Short Stories

Jealous Much?

Posted on Oct 27, 2019Jul 19, 2020 by Shaily Agrawal

photo-1506545733010-83bc7e37fcc2 — Photo by Liana Mikah on Unsplash

She ate the apple and then slept like never before. All seven of us tried waking her up for days, right from gentle prodding to slapping and buckets of cold water, but to no avail.

After a few days, when the smell became too much (you don’t bathe when you sleep), we put her bed out so that the Sun will take away a bit of smell.

Then this guy came and kissed her. I guess, he was a bit smelly himself after so many days of being lost in the forest, so he didn’t mind the smell. She woke up and demanded to marry him right away! Why? Because he is tall?

Now, that’s a bit outrageous!

We put in all the work, give her food and lodging, take care of her while she is sleeping, bear with the smell… Then, one sunny day, he comes in on the horseback and he is all she wants? Because he is tall?

He is lost in the forest, dirty and smelly, and doesn’t know his way back home or how to put a cottage together. And still he gets the girl! Because he is tall?

Life is so unfair!

Fiction

The Autumn Tag

Posted on Oct 27, 2019Oct 27, 2019 by Shaily Agrawal

I have taken it up on me to take up this challenge suggested by my favourite fiction serial writer, Pete at beetleypete.com. He didn’t name anyone but I love a chance to blabber.

1. Hot Chocolate — what is your comfort book? ☕
Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome: The jokes are still so relevant that whenever I am down, I just open any page and laugh my pain away.

2. Pumpkin Carving– what is your favorite creative outlet? 🎃
My blog: It reminds me that I am more than what meets the eye.

3. Falling leaves– changes that appear bad but you secretly love? 🍁
My duties as a mother of a 2-year old have me cribbing non-stop but, secretly, I love the job!

4. Pumpkin Spiced Latte– something you love that others tend to judge? 🍹
My time on blog is something my family complains about as a waste of time (Seriously?!) but I love it.

5. Bonfire Night– what makes you explode with joy? 🎆
When my daughter gives me a random kiss

6. Friday Night– favorite scary book or film?💗
I am not a scary story person… I would rather curl up with a romantic or comedy.

7. Halloween candy– favourite thing to eat? 🍭
Rasgulla and Choorma laddoo 🍪, not sure any of you had tried it though.

8. Scarves– your autumn must-have accessory?

My laptop and a book, nothing else is necessary.

9. Fire– a book or film that burns your soul? 💥
To Kill a Mockingbird: it talks about how people lower in social ladder are treated by higher ups, and unfortunately, how we all get used to it.

10. Toffee apples– a book or film that seems one thing but has a different inside?
The Lord of Flies: It seems like a survival story at first but turns out to be a political drama in an unrestrained society.

My question to you all, who will try this challenge next? I will love to know more about you.

Fiction

I am a Fly on the Wall

Posted on Oct 25, 2019Oct 25, 2019 by Shaily Agrawal

Hi, I am rebloging one of my older pieces from my earlier site. Apologies to those who already read it.

“As bystanders in the greater events of the world, what are we but mere flies on the wall.”

But flies know stuff, like where you hide candies from your son or when you lie to your wife that you ate the salad she sent for lunch while eating extra-sugary donuts. And they use it to their advantage.

And flies spread news. Have you ever paid attention to the strange humming noise when they gather in a place? Don’t mistake it as just flapping of wings… that’s Morse code!

Flies also have political opinions. They can choose to sit either on the palm of your hand, a flower, a bicycle or an elephant at their will. They can also decide against all of them in favor of a blank wall or a puddle of cow poop.

Also flies can… well, fly! They have wings. They just choose to stick close to familiar places, like your kitchen. But the flies with ambition are free to fly to faraway sweet shops to live their dreams.

Hence, we humans have more in common with the common fly than we will be ready to admit. I, for one, as admit… I am just another fly on the wall!

Fiction

Tiny Story: The Hairy Tale

Posted on Oct 24, 2019Oct 24, 2019 by Shaily Agrawal

For the record, he never asked me. And he was holding a sword when he cut my hair, tied them to the window and told me climb down. I couldn’t argue with him then. Would you?

I just got down the tower, still wobbly from the loss of half-my-bodyweight worth of hair, and am trying to walk straight on this uneven forest floor for the first time. And ‘what’s-his-name’ is already asking me to ride this… thing!

Never seen it before (living in a tower and all that) but it is…

Huge…

Walks on both its hands and legs…

Doesn’t even wear clothes! Only a lock of hair covers its backside! Gross!

The nutcase tells me I must pat the ‘Orse'(?) to make it comfortable. I say, “No! I am still recovering from the loss of hair. I am not ready to lose a limb yet.”

Moreover, mother will be home any second now. If I can stall long enough, ‘what’s-his-name-again’ can turn into a delicious roast…

Fiction

Poetry: Liberated

Posted on Oct 24, 2019Nov 1, 2019 by Shaily Agrawal

I was washed ashore

When the rage subsided.

Your storm had stranded

Me on a lonely island.

The pain left me ripped up

My soul dried to bone.

I cried your name over

Hoping for your return.

There I waited to die

For an eternity,

Accepting defeat.

Until I heard the gulls cry

A song replete.

I looked at the colours

Play in the horizon.

As if in a ballet,

The world went on to spin.

Then I quit pining for you,

And rescued myself

To a better life

Without you…

Fiction

1.5 Dollar Playhouse

Posted on Oct 24, 2019Oct 28, 2019 by Shaily Agrawal

Things that make you happy don’t have to cost a lot of money.

I cut out a playhouse for my baby out of discarded refrigerator box and pasted coloured cardsheet and glaze paper flowers. It costed 100₹ (1.5 USD) and 2 hours.

Playhouses tall enough for my baby to stand in cost 5000₹ (75 USD) upwards.

Best part: She helped me create it.

Second best part: We can change the colour for another 100₹! I’m planning to add multiplication tables to the design.

Fiction

Tiny Story: Heaven

Posted on Oct 23, 2019Oct 23, 2019 by Shaily Agrawal

In front of their old rundown family farmhouse

9-year old son (incredulously): This is your ‘heaven’?

Father (in a conspiratorial tone): Did you ever jump over a fence, climb a tree, bathe in the river, play in a cave or own a real tree house?

Son (grinning ear-to-ear): When are we moving in?

Fiction

Tiny Story: The Visitors

Posted on Oct 20, 2019Oct 20, 2019 by Shaily Agrawal

Year 2115

A group of visiting monkeys peers inside the match-box sized houses.

Excited, a baby monkey cries out, “Look, Humans! Can I give them peanuts?” But his mother dissents and dishes out the standard ‘You mustn’t feed humans!’ lecture.

As usual, humans, glued to the widescreens (‘Game of Thrones season 104’ this time), stay blissfully unaware.