~~ Shree ~~

Dan met Nancy in a cocktail bar that night. It was pretty late and Nancy was getting drunk at the counter, blabbing away to strangers. She stank of perfume and vodka. She swooned this way and that, as if on the deck of a storm-swept ship. Then she spotted Dan and yelled in his ear,

“Hey you!”

Dan looked at Nancy and asked, “Me?”

Nancy was struggling to talk. “Yeah, you! You know what? You are the most handsome man in this bar. Would you buy me a drink?”

For some reason Dan could not deny. Dan ordered the drinks and they both drank like that there would be no tomorrow. They could hardly hear anything, just the sharp stink of vodka and the perfume prevailed. Nancy almost passed out by then. A number of people loitered around, shouting and screaming. When Dan managed to burst out the doors, he realized that a fierce storm had passed by. Water logged on the streets, few roofs were ripped off in the vicinity. The road was haunted with some drunks and a couple of weird-looking cab drivers.
Dan somehow dragged Nancy into a cab and took her to the room in his motel. Unable to stand any longer they both hit the bed. Silence loomed for a while before they attained their heights of passion. The storm swirled up again, hurling the sheets away from their semi-nude bodies. The other inmates of the motel panicked up and down the stairs, as the storm rampaged through the town.

Somewhere in the midst of that Dan wondered about the perfume and the vodka. He muttered to her, “Did you put on the vodka and drink the perfume?” She giggled and slurred, “Yessss!”

Nancy had the kind of figure to die for, full of secrets, bright with life. Her lines and curves, squiggles and swerves kept Dan in motion all night. Finally, he fell asleep towards the dawn without caring about the storm.

He woke up in the afternoon with a heavy head, not quite remembering what happened the night before. The storm was over, life was returning to normalcy. The local newspaper was pushed into his room, through the slit under the door. The headline was that of a popular bar dancer of the town died in a motorbike crash, drunk, during the violent storm the evening before. And the wildest part was, the newspaper smelt of vodka and the perfume Nancy wore!!

~~ Houston, Texas ~~
~~ July 2017 ~~

Online Delivery

Ting tong! The door bell rang. Disgusted Mr. Menon opened the door.

An online food delivery boy entered, he was surprised to see him, as Mr. Menon isn’t that tech savvy neither he could order food via online.

Delivery Boy – “Hello Sir! Would you please do a favour and receive the food ordered by your neighbour Mr. Gomes!”

Gomes resided next door to Menon and both being widowers used to live alone. Menon knew that Gomes was out of station for last three days and he was supposed to return that day. But why this kind of favour was asked from him? Menon tried calling his neighbour over phone. But it was switched off.

“Sir, according to his last call he was on his way back home and his mobile’s battery was about to get exhausted.”

Menon received the hefty food pack on Gomes’ behalf. He waited till late night for Mr. Gomes, result being a bit high over lonely drinks. Free treats are always irresistible. Menon opened the well packed food when the chance of Gomes’ return was almost nullified.

A loud bang on the floor! Menon collapsed discovering the decapitated head of Gomes wrapped within the aluminium foils.

by Susovan Kanjilal

The Lost Hawk

By Saurabh Pant

Wind ruffled its wings as that majestic powerful bird rose high and
high circling around small groups of rabbits identifying its unique
pray as a routine office visit.
One heavy swoop and all dwarfs dodged to survive, yet the weakest
couldn’t dodge at the perfect time and became the tasty dinner of that
unique boss, who had the habit of hunting out for one worker out of the office
for daily purpose.
Yet, it’s not able to search those unworthy bits of group as he did
before to survive for its own cause, as it has started to become old
and stopped to visit the office, so someone else has become the boss.
The two leader face each other in that blowing wind without any noise
coming loud so the younger hawk tore the senior’s head apart to
snatch the legacy away from the legend to continue swooping small
groups of Rabbits.
Fear washed all over as the Sky grows bloody red and the old hawk died
without giving any signs of the lost battle and no wisps of hope
remain aware of it’s diminished body;
It was announced in the Hawk community that the legend is missing and
we should call him the Lost Hawk from now on, yet the power has been
changed and fear now spread in both communities to live and survive
amongst a new dictator at large…