Nine 100-word stories

Reclaiming Happiness

Rasika’s messy divorce had made her feel that she was a hard woman to love. Her thoughts often spiraled out of control. Her friend Anjum told her about the book, “Eat, Pray, Love”, which inspired Rasika to give travel a shot. She also bought a poster “Travel is good for the soul” to help with her affirmations. She signed up for a women’s-only travel package to Greece. On the flight, she felt excitement bubbling up. Greece was where she was going to find the lost parts of herself and reclaim her happiness. Yes, it was all going to work out.

- Aishwariya

Taken by Surprise

Rohan and I used to sit and chat on my compound wall all through our childhood. We’ve known each other for twelve years! Recently, my feelings for him had intensified. I was wondering if he felt the same way about me.When he texted me one day saying he wanted to meet me for coffee to tell me something important, I was nervous. "Is he going to propose?” I wondered.What he said still echoes in my head now as I sit by the lake. "Ashika, you’re very important to me. I feel I can tell you this… I'm gay."

-Aishwariya

A Valuable Gift

Everybody called her beautiful. Her blue eyes had entranced many, but Janice had a heavy heart. She couldn’t see if she was beautiful in the mirror since her eyes were not her windows to the world. Yes, Janice was blind. She made the most of her life by learning braille and talking to people. But she longed to see the world as others saw it. She had heard of valleys and mountains, green grass and blue seas. Her best friend, who was dying of cancer, gave Janice a precious gift when she pledged Janice her eyes. Now Janice could see!

-Aishwariya

Beneath the Mask

Romila was enthralled by stories of caped crusaders and masked men. She envied Batman’s two identities—a normal, routine life on the surface and that of a superhero by night. Being an introvert, she never liked calling attention to herself. Batman seemed to have hit upon the perfect solution for introverts or those with troubled pasts. A mask! If only she could wear one, too. As she recalled her youth, a tear rolled down her cheek. She had loved flowers, red ones. The auto-driver had lured her with flowers in Venice, only to perpetrate an act of violence and violation☹

-Aishwariya

A Superhero Story

“Who’s going to play Batman to my Robin?” Alisha wondered. She needed someone who would journey with her to Venice for the festive season. They would then paint the town red – as red as the flowers she used to gather as a child. Finally, it was her childhood friend who volunteered. They were both fans of superhero movies. They believed in the same things – that good would triumph over evil and that love always found a way. They both chose adventure over monotony. They were also pranksters and happy-go-lucky girls. And as expected, theirs was a holiday of a lifetime.

-Aishwariya

The Way We Were

The mix tape you made for me… Your little notes in my pencil case, which I would discover when I went to art class… Your goofy sense of humour… Your love letters… Everything reminds of me of how we used to be. “When will you return”? The question hangs in the air. But there’s no one to reply. You’ve left a gaping hole in my heart. And I do my crying in the rain. My make-up acts as a mask. But there are certain things one can’t hide for too long. Pain is one of them. Love is the other.

-Aishwariya

Twenty Years After

You were the one who believed that there were no rules! I was conventional, a prude. You courted me with flowers saying my face reminded you of sunflowers that leaned in toward the sun and enjoyed the sunbeams caressing their face. With you– I blossomed. You called me every day. It didn’t matter that you were seven seas away and had to walk a mile to the telephone booth. I look back fondly at our courtship, from the days of the last millennium. Your proposal is etched in my heart, and our marriage is a sum of all its parts.

-Aishwariya

Imprint

We met at a book group. He loved Wodehouse while I loved Murakami. We saw eye to eye on the most basic things—“Don’t let your parents down coz they brought you up. Be a good human being over adhering to religious tradition. Collect experiences over things.” One year down the line, we were engaged. He embraced the free spirit in me while I loved his sense of humour. I remember how he accompanied me to a tattoo studio although he hated tattoos and piercings. Now, looking back, I realize that over time, I’ve tattooed his name in my heart.

-Aishwariya

Broken Dreams

She met him over coffee at Starbucks. She was rather nervous coz the guys she had met through the matrimonial website so far were not “suitable”. She had almost given up on the idea of marriage, but she had been chatting online with Suresh for the last three weeks. He seemed to have his head on his shoulders and behaved courteously. When she entered Starbucks, Suresh was already there. Her heart leapt joyously and butterflies materialized in her tummy. Could he be “the one?” Her hopes dashed to the ground when he opened his mouth and spoke in broken English.

-Aishwariya