
What we call home
That final note from Druv was folded once, neatly and tucked between the pages of Ishika’s favorite book, the one she always said smelled like her childhood. He had not said goodbye in person. For all the writer he was, words always betrayed him when it came to her, so he let the pen do … Continue reading What we call home
Things we forget to die from
For a guy raised in a tropical savanna climate, struggling with 15C feels almost embarrassing. What does that say about me? Have I gone soft? Or maybe I have just gotten too used to this Palo Alto air. I crack open the window, expecting the cold to wake me up fully or maybe numb something … Continue reading Things we forget to die from
Art of the Stare
Nijitha was not sure of how well Liam’s strategy of picking up girls at the pub would work, for her, anyway. Liam, self proclaimed ladies man and newly appointed mentor, his words, had taken it upon himself to guide her through recently-out-of-the-closet life like a campaign driven Instagram influencer coach. His methods were questionable to … Continue reading Art of the Stare
Shadow of Orcane
Nevile gripped the crumpled letter one last time, his brother’s words had already burned into memory. Dear brother, Throughout my journey I have passed through countless villages and met many kind souls. I am afraid what I have stepped into now is something more unsettling. The day I arrived in the village of Orcane, about … Continue reading Shadow of Orcane
Say My Name
They said the tree at the edge of Hollow Woods was older than the town itself.Its bark was rough and scorched, as if struck by lightning not once but many times, yet it never fell. A strange darkness stretched around it, cold and unnatural, it felt alive, as if it watched.No birds nested in it. … Continue reading Say My Name
Persimmon for the fall
The wind was cold that morning, blowing the autumn leaves in its wake. On his usual walk through the old part of town Neil saw her, an elderly woman, sprawled across the sidewalk, a bruise the size of an apple on her knee. Without a second thought, he rushed over, kneeling beside her "Are you … Continue reading Persimmon for the fall
Tsukihime Monogatari
The lanterns flickered softly in the evening breeze as Renjiro made his way up the mossy steps of the ancient shrine. The scent of rain lingered in the air and in the distance the sound of a shamisen played. The full moon hung low in the sky as if it were watching him. The old … Continue reading Tsukihime Monogatari
Perfect Peacock Predicament
Amit stepped back, tilting his head as he eyed the massive peacock they had just spent hours painting on the customer’s living room wall. The blues shimmered, the greens swirled, and the golden accents made the bird come to life. It was stunning. Almost perfect. “Alright” he exhaled. “213 feathers down, only 37 more to … Continue reading Perfect Peacock Predicament
Kissing Booth, Exit Only
You would think that kissing people for a living, or rather, in my case, for a dying, is all it is made up to be. But let me tell you, as someone who has been doing this for eternity, it is not. It is a thankless job.Yama sighed. "Why does it have to be a … Continue reading Kissing Booth, Exit Only
Book of I
The last light of the day bled out of the sky, Sajit and Guna leaned against the ruins of a forgotten civilization they had once seen rise and fall. To the ordinary eye, they would appear as two simple archaeologists on an excavation mission but beneath the surface of their weathered skin, thousands of years … Continue reading Book of I
This Is Not About Writing
I write,Sometimes in fragments,Sometimes in flowing stories,Sometimes for myself,Sometimes for you,Sometimes for no one at all. I write,About the things that shape me,About dreams just out of reach,About the laughter that lingers,About the ordinary moments,About everything that slips away unnoticed. I write,To remember what matters,To share parts of myself,To know I’m here, in these words,To … Continue reading This Is Not About Writing
Rakshashi Curse #3
The sound of ocean waves crashing against the shore was the only thing that broke the silence as Kunal walked alone on the beach that morning. He had come early, needing time to reflect before starting his day. The sand felt cool beneath his feet, and the early sunlight shimmered across the water. He was … Continue reading Rakshashi Curse #3
When Gods Date
“I think my tie is not visible under the trunk” Ganesh paced around the room “What is the use of wearing a tie then?” “Though not visible it is still classy. Relax, bro, you look great” Skanda took his spear in hand and jabbed a few thrusts in the air, as if killing an invisible … Continue reading When Gods Date