Manju had always been a rebel. At 6 years of age, she’d loudly refused to stop wearing her brother’s pants, insisting they were more comfortable for climbing up trees. At age 8, she’d kicked and screamed, when Baba suggested pulling her out of school to learn “feminine” skills like cooking …
1995. Winter drawing to a close. “Chal jaldi! We’ll miss the train,”. Palka looked back at the station. A hundred different faces, except the one she hoped to see. “Palka, yaar! The train is moving. Chalo bhi!” A few more people climbing down the stairs. She spotted a pair of jean-clad …
I put down the eye liner and studied my reflection in the mirror. Too much mascara? Grandma always told me I had the prettiest eyes. Smiling, I pulled my hair into a loose braid. Where was my lucky pebble? Oh there. Now I was ready. My parents were in the …
Grandpa (or Thatha as I called him) was a very huge presence in my life. He was this skinny, beanpole of a man, full of wit and laughter. Self made, he came from poverty and settled down in Bombay with Paati (grandma), back when The Union Jack flew proudly over …
Trick or treat was almost over. Even the stragglers and the teenagers had done their rounds. And we were late. SO LATE! I was worried. I had been looking forward to tonight for a long time. The colorful costumes, the shiny faces as kids went door to door. I’d missed …
The bunker door stayed open all morning and afternoon. They had a lot of stuff to carry in – food, clothing, medicines. And those were the basics. Their little community had expanded since last year which meant they had more help with the move. But it also meant more mouths …
I crouched under the car and held my breath. Shit. Shit. Shit. Had they seen me? I sniffed, testing the air for their odor, but couldn’t pick up anything above the aroma of rotting waste. My machete waited beside me, an old and trusted friend. Breathe slower, I warned myself. You cannot afford …
“Julie, hold my hand, please,” “Can you move faster? We’re almost there.” “I’m scared Julie. We’ve never traveled this far. And this late at night,”. The wind moved around them, whispering under the dense canopy of trees. There was no visible path, this deep inside the forest. But Julie seemed …
The basement was hewn out of old rock. Unlike the house upstairs, this room had existed for centuries. A haven for those who needed it. The walls still bore marks of old candle wax, and the floor was bare. Except for the wooden bed at the corner. Rashmi debated whether …
“RASHMEEEEEEEE,” “Whaaaat?” “COME HERE NOWWW!” Rashmi sighed and put her doll away. Downstairs, she found her big sister in the usual spot by the window. Staring slack-jawed into her phone, with the occasional smirk. “What is it Ramya?” Ramya looked up from her screen. She nodded her head at the Lunch …
