“Buy books for your children — poems, literature, alphabet.” The boy was hollering out in a crowded local morning train. “Buy for yourself or your
Author: Sharda Mishra
The Many Lies That You Will Tell Her
The first time you hold your daughter, you’ll relearn what it means to fear. Her soft skin, fluttering heartbeat, and her innocent gaze will melt
Her Stance on Life
Which items would you pick to tell the story of someone’s life? A wedding ring, a bible, or a trunk? Let’s open Emma’s memory box
She Owns Her Self-Love
“Pursuing a career is fine. But what about getting married, Neela? Her mother asked. “I don’t want to get married.” “Don’t you love children? Won’t
Blessing For The New Age
Another night had fallen on the quiet street, but the stars were glowing. The guests had left after the party, and the hall was dark
The Magical Shapeshift
I used to be a raven. Not anymore. I’ve shed my wet, shiny wings and feathers. I’ve given up my beak and claws. I’ve stretched
My Dilemma In The Grocery Store
I picked up a packet of Besan Bhujia in the grocery store. “Vegetable oil and palm oil used,” the packet said. “Palm oil? Very smart!
The News Of Victory
I texted Ena first thing in the morning: [Call came. I’m in.] She worked at a cafeteria. Ena couldn’t answer her phone during the day.
The Combination of Right Place, Right Time
Maine is a fantastic, relaxing place. But not for Owen, because of his health conditions. At the age of nine, Owen started feeling discomfort in
The Seventh Form
“Why have you come to me?” “Who are you?” “Why have you come at such an hour?” She fires a plethora of questions without waiting
Demonic Treehouse
A doting father built his four-year-old daughter, Emma, the perfect treehouse; adorned with slides and swings, windows and doors, ladders and steps, it was a
The Faerie’s Son
Orla squeezed her sister’s hand and let out another groan. She felt like she was being run through by hot knives. When the wave of
The Mirror
Twelve-year-old Emma stole a hundred-dollar bill, tucked it in her pocket, snuck out the door, and hopped the barbed wires, scratching her leg. She and
The Power of Will
Dear Friends, Even though we don’t know each other very well, I assume it’s alright to call you a friend. Perhaps one day we will
Where the Heart Can See
Not a drop of rain. Extreme food crises had manifested widespread famine. Malnutrition and death due to starvation and infectious diseases engulfed the village. “We
The Journey
“We all have powers of one kind or another. But in our own way, we are all Spider-Man.” – Mary Jane Parker Her father had
The Integration Of The Shadow
Daniella, a serial killer, was standing right in front of Angie, a seventy-three-year-old woman. In the darkness of her mind, Daniella had a conflict on
Looking Beyond
I had the day off today, but the double-time pay tempted me to come. There was a graduation ceremony on the school campus. I don’t
The Standard of Beauty
The bored animals decided to hold a beauty contest in the zoo because they had nothing purposeful to do. How would each animal persuade the
The Pizza Cutter
“Good morning, Preeti, here’s your newspaper,” my FIL handed me the newspaper with a jolly smile. “Oh, thank you so much, Papa. Come on in,
My Imperative Wish
After coming back from work, I logged onto Facebook to check the results of 3-2-1. I hadn’t made it through. I plopped on the bed,