Inked Imagination: 2016

Sunday, 16 October 2016

It was the first day of the Pongal festival. The streets were bustling with people thanking the gods for a good harvest. Sumathi watched with fascination as the women of the village made Pongal in the streets. She too yearned to be part of the festival that had once brought her delight. But she couldn't.

Sumathi was a woman in her thirties.
Her chocolate brown eyes and innocent smile made her beautiful in a way that was ethereal and irresistible. But soon her beauty became her bane. She was forced into prostitution by her elder brother as soon as her parents passed away.

The dark days that followed stole the gleam from her eyes little by little. Her beauty made men lust after her. She had lost all hopes in life and was ready to end a painful existence when she got pregnant. But when Saranya came into the world.

She brought back happiness into Sumathi's life.The cost of raising a child with no support was a heavy burden on her weak shoulders. But she didn't complain. She'd do anything to see a smile on her daughter's face. She was now seven and was in the 2nd standard. She was good in studies and always came first in her class.

Sumathi wanted her daughter to have a life that she couldn't have. She had thoughts of moving her to a better school. But she couldn't afford the fees. She never remembered any of the faces of the men who slept with her except his, Siddharth.

He was yet another married man who lived an unhappy life and sought comfort in her arms. He was so good in bed that she never charged him.

The sun was sinking into the horizon enveloping the sky in a medley of colours. Siddharth came as the dusk melted into the darkness of the night. Her moans of pleasure were drowned out by the commotion of people who were celebrating 'Boghi' , as they burnt old household items. It was a custom of doing away with old customs and habits.

As Sumathi lay , exhausted and content , she realised that she too had to do away with a habit. That night she charged Siddharth.

KK

Thursday, 28 July 2016

Each time the writer fell in love ,
it was always the same.
Ecstasy ruling out all other emotions.
His broken heart mended itself ,
although the scars were visible.
Hidden but always there.
His muse provided him with warmth in the darkest of nights when he'd weave words of magic.
He never had an empty mind while wielding a pen , ready to ink his emotions.

Each time the writer broke his heart ,
it was always the same.
Melancholy ruling over all other emotions.
His heart scattered into pieces ,
the broken shards piercing his soul ,
ripping apart his very being.
He still stayed awake in the darkest of nights ,
his soul darker than the sky above.
He'd pour out his pain into paper ,
smudged with tears.

The pages stood silent witnesses
to the raging storm and the losing battle.
Muses came and muses went
but his heart stayed broken forever.

KK

Emotions break loose ,
incomprehensible to ordinary mortals,
when they share their first kiss.
Unrestrained passion gets tamed
when they weave words of magic
for each other
in the darkest of nights.
Lost in the labyrinth of ecstasy ,
they make love to each other ,
ignorant of the mortal world ,
embracing the realms of fantasy,
while time stands still
watching the bibliophiles fall in love.

KK

LUST

He pushed her against a wall and kissed her passionately.
Moans of pleasure escaped from her lips.
Their fingers intertwined and explored unconquered territories.
The rhythm of their lovemaking was as smooth as the splattering of raindrops on the windows.
Beads of sweat covered their bodies.
Both of them were lost in their own world of ecstasy and finally reached the apex of untamed pleasure.
Yet he wasn't satisfied.
He wanted her body , not her soul.
His body was at peace, not his heart.

Friday, 27 May 2016

10 years later......

It had been a hectic day at work. The deadline was fast approaching and my project was nowhere near completion. Suffocated by these thoughts I drove to the nearby café for a coffee.

I was busy on my laptop when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I was startled. "Hey, What a surprise", she says. It was Aarohi.

She had grown more beautiful over the years. She smiled and her eyes lit up. How I once longed for that smile. "Hello, You there?", she asks, bringing me out of my reverie.

Then I notice that she is holding a kid of about five or six. It took a moment before realisation finally hit me. "So this is your son?", I ask , drawing him closer to me. "What's his name?". "Arjun", she replies.

For a moment I stare at her , out of words. Then she bursts into laughter. "No , you idiot. He's Kiran. Mind if I sit here?", she points to the chair and smiles. I nod. I felt a wave of nostalgia wash over me.

I did not notice how the time flew. We were once again clueless teenagers talking and laughing as if we had no worries in the world.

By the time she left , it was already 8 PM. I then drove back home. I rang the doorbell and waited. Aarthi finally opens the doorbell and says , "Late again". I hug her. "I love you" , I whisper in her ear and plant a kiss on her neck. "Someone's a bit romantic today", she teases and giggles.

"Daddy!!!", Shreya cries and comes and hugs me tightly. "She wanted to say goodnight to you before she went to bed", Aarthi says and picks her up.

As I watch Aarthi tucking Shreya into bed, I finally feel a moment of bliss. It was one of those moments when everything in life seems perfect. Aarthi looks at me and smiles.

That day I realised something. Some No's aren't meant to leave you sad and heartbroken, instead they are signs meant to tell you to keep looking because sooner or later you'd stumble upon the person who was meant for you.

All you've to do is keep looking.

The End

KK

Wednesday, 25 May 2016

I went to the class only to find her alone, sulking. "Hey look, I'm sorry okay , they forced me to do it", I say. She looks at me, her eyes still wet but says nothing. "Hello?", I ask , this time a bit softer."It's okay. I overreacted", She finally says."Mind if I sit here?", I ask nervously. She looks at me, eyebrows raised but finally nods. "Hey, I'm Arjun", I say offering my hand. "Aarohi", She says and shakes it. "So Friends?", I ask. "Friends", she says.

Even though it sounds silly ,that was how our friendship started. There was no turning back after that. We used to do a lot of crazy stuff together. All our friends used to tease us, thinking we were a couple. (I wished it'd happen soon). But no matter how hard I tried , I couldn't bring myself to propose to her. I really didn't want to spoil our friendship. What if she misunderstands me? What if she doesn't talk to me anymore? What if things between us wouldn't be the same anymore? The 'What Ifs" kept on increasing with each passing day and so did the number of proposals that Aarohi got.

Although she turned down all of them , I started to feel a bit uneasy.

The years rolled by quickly and we had our final year exams around the corner. Even though my grades were good , I took help from Aarohi just to hangout with her and watch how her eyes lit up when she smiled and me smiling like a goof when she calls me an 'idiot' (Seriously, What's up with girls and 'idiot'?). Today was one such day. She was explaining something to me about Feminist Literary works (As if I really cared). She caught me staring and asked ,"What?". "Listen Aarohi.......... I've something to say to you", I begin.

-To Be Continued

KK

Monday, 23 May 2016

"Wow, She looks Hot!", I heard a guy saying to his friend and sniggering. I wanted to punch him right there but his burly physique and bulky frame made me change my mind instantly. Yes , She was beautiful. Aarohi.

The semester had just begun and everyone were still coming out of their schoolish hues and I had already fallen head over heels in love with the most beautiful girl in the class. She had become everyone's heartthrob instantly but was shy and always kept to herself.

I had tried to talk to her a couple of times and miserably failed. She always kept to herself but when she smiled my heart warmed up instantly.

She spent a lot of time in the library and apparently liked to read a lot (Credits to my online Facebook stalking). The ragging season had just begun and while returning from the library (I went there hoping to see her but the universe didn't conspire this time) I found Aarohi surrounded by some seniors.

Just then a guy saw me and called me over. I halfheartedly walk towards them. "So which department?", he asks in a rugged voice that was supposed to intimidate me. I wasn't intimidated. I was terrified. "English", I answer meekly.
After a few follow up questions they ask me to propose to her.

I glance at the teary eyed Aarohi. My heart melts instantly. After several failed negotiations with the seniors to let me go I realised there was nothing I could do. A few more seniors had joined the group to see the 'entertainment'. This was too much for Aarohi. She couldn't take it anymore. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped them and without a word went back to the class.

I just stood there transfixed by the sudden turn of events wondering what to do next.

-To Be Continued

KK

Sunday, 22 May 2016

She had always wanted to be a doctor. When the other children played 'House' , she'd play 'Hospital'. She wanted to help people. To keep a smile on a face just a day more was more than enough for her.

She loved painting too. Her drawing teacher told her that she had a bright future. She did not want to keep it aside when she becomes a doctor. She knew she'd find time for it.

She wanted to travel all around the world too. The mountains of The Alps from her geography text fascinated her just like the leaning tower and the hanging gardens did.

The morning alarm brings her out of her reverie. She looks over her shoulders to find her lawyer husband sleeping soundly. He had been having a hard time at work.

She goes to the kitchen and starts doing the dishes from the previous night. She then packs food for her husband and her daughter. She makes a mental note to go to the grocery shop, clean the house and wash the clothes.

The canvas and paints in the basement continued to be forgotten just like her dream to keep a smile on a face just a day more.

-KK