I stand before the familiar door, with trepidation in my heart. The toran of cheap plastic marigolds, in garish mustard and orange, the ones you
Author: Sheerin Shahab
Sheerin is a reader, a nature lover, an amateur photographer, and a chai and chocolate lover, not above stealing a few from her daughter's stash in emergencies, which do arise with remarkable regularity when there is a four-year-old around.
Chir Batti
Karuna swore a few choice epithets under her breath. A few guests looked up from their seats in the reception area, shocked. It wasn’t noon
Imprecation
Hafeez had been climbing for the better part of an hour. Another hour remained until his destination. The view was wonderful. Moss covered pebbles, like
A Shadow Cast
It was a warm spring day. The bees were buzzing over the blossoms blooming like cherubic cheeks in warm golden sunshine. The lush green foliage
A Midsummer’s Dance of Fireflies
Jugnu stood staring at the painting taking the pride of place in her latest exhibition. Had it once again failed? This portal to the past
Cat Among the Pigeons
Chubby Chick and Cheeky Chick lay around the coop listlessly. Henrika was a little worried. The chicks had lost their chirpiness. Chubby was chubby no
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
The sound of retching emanating from the bathroom jars like sandpaper grating on glass. It’s drowned by splashing sounds and the gurgle of water disappearing
The Strike of the Spud
Silence reigned in the kitchen. The vegetables huddled together in a hurried conference. The onions smirked on their shelf. The potatoes sat huffed up on
A Mother’s Wish
Amina Bi had one son, and she pinned all her hopes on the chubby little thing. She didn’t have much else. A husband who’d married
An Unnamed Terror
Harini wiped the beads of sweat pooling on her forehead with the back of her hand and stared at the slowly expanding stain on the
The Broken Hearted Girl
Standing here unmoving for decades I’ve witnessed many tales, some happy, some not. These are the stories that teach us fortitude and give us courage
A Dream of Hope
I’m having the same dream again. This is the third time in as many months. I’m out of breath, huffing, and puffing, as I lift
Dark Corners
What are the things that haunt us? Spirits, ghosts, and unfulfilled souls. But there are others. Cocooned in the dark recesses of our hearts and
A Kind Act
The morning light scattered through the white lace curtains, the only luxury in the sparsely furnished room. The bare turquoise walls feebly tried to lift
The Ninth Phera
Bhairavi lay down with a sigh. The chores had seemed never ending, especially with her increased tiredness. Navratri had brought even more work. Raghav was
Together Forever
Jennifer breathed the air, laden with the scents of fresh grass and wildflowers, in the overgrown yard of the rundown cottage where she stood. The
Lost Love’s Dream
You see, See me whole, When the world sees my parts, The parts that don’t define my all, My love. You hear, You hear the
The Other Mother
The entrance of the shining glass building displayed the name, The Bot Shoppe, in neon letters like an honour. Harry and Robin entered, only to
A Matter of Faith
The cake had arrived and Saima was nowhere to be found. Romi, sure that she would be again stuck to the computer, went straight to