The decision
2/20/2017 09:05:00 PM - Posted by April - 2 comments
He asked her "what value have you added to my life?"

She decided to gift him fatherhood.

He abandoned her in the middle of the Pregnancy.

She decided to keep the baby. He came back when the baby arrived. He wanted claim. She had already moved on. She realised her value.


Say Cheese.....
5/11/2013 07:16:00 PM - Posted by April - 0 comments

Smile Shutter is a setting on a camera (primarily Sony) that will not take a picture unless your subject is smiling. 
"So this is what Wikipedia has to say about smile shutters." 

 Shekhar thought to himself fiddling with his new camera trying to get a know how of its settings. He closed the tab on his laptop on which he had just googled 'smile shutter'. He was about to put the new found interest to good use when the lights went off.

"Another electricity cut!! So what. I'll just click anyway. Logically the camera won't click because there's no one to smile for us eh? . Let's see if this thing works."

 He focused randomly right in front of him and clicked. A faint chuckle made the hair on his neck stand.

ohh hell!! 


Sing along....
1/25/2013 09:06:00 PM - Posted by April - 4 comments
Swati came back from her coaching classes wishing her mother had not yet returned from her Granny's. The school's annual function was after two days and she still hadn't learnt the lyrics to the group song. Mother was always angry when she found her singing and dancing.

"Study study study..." she would say. "They (the school) will not give you extra marks when you flunk in Physics this time."

Finding the house all to herself, she sunk in her sofa and took out the diary to start practicing the song. After singing and practising the first paragraph, as she moved on to the chorus, she felt she was actually singing in chorus.

Stopping to glance behind her shoulder, she was convinced her younger brother was not yet home from his cricket practice sessions. No way he could be playing a prank on her in his usual manner. She began to sing the chorus again and was interrupted immediately.

'STOP IT Chinku!!" she yelled. "This is not funny anymore okey?" Swati waited for a stifled laugh or a protest, but none came her way. Getting up from the sofa, she tip toed to the front door only to find it locked from the inside. Just as she had, an odd 10 mins ago. Walking back to where her diary was, she decided to stand up and sing. That's how it would be on stage on the Annual Day.

Picking up from where she'd left, she began with the chorus and heard someone say softly,

"Can you please sit down?? I can't see the lyrics from here."

Swati stared blankly at the sofa.




ALL KINDS OF GIRLS...
1/02/2013 11:25:00 AM - Posted by April - 0 comments
Thinking thinking, feeling overwhelmed, blocked but want to write everything down. It has been so difficult to write down what I have been feeling lately in a sentence.

Was in the back seat of a car with two females, one a colleague S and the other her elder sister P, going to a new year get together where I dint want to be. As is the scenario, its almost impossible not to talk about the Delhi gangrape. However, my colleague who is half as intelligent as a goose, decided to start the coversation with...

"What was her name?? They should give out her name now. Now that she is dead". To my utter horror. 

I thought my head spinned. WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN BY 'NOW THAT SHE IS DEAD??' Tolerance. Patience. I told myself and explained in vain that there is a code for media, digital or print that the identity and whereabouts of any kind of victim be kept private. Still recovering, I wished she wouldn't ask another such question.

"Her name is Damini. No?" This time it was my colleague S's elder sister P...the goose.

"No her name was N******a." Don't know why I felt like it was my responsiblity to inform both of them.

"N******a", S repeated. "kitta ajeeb sa naam hai". It was the impassivity that shook me.
"Ajeeb kaise hai yaar?? wo ekdum apne naam ke jaisi thi. She fought till her last breath",  I explained. Offended as if she had insulted my name. 

Maybe P sensed the sharpness in my tone and cut her younger sister short.

It was difficult to believe what I had just heard. Not to be sarcastic but I have heard God gives little brains where He bestowes beauty. I was in no mood for fun and frolic with all this raita around me and an emotional volcano ready to explode at the slightest provocation. I could see red. Gathering myself, I decided not to discuss the matter. Well if its not your day you had better stay home cuddled on your bed. I'll remind myself that from now on. To make things worse, K, the host was still out in the market and his teenage younger brother too keen on entertaining the female guests at hand in his brother's absence, turned on the TV.

Every channel was playing the same seething crowd clip in loops and as I feared S started again "Koi aisa kyun karega yaar kisi ladki ke saath?? 

"Pata hai log keh rahe hain ki usne short skirt pehni thi issliye aisa hua uske saath" replied P. Coming from a person with a PHD, it sounded not quite right.

That's when I decided she's the goose. Damn it. When you know all the tiny detail about the case why make small talk about it!!!

Taking a deep breath, I began to explain again that rape was an act of violence against women since time immortal where the enemy raped the women of the opponent just to shame them. It was not about sexual urges because men are capable of controlling their sexual urges. Also all men who get drunk don't turn into monsters. I could sense the last bit of information made them uncomfortable since this was a new year's get together and our male colleagues would invariably down a few.

"They should atleast show her photograph now. dekhein to wo kaisi thi". Nothing was stopping S. If only it was said in utter innocence.

"Why? You want to see if she was a looker or not. So that you can cluck your wagging tongue at her misery?? Ohh she was sou beautiful. How unfortunate!!", I was outraged but this silenced her. Hence her elder sister rose to the occasion.

"Kaash ek baar use dekh paate...matlab jaise uski haalat thi. Ek baar dikhana to chahiye tha", said P without a trace of empathy on her face. Her words broke my heart.

What did you want to see?? The blacks and blues on her body! her broken limbs! her disfigured face!! What all she had suffered at 'their' hands?? How 'they' had beaten her and crushed her body?? Such is your curiosity?? and for WHAT?? So that you can wag your shameless tongues at her misfortune?? With no more energy or the will to reason with them, all I could muster was..

"Tum log dekh nahi paate. Dil toot jata tumhara", the TV died as I said this, as if it couldn't bear the bimbos any more. Even I couldn't. Never been more thankfull to Kanpur's elecricity cuts.  I came out of the room with a sinking heart. Such apathy!!

I am not a sexist. Not a woman hater but I'm compelled to say some women will say anything to prove they know better of a given situation. No matter how grave. No matter how gruesome. No matter how inappropriate to be discussed, yet they will. And with such confidence and indifference that you will be amazed at their potential to shock.What world are you living in S and P?? If you could only get out of your cosmetics and see the real world with your eyes open. Actually with your minds open.The faaltu pretence that you care so much about a victim is given away by your lack of emotions anyway. Why try so hard to sound intellectual when clearly all your intellect is in your vanity bag?


Time and again
11/26/2012 05:49:00 PM - Posted by April - 0 comments
Between one life and the next whatever time we have was given to us to better ourselves as a race/ species. we bide our time and at the end what is taken forward is something that could evolve. That upgraded itself form what it initially was. Some choose to just bide away while they still can in the best monotonous possible way, while some move in line with perfection. Striving daily to reinvent, finding something new about their existence. We all bide time but some..just bide time.


Her, me and bad vibes
2/28/2012 07:07:00 PM - Posted by April - 2 comments
For starters I'd never thought I'd find myself trolling over something so trivial...but as it turns out, I am now. so lets just go with the flow fellow people. 
She was very emphatic..very forward and always ready to be the first getting down the rickshaw, using the bathroom, taking the credits, even receiving the calls on my phone (incidentally I can put up with the aforesaid other things but it really pisses me off when 'someone' answers the call from a romantic interest, without being asked to).

I was the first too...paying the rickshaw wala when (always) she dint, being her room mate and bearing the brunt of a girl who wears a mask to cover up her lack of knowledge about.....almost everything of importance. Pretence.She was quite full of it. If only she could fill her b***s with it. Padded bras came to her rescue. Later I decided that her existence was based on it. Padded bras? YESSS. Pretence? Also that.

Working in a place where the male associates are constantly whining about the lack of 'hot' women, I found myself wondering if 'hot women' were the only motivation they need for the much needed salary hike or growth in professional sphere. The company never promises 'hot women' as bonus in your account or do they? One fine day, she appeared with her luggage, her blond streaks, treated curly hair (which she proudly declared were natural. Can't fool ALL the girls can you?? ;)), colored eye liner and bespectacled look. Not to mention she had a shirt and jeans on. I was thankfull for that. 

For the guys in office, she was a treat!! A quite colorful one at that but to me she was a relief and not. Something dint seems quite right about her and I had better learn to trust /rely on my instincts. I was almost on the verge of a nervous breakdown doing the morning show and my own show...working for like 16 hrs in a day for a month and a half...flat.The company had taken too long to finalise a morning jock and the morning show producer was wallowing in sorrow for the jock who had just left. Hardly any help.What I dint know was, that I would be continuing for another month like that with 'her' breathing down my neck and blowing away all my peace of mind quite literally.

As mentioned earlier all the males in the office were quite besotted by her, as if on some cheap drug/love potion. They huddled around her, carried her luggage (read also handbag). Guy carrying a girl's handbag...EEWWWW!!! Were ready to die for her and I would not blame them. She had all the charm knobs open full blow and her raw sexuality must have haunted the fantasies of quite a few. Physical nearness is essential to keep a man wanting more. Hence a lot of knees, arms, shoulders, faces, backs.....ahem other places were kept warm by her soothing touch. Never seen the guys so happy. One of them almost ruined his marriage and got fired for it. Almost. Everyone wants to 'tame' a wild thing like that. Only we have different ways on just how to do that. 

For an entire month of putting up with her temper tantrums, inability to process information in a constructive manner, defiance for everyhting logical and ignorance about everything under the sun, everyone followed to the same square as me. Always giving reactions like "balls to you" and middle fingering the air around you only explains why you're so screwed up. Doesn't give you the potential to F*** anything but your own self, which by the way would be THE ONLY THING you would do quite efficiently or no?

It doesn't take you to be a warrior to get out of a situation such as this. Being a warrior with a sword would have been MUCH easier and satisfying too. I realise now why they call it good riddance.

Nobody considers grooming yourself and looking presentable a crime. But honestly, do you girls out there think that just by coloring your hair, wearing weird nail paint, being louder than Archna Pooran Singh, doing crazzy stuff (singing besura with your headphones on and mouthing ma-behen ki gaali to almost everyone you cross on your way) and being overtly sexual can, should I say hide your lack of sense or get you everything you want? Well I'll tell you. It'll get you three things for sure. Getting a good recall out there (where ever you have been to), a good package and ofcourse, plenty of banging !! That should keep you happy. You can be the 'Silk' of every man's dream. But how long....


Adrenalin
12/11/2011 12:03:00 AM - Posted by April - 12 comments
With a few changes to the original i'm reposting this story. 

He woke up to the acrid smell of human urine in a dark alley and found himself lying in a pool of blood. Examining himself frantically for any wounds, his eyes locked gaze with a blank stare. He couldn't peel his eyes off the lifeless form that was twisted awkwardly, suggesting  the man had fought pain. His blood staining the ground crimson was evidence enough and the iron rod still planted in the left side of his chest explained the predicament. The sight of blood made him queasy. How long had he been out? He took another look at the dead man and almost broke into a sprint. He ran out of the alley, stumbled over a trash can spilling garbage, turned around a bend and disappeared into the dead of the night.
-----------
Two murders in 48 hrs and the police department was in a tizzy. Their office a mayhem, the killer at large and the press ready to tear them to pieces.

"Forensics team find anything?" the inspector inquired.

"No sir. They still don't have a lead in the case. Multiple fingerprints were found at the site of crime. Might take a while before they identify all of them." The inspector was still looking at the sergeant, his eyes boring into him.

"No witnesses either sir but the victims' family members are being interrogated", sergeant cleared his throat.The look on the inspector's face said he wasn't very pleased with the sergeant's answer. "The killings had no similarity to them. The weapon of choice seemed to be altering with each kill", the sergeant continued.

Two prominent scientists had been mercilessly put to death by some psychopath.  A sergeant entered the office hurriedly. The news was disturbing.

"Another man was found dead in an alley, an iron rod stuck in his chest."

Three unexplained murders under mysterious circumstances in 48 hrs. One victim was found strangulated with the seat belt in his car, the other found with a knife sticking in his throat. It didn't make sense. Someone was clearly non appreciative of brainiacs.

------------

Amit sat wheezing in his car. He had called Madhukar to warn him. They wanted to talk in a safe place where no one could possibly hear them. Siddarth and Manu were already dead. Madhukar, as terrified as him, wanted to take a flight out of Delhi the next day. He thought someone was after them. But for what reasons? Never on earth could he have imagined it would be the last time he would see Madhukar and never be able to remember him alive. The iron rod had just fallen from a balcony with a broken railing. The memory of Madhukar's horrified look and his quivering body collapsing to the ground was etched on his memory. He had passed out after that, he guessed.

He drove the car with trembling hands, expecting death at every bend.  He drove home, still alive and just wanted to get rid of his blood soaked clothes. It was already dawn. He had just the time to change into a fresh set of clothes and head to the hospital where the girl was admitted. He had to set things straight.
------------

It was she who had approached Amit right after he had had a stand off with Madhukar over the research that they were about to work at. He was eager to kickstart whereas Amit thought it was tad to early to test a drug on a human. Evasdropping was something for which Amit would have never entertained her but she insisted it was inadvertent or so it seemed. The assignment papers in her hand were perfect alibi for her being outside his cabin.

"Are you absolutely sure about this Tanya?" Amit had concern in his eyes. Tanya wasn't the perfect candidate he had in mind. She was more of a compulsion now as opposed to being an option now that she had knowledge about their experiment.

"Oh, I would be honored to be a part of this research as a volunteer. I love adventures. Plus a little money in my pocket isn't such a bad idea afterall." she beamed."So when do we start? I'm so thrilled!"

"I might as well inform you that this research program is in its initial stages and you'll be fully responsible for what ever happens to you during this research. You might have to sign a few papers before the experiment" Amit was a bit uneasy saying this. The girl had no idea what she was getting into but he had no choice either.
----------

Siddarth, Manu, Madhukar and Amit worked at a research lab and were working on neuroscience and chemical engineering. They wanted to test the efficiency of a chemical, Manu had chanced upon while researching and monitor its effects on the human brain. The unnamed chemical induced out of body experience  in which a person who is awake sees his or her own body from a location outside the physical body. OBEs have been reported in clinical conditions where brain function is compromised, such as stroke, epilepsy and drug abuse. They had also been reported in association with traumatic experiences such as car accidents.

They hoped to make a breakthrough with this reasearch in international markets with the chemical being a potent drug which could be uesd as per the need of the client. There was no telling what all was possible with the drug being able to project a person's image where he/she couldn't be present physically. It was a clandestein affair. Everyone involved was sworn to secrecy.
-----------

The only point that Amit had and everyone was too eager to ignore was that they still didn't know if they could bring the person back from his out-of-body experience. Whether the effect of the drug was temporary or lasting. But they needed someone to find that out right? With a candidate in tow, Madhukar was impatient as ever.

"Madhukar, I asked you not to tamper with the preconditions. This is a human for God's sake." Siddarth was fuming.

"BP is going down. Heart beat down to 12 per minute. Amit we're losing her. What are you waiting for? Give her the adrenaline shot dammit!" Manu was frantic. The experiment had gone awry.
-----------

Walking past the hospital's garden, he thought he saw something. How can that be? She was in coma. He was seeing things now.

"Amit where have you been?" His thoughts evaporated with the sudden disturbance. "I am sorry there's bad news. The girl suffering heart attack died this morning. Her condition was critical past two days. We tried to contact you." Shalini was saying something but it seemed distant.

"Amit....?"

"You seem a little disturbed. Excuse me for a moment I'll just be back." Shalini left him in her office.

It made no sense. He got up and turned to go to the garden and there she was. Right behind him. Tanya......smiling. It was then he realised he had been jabbed. He could feel the rush. It was adrenalin.
------------


Musings..
5/26/2011 05:36:00 PM - Posted by April - 4 comments
Dos and Don'ts of a relationship if you are a girl in one with a Male Chauvinistic Pig (MCP)

As is said love is beautiful and all that jazz...being a girl in a relationship is not easy afterall. there are so many rules to it and mind it they are specially and always for the girl. Apparently there are no dos ...for a girl there are only 'donts' that's all there is to it

1. don't have a point of view, your guy (MCP) will not like it

2. don't have a past, he might not be able to digest it

3. don't say you love him, he might find it fake just becoz you dint sound a certain way

4. don't have an individuality .he might find yours is clashing with his.

5.don't speak your mind...he'll be upset that you have one

6. don't expect him to understand you......you'll be tagged as demanding

7. don't expect him to explain very important issues....he has other things to do in life

8. don't try to understand what he's trying to say...just take it as an order and comply

9. never question him....he's always right and if you do he'll think you don't trust his decisions

10. don't say anything before thinking it over atleast a thousand times....it would actually help if you dont say anything at all

So girl if you're actually in a relationship such as this, you might as well shoot yourself in the leg. Kick some ass and always know the sky will still be blue and bright in the morning. If you don't have the balls to do so, hang on to the guy (MCP)...by his. 


A lot like love
9/06/2010 09:46:00 PM - Posted by April - 3 comments
"So tell me...", Shreethi looked up from her cup of tea and peered mischievously into his eyes.

"Tell you what?", Ashwini smiled sheepishly. She'd caught him staring again. It was almost seven years since they tied the knot and still felt like a brand new couple.

Her waist long hair glistened, falling softly on her slightly longish thin face, strewn carelessly over her shoulders. Sunday mornings gave them some quality time to spend with each other and him the opportunity to just sit there and take in the leisure of what he missed so much on weekdays. Her thought provoking eyes, her tantrums and her fuss over the house.

"How did you know I was the one?" running her fingers through her hair, Shreethi leaned back into her chair, her face all curious.

Ashwini just shook his head and chuckled. This was one question he had learnt to evade because he did not know the answer to it. He just knew. Sometimes you don't need signs to tell you that a certain person is what it will take you to feel alive and at peace with yourself all your life. That this is the one and this is it. All he knew was that when he'd first seen her at his sister's marriage, he had almost forgotten to blink. To him she seemed like an answer to his existence. Didn't remember the number of times she'd pestered him with these questions and he'd just smiled. But she was very persistent. Quite like himself.

"What? You still don't know the answer. Do you? Are you going to make me beg you for answering that?" she cajoled, smiling that smile of hers.

"Look who's talking. It was I who had to literally beg your parents to get your hand in marriage", he paused to take a sip from his tea cup, "after ofcourse being rejected by your highness".

The echo of those words faded around her as she opened her eyes. Sreethi's cell was ringing, breaking her string of thoughts forcing her back to the present, from what didn't seem so far away as the past. It was her mother. She had to answer it. Wiping her tears with her pallu, she gathered all her strength to stand up with none left to explain to her mother what misfortune had befallen her. She walked towards an open window to answer the call.

***************
It was their daughter's fifth birthday. The entire day saw Ashwini and Sreethi preparing the house and the kitchen for the party they'd thrown for all the near and dear ones. Nice excuse to get together once in a while. By the time it was 6 pm, the house was abuzz with the arrivals. The kitchen resounded with the clatter of dishes and stilettoes. Ashwini was busy catching up with friends over drinks. After their daughter was through with cutting the cake, dinner was announced. The tables were hardly laid when the lights went out.

Sreethi was in the kitchen garnishing the salad when she heard a loud cry. Quite unable to believe what she'd heard, she knew without doubt it was Ashwini who had cried out her name. He seemed to be in great pain. Her heart pounding, she ran out of the kitchen and almost ran into her friend Reena who was marching towards the kitchen.

"Reena where's Ashwini?", she asked trying not to sound worried.

"Why he just sent me to ask you for a candle coz he can't find the torch? Where were you running to, by the way. Almost ran me over."

Without even answering Reena, she hurried into the living room and found him waiting at the foot of the stairs looking flushed in the light of his cell phone.

"Arre did you get the candle? It's a short circuit again.Tomorrow remind me first thing in the morning to get the electrician. Can't put up with this anymore."

"Did you just call me?" Sreethi asked ignoring everything he said. There was a strange flutter in her heart but she couldn't quite tell why.

"No. I thought you were busy with the dinner n all, so I sent Reena to get the candle.Have to go fix that fuse. What happened to you?" he touched her face lightly.

"Wait sometime. Maybe its just a powercut. We can have a nice candle light dinner", Sreethi pleaded.

"What will the guests think? And what's wrong with you all of a sudden? You din't even bring the candle", Ashwini was impatient.

Sreethi knew it was pointless arguing with him, so she found the candle for him but the sense of foreboding grew stronger.

"We could wait another five minutes you know", she said giving it another try.

"We can save the candle light dinner for later", he said with a wink.

"Fine I'm coming along. You need someone to hold the candle for you".

"Now see this is what i don't like. It's not the first time I'm fixing the fuse. Stop treating me like as if I'm a kid or something", annoyed he turned and started up the stairs, two at a time. She thought of following suit but that, she knew would make him all the more mad.

Hardly two minutes had passed when she heard a loud cry and a thud. This time she ran up the stairs dreading her worst fears had come true.

On their way to the hospital, holding his hand in the car as he lay with his head in her lap, she'd seen so many of their dreams come and go in his eyes. His body was stiff but his eyes seemed alive. It was a little too late before she realised they had turned to stone. She frantically tried to read some sign of life in them. That's when something broke inside her. She knew she could give away her every breath to bring him back. To make his eyes speak to hers again.
Ashwini had been electrocuted just as he was trying to fix the short circuit. There were burns on his hands but the doctors said it was a massive heart attack that caused his death.

This writeup is inspired by a real life incident. The names have been changed.


Live on..
8/02/2010 09:13:00 PM - Posted by April - 0 comments
Quite a number of times we make choices that are no where near to being easy, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Quitting a job to keep your self respect. Ending a long relationship and knowing you are better off without it. Stepping back and  letting someone else take control of your life. Giving up something you love with all your heart because life wont have it any other way. Keeping mum when u'd have loved to lash out. Carrying on even when its convenient to just drop out. Holding on to your self when everything around is freakingly insane. And its only after you've made the hard choices, you realise how much you'd have loved for it to be the other way round. Irreversible, but i guess these difficult choices are for the best.


???
5/20/2010 01:24:00 PM - Posted by April - 1 comments
Why does it hurt to love someone? Is it love if it hurts that bad? or is the intensity of a relationship directly  proportional to the pain and hurt it can generate? Is it okey to hurt the one you love to make him/her understand your point or is it okey to just keep shut and bear the pain silently? why are there so many questions when there are hardly any answers to them?......???........???


Intruder
11/03/2009 11:35:00 AM - Posted by April - 5 comments
It was past 11 in the night and Sumit still hadn't returned from work. Neeti was tired of waiting. He was probably still stuck in the meeting or the Mumbai traffic. He was not even taking her calls.There was nothing on TV. And there was no point cooking either. He had been to a dinner, which was more or less a business meeting and she was not hungry. Reading a magazine in bed, she slowly drifted off to sleep. Hadn't been long, when she felt someone snuggling up beside her, stroking her hair gently and holding her hand.

"Back from work", Neeti smiled to herself.

Just the loving touch of his hand made her feel so relaxed. She had been through a lot at work that day. Couldn't have asked for anything more than his warm comforting presence beside her. She just wanted to be held the entire night.

Neeti wanted to turn to face Sumit. Somehow....she couldn't. She couldn't move. As if her whole body was paralysed. And why was Sumit holding her hand so tight? She felt like complaining. Between all this, she had begun to wonder if she had really been sleeping at all. Was it a sound she'd heard? It was consistently coming from a distance. Clicking of mouse. Sound of fingers furiously at work on the keyboard. With great effort she opened her eyes. Whatever she saw made her break into cold sweat.

It  was Sumit. Sitting at the table with his laptop in front of him and his back to Neeti. The monitor spread a soft glow in the room.

When did he come in? Who was beside her if it wasn't Sumit?? Neeti felt her heartbeat quickening.Chills ran down her spine. Her skin crawled.  Her hand was numb and it was hurting now. She tried to jerk it free but she couldn't. Whoever was beside her, she wasn't able to see. But the presence was unmistakable. Her heart was thumping so loudly that she could feel it in the tips of her fingers. Horrified, she tried to move again but it was as if she was bound by ropes. Even her eyeballs couldn't move. Her gaze was fixed on Sumit.

"Please Sumit TURN. Turn..turn ...turn." A feeling of utter despair ran through her. She tried to yell.All she wanted was to be shaken awake so that she would get out of this horrible dream. If it was one.

"Sumit. Sumiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitt". Her lungs suddenly felt devoid of air. She needed air.

Not even sure if she had heard her own voice, she tried again. Her voice was a whisper in her own ear. Nothing came out.With all her might she tried again. Nothing.

The grip on her hand had suddenly loosened. Gathering all her strength, she tried one last time. She sat up choking and wheezing. Hearing her, Sumit stood up with a surprised look on his face.

"What happened? Neeti..Neeti are you okey?" looking worried he handed her a glass of water.

She drank half ...spilled half and hid her face in her hands. He heard she was sobbing and pulled her close.

"Shhhhhh....bad dream...bad dream."

"It was not...... a dream. There was....someone. Some..one", Neeti managed to say between sobs, still clinging on to him.

"Just a nightmare baby. Don't cry Neeti. Calm down. I'm here right next to you. You were sleeping so I didn't wake you up", stroking her hair gently he tried to soothe her.

"Acha look at me now. Don't cry baby. You are my strong girl hmm??", he held her face up.

She looked up at him and froze. Her eyes widened with horror. Letting out a shrill cry, she pushed him and started crawling back towards the edge of the bed. Suddenly she felt her body levitate, held by some unseen force, which threw her right into the ceiling.
-----------
There was a crowd outside flat 205. A young woman was found murdered under mysterious circumstances. In the morning, finding no answer to her constant bell ringing and door banging, the maid had alerted the neighbors. Police broke open the door. It was locked on the inside. When they got in they cudn't let anyone else follow in after them. The scene inside was unusually horrifying for common man's eye, the policemen being no exception to that. The ceiling fan was spinning slowly. Half of the woman's body still hung on it with one of the fan blades sticking through it.The other half lay on the bed. Walls were splattered with blood.

Sumit was distraught with grief. He had been in police custody all night. He was speeding home and accidentally ran over a man. He was pulled over by police patrol and arrested on hit and run charge. All night he'd been trying to call Neeti but couldn't get through. Her cell was switched off. The man he'd run over had succumbed to injuries and Sumit was left to wonder if he'd been punished for what he'd done, by the powers that be. Natural or supernatural.


10/24/2009 12:53:00 AM - Posted by April - 5 comments
Is it harder to do the right thing or is it right to do the hard thing?


Skeletons in my closet
9/07/2009 05:00:00 PM - Posted by April - 1 comments
Crimes of passion. Love at first sight. Impulsive compulsive behaviour. All acts of capricious hedonism locked up safely in a corner of your room might not stay that way forever. Some day you unlock the doors and your sinner self stands embarrassed, staring wide eyed, unable to dish out a probable reason for your whimsical conquests. What was I thinking? It seemed right then but right after you had it, something didn't feel right altogether. You might not even be able to figure out how you must put away these axiomatic evidences to your unabashed self gratification. What was I thinking? How could I? My thoughts exactly. Yeah. All my shopping bloopers out of the hiding, scattered right in front of me, made me cringe to the point that I almost swore not to shop again. How depressing? Am I losing sanity? How can a girl breathe and not shop? I ate my words regarding not shopping again few seconds ago. What's done is done. The red t-shirt which seemed pretty when I bought it, was never worn more than once only to be disregarded and buried under a pile of similar mistakes. The long sky blue skirt, which incidently my mother (accomplice in crime) approved of at the time we bought it, got dismissed too. My defence. It looked like a goddamn petticoat after a few washes!! Ohh cummon.

Sometimes I just look back at my dresses and I wonder. Is that me? Really me? I was pathetic back then (scowl). Clumsy dresser. Not that I've turned into the fashion icon and Sex and the City star, Sarah Jessica Parker all offasudden but yeah I've improved. Or so I'd like to believe (everybody else except stupid fool scowls). You make mistakes never to learn from them. Have a gander at my blunder collection and you'll have an idea what I'm talking about. The crimes do not stop at fabric and threads alone. This is when my fetish for shoes shall be revealed to the world as I hang my head in ...deep thought. Shoes..hmm. Current pair requires urgent replacement. Sarah Jessica Parker has a collection of over 200 pairs of shoes. She dsnt wear them all. Just FYI. Not that I intended to inadvertently suggest something. Heh. The sheer bliss of finding what you had in mind in a shop is unsurpassed. Buying it is another deal altogether. Shoes are a beauty. Some of them make me fall in love over n over again. And sometimes to buy them and subsequently own them is an inexplicable high in itself. This is exactly how such a crime of passion is committed in a surge of impulse. Atleast that's how I've been doing it. Now don't get ideas. We'll talk about that laterrrrr (wink).


Just like that....
8/19/2009 05:12:00 PM - Posted by April - 3 comments
Just had one of those thoughts while watching this movie 'man i love you'. Its about a man who is about to marry his girlfriend and realises he has no best friend or ny friend for that matter except for his girlfriend. So he sets out on this hunt for a male-friend and goes out on many 'man-dates'...yeah exactly ..you heard it. Dude ..who wants to go on a man date? Me..why? Coz i'm a girl and i'm freakin single!! emm...well here's the thing. I'm inviting all those who will read this post to share with me one freaky thing u'll like to do if given a chance. Just about nything, even if u cant figure out why u wanna do it. To begin with i'd like to tie my old shoes together and throw them over the electricity wires. Dunno why? :)

P.S. i do not consider man-dating freaky :P


Pause
6/21/2009 11:22:00 AM - Posted by April - 2 comments
Its been almost a month and a half since I wrote something. I tried to write but chucked every thought that came to my mind. I was unsure. Have been trying to tell myself that it happens when there are a million phrenetic thoughts in your head. Holding on to a singular idea is pretty difficult, when so many are vexing you. I will be back though...after this period of mentation. Decided to be inconspicuous for a while. Chose to break the pause briefly, just so you know that my invisibility is not of the permanent kind. It can never be :)


Dreamgirl
5/02/2009 10:10:00 PM - Posted by April - 4 comments
At a book store they bumped into each other.Exchanged quick excuse me's.At the counter she fell short of change.He lent her some and she offered him coffee.That's how they'd met.Grateful she'd made the first move, he knew he had a thing for her the moment he saw her.
--------
"Ur late today", she complained.

"Its 7:35 pm.Five minutes..huh? Someone's been missing me", he loved the way her eyes shone when he teased her.

"Smile all you want because after today, someone's gonna miss me", this was a different smile.He noticed.A sad one.

"I just wanted to spend all my time with you.I'm leaving tomorrow morning", her eyes shone.He thought it was the tears.

He couldn't say a word.She had to shift to another city for a new job. They'd known each other for a month.Often met at weekends.He hadn't even told her about what he felt for her.But there was something else too he had to tell her.He was about to open his mouth when she spoke again.

"Would you mind if I ask you to take me on a long drive?Somewhere far.Just you and me".

Ohh how much he'd loved her that moment.Exactly what he'd wanted!He wanted to see that look on her face.With that ring on her finger, it would be priceless.The storekeeper was quite confident.He opened his wallet pulled out some money and placed it on the restaurant table.Taking her by her hand he headed for the car parking.She said she'd tell him where to drive.He followed her directions.

They'd come quite far and she hadn't spoken a word.Quite unlike her, he thought.He decided to break the silence.

"You know what?I was having these weird disturbing dreams for the past few weeks, last month.In my dreams a saw a girl.But I never saw her face.Not a glimpse".

"Really", she sounded amused.

"There's more.She didn't have one.It was sort of distorted.As if someone had sliced off her features from her face", he glanced at her for some response but she kept looking out the window.

"But you know what the weird part is?Those dreams just stopped the day we met.Just like that", he chuckled.A month ago, he couldn't have chuckled at his dreams.

He turned to look at her again. She was still looking out the window, the glass turned up now.He saw her reflection in it.It made him freeze.His stomach churned.Unable to believe his eyes, he raised his hand to reach her.She turned.
---------
"Very bad crash sir.Tree branch smashed right into the windshield", the constable informed the police officer.

"How many bodies?"

"One sir..and we found a ring in his pocket.Expensive.Poor guy. Face is distorted beyond recognition.Identification is difficult.It's as if his face has been sliced.Man what a tree branch can do!!"

"We'll check the car registration details for identity verification. Strange..", the police officer spoke deep in thought. "Only two months back there was a similar accident on this route".

"Yes sir.That was a girl."
--------


Just a thought..
4/25/2009 08:36:00 PM - Posted by April - 2 comments
Do I need to be rescued? This is one unutterable question that no selfdependent single woman would ever be caught dead thinking. Let alone speaking it out loud. But the question remains. Do all single women need to be rescued? Is it the responsibility of every man to save us single women from the 'gawd awful' situations in our lives? Are we not capable enough to handle our fragile existence ourselves? We managed to have survived so far. Haven't we? Is it only that a man can save us from the wrath of the society by either being with us or a step ahead - marrying us? But yes if a woman does need to be saved she will totally let you know. If she has a broken shoe heel, she'll turn to you for your much needed help. You'll know when she needs a lift. The weather's grey. A hand on her shoulder might work just fine. She'll count on you to fix it too. Coz she believes that sometimes that smile of yours can make it all go away. But if you have to hold her, for say a lingering while longer, then don't tell me your instincts told you so. At some point of time in our lives, we all need to be rescued. And if you din't know this. Sometimes a man needs to be rescued too :)


Infected
4/20/2009 12:32:00 AM - Posted by April - 6 comments
Was at the terrace this evening, celebrating the power cut ;) I know you'll think I'm probably outta my freakin mind. But it's a treat after a long day of studying.(shrug shrug). Anyway, there's this kid atop a riksha singing errr..yelling, 'tennu le ke jana..lalala hun yara'
Two guys sharing a long face, walk their cycles, with a sack of flour on each. Apparently their moms caught hold of them to run the errand.Sympathies dude.The riksha with the singing kid crosses paths with them. And then its them you hear going, 'tennu le ke jana..nai jeena hun yara'.
Quite a favorite with the guys, this song..me thought. Couldn't help smiling :) Innit fun singing on top of your voice on the road? Hehehe. Have never done that myself but surely would love to some day :) Shiet! Electricity back. So soon..!! UGH! Back to books. (sob sob). Wish i was the kid, happily singing (read yelling) away. On second thoughts, I'm happy to be me. Never-sang-on-the-road-nor-on-the-riksha girl. Drrrrraaaging myself to my room.Climbing down the stairs, 'tennu le ke jana..' Uh huh!! There I go :-O


Khatron ke Khilaadi !!
4/08/2009 10:00:00 PM - Posted by April - 4 comments
They are fearless, fiery and raring to go. Almost nothing can stop them once they lock their targets. The kind of acrobatics they perform, has your hair standing on its end. Jumping off the edge is what they do. Living on the edge is what you learn when they're around. Their 'go getter' attitude keeps you on your toes? Thought you just had enuff, it couldn't get any better? Think twice. You might have miscalculated. I'm not even hinting at Akshay Kumar and his gang of hotties. I'm talking about firebrands. The little ones.

My three year old cousin took a chance at daredevilry yesterday. She might have considered this a pretty lame attempt to demonstrate her daring. But her plunge from a fleet of stairs made our kidneys jump to our mouths. She fell letting out a frightened cry. Without a tear rolling down from her eye, she stood up. Was too shocked to cry i guess. There was a bump on her forehead though. Her father ran to pick her up in his arms but she refused to go to him and clung to me instead. Proud moment for me..considering she chose me over her father. Pathetic me. She was plain angry with him. We didn't understand why?

Later she told us innocently, "Papa ne bachaya nahi". (Papa didn't save me from falling)
Poor Papa. He must have felt miserable. Kids imagine their fathers are superheroes who'll swoop in on them whenever they are falling. I took her outside to distract her and found myself showing her cows and dogs. Worse, she looked at me questioningly. She wasn't crying. What the heck was I doing!!

Almost two decades ago, my younger brother had shown similar traits. Guess it's in the family. Though it's a different thing I'm class apart..heh. Well he was five. Our house was under construction. Being inquisitive and finding the coast clear, he decided to carry out one of the most historic experiments of all times, in our family history i.e. His findings were as follows: When an electrical conductor, say an iron rod, dipped in a solution which is also an electrical conductor (water came handy in this case), is driven into a 'functional' electrical socket, conditions remaining ideal (experimenter without footwear or rubber gloves on), sparkling, blue stars were reported visible to the human eye.
He's an engineer now. Humor is cruel!!