A Feminine Ordeal
She crept up silently from her bed and dusted the night’s madness off her self. It was an eerie hour of dawn and she began preparing her mind for the ordeal that lay ahead. She got off her tiny bed and looked out the window of her cramped little room.
The vastness of the view seemed to fight her meek existense, as if to sound out a challenge. She closed the shutters and rid herself of the prying eyes, the soul less glares. She tiptoed towards the bathroom stealing glances behind her, trying to find shadows in the non existent crevices of her dingy room. The shower welcomed her with warmth against the chill of the city.
She stood beneath the running water, a lifeless form, castrating thoughts, memories and distinguished nightmares from her mind. She was fighting it all but she knew today will be her last. She made herself a cocoon with the towel and wore her everyday clothes, a jeans, a t-shirt and the power to endure all.
She gathered her bag and left the room, her sad eyes scanned the room knowing that the room, her world might get lost today. She tiptoed down the stairs and into the open road, into the freedom.
Her clothes felt weird on her body, in reality she felt naked as she watched each man she passed by, strip her with his eyes. She pulled her clothes in tighter, afraid that they’ll be taken away in a horrible sort of way. She passed by more lecherous men and with time the glares got stronger, almost open challenging her chastity. Lewd actions had started making their presence felt, gestures of breast gropes and other horrid fantasies.
She felt like a hamster in a cage, running on a wheel to no result. Her mind fluttered in her darkness as her body took part in material erotica of the people she passed by. A crowd was approaching and as she was being justled from side to side she felt lingering touches on her breasts and bottom. Uncomfortable as she was, she had no choice, it was a ritual almost.
She remembered the senile old man who groped as she was touching his feet, the roadside romeos who pulled out their appendages even without any provocation from her side. The cars with black tinted windows who stopped beside her asking how much she took for the night. Men with their mind in the gutters, men whose head were still held high.
She looked behind abruptly and saw three men following her closely with evident malicious intent. She saw the gate on her left, it was close. Perhaps she should run but that would show her weakness. She walked on at a quiet pace, her ears rejecting the bile that came from the mouths of the men.
She saw the men catch up to her, she flanked to her right and entered the gate. She had reached college, she was safe another day, her life returned to her.
She would live for another day, her life was still safe but she would have to endure it again. Tomorrow, day after, day after day, such has become the existence of women in our horrid society.
Written on the eve of Women’s Day.
What Blogging Means To Me
Quite matter of factly I started blogging just to catch attention of people, to be noticed and maybe to be even taken seriously. I never quite caught on with the phenomenon of blogging initially. I just wrote different kinds of things, poems and all and posted it. I had always fantasised about being known and renowned for my writing ability. I was a clear cut wannabe when I started out on the blogging circuit; I actually thought blogging would impress the ladies, hard luck there. I made a blog wrote some poems and forgot about it, after some time I read a blog and the spark ignited again but I had to make a new blog. And like that I was never constant with one blog. A few posts and I got bored and left. This happened over and over again. Until I struck upon the idea of the Prince of Prose blog.
I declared the blog open with a very proud and whimsical introduction. Aptly followed by a very dark poem about a beggar. It was quite a disturbing and hopeless time in my life. The 12th Board Exams had just gotten over and I was struggling with college. It suited my frame of mind and hence I made the blog. I poured all my angst into it. Sometimes creativity, sometimes thought sometimes just someone else’s Apricot. Then college began, along with the journey of fiction, I wrote two incomplete novels at 12000 words each.
I’ve missed writing in the blog for 3-4 months at a time but I’ve still stuck with it. So on the occasion of my 50th post I thank you all for sticking with my blog, my long obsessive and flowery writing and my irregularity. Thank you all, I’m very much indebted to you!
That Night
He crept into his father’s study, cautious as to not make even the slightest noise. He grabbed the purse and took out all the cash. He took outmost care to put the purse back exactly as it was, this would ensure that suspicions wouldn’t be raised early. He looked on the shelf and collected the pack of ciggerettes lying there. His bag was lying on the staircase, he had packed heavy. He kissed the ring on his finger, it was a gift from her. They were going to elope.
He swiftly took the key to his car and went down the stairs. The number plates had been changed, the planning was perfect. He had been going over it in his mind for months now. He put the car in neutral and pushed it down the driveway. At a safe distance from his house, he started the engine, shifted into first gear and drove away.
He had been in love with her since almost forever. He had made his intent to marry her very clear to his family, they had failed to agree. But nothing could stand in the way of his love. He didn’t want to spoil the name of his family but he had no choice.
The traffic signal suddenly turned red, he had been lost in thoughts and kicked the brakes with all his might. His car skidded and hit the divider. His head banged on the window and there was blood and glass everywhere. He blacked out.
He opened his eyes after a while and looked at his watch. 45 minutes had gone by.
He located his phone in the bloody mess and dialed her number.
“Connection Error”
He tried again but the phone was switched off. He grew impatient. But took the time to write a message and send it.
“Hi baby. I have lost my way. But i know i am just a minute away from you.”
He drove like a madman. Nudging corners at high speeds and curves at higher. He stopped a little away from her house and killed the engine. The eerie silence of the night crept in through the broken window. He swept the glass out of the car. The blood was uncurable.
His wound was still bleeding heavily. He tore a piece of his t-shirt and bandaged the wound. He put a cap over his head as a disguise. He didn’t want her to get worried.
Suddenly his phone started ringing. He picked it up and said “Babes I’ve been trying to call you for the last five minutes. Where are you?” He lied.
“Right here waiting. Where are you?”
“At your door! Come out fast!”
He stepped out of the shadows and there she was. Her hug almost knocked him to the ground.
“I thought you’d never come!”
“Oh baby. I took a wrong turn! I couldn’t find your house!”
The warmth of her body eased his pain.
“Ok! Enough talk! Lets run before we’re caught!”
The adrenaline kicked in.
He felt ecstatic.
Book Review – Samit Basu | Turbulence
Superheroes have always been indispensable part of the Urban Fantasy. Be it superbeings from alien planets (Superman), Bug bitten masked avengers (Spiderman) or Millionaires in Body Suits (Iron Man), their fan following has always been much celebrated.
Samit Basu, fabled author of the Gameworld Trilogy is back with another fiction novel based on Urban Superheoes. The story revolves around a few main characters with lots of significant side characters thrown in, almost like an Indian Justice League.
Aman Sen, the protagonist is the one with the eerie geeky superpowers. He can manipulate networks with his mind. Even the Internet bends to his will.
Uzma Abidi is a British-Pakistani who has come to India as an aspiring Bollywood actress. Everything works out quite smoothly with her infinite charisma.
Vir, an Indian Air Force pilot has the ability to fly.
Tia, a troubled housewife from the north-east has the ability to multiply and do all the things she dreamt of.
But one thing unites them all. They were all aboard British Airlines flight 142 from London to Delhi. They were all given superpowers as a result of what they had dreaming about, all of the passengers, but now someone had been hunting and killing the passengers one by one and Aman needed to know who.
The search leads the Desi Justice League to Jai, an indestructible one-man army with an old fashioned goal – military conquest of the world. Going through the pages we encounter Shera, a conservationist turned man-tiger, Anima, a girl endowed with special powers from different animes, Zothanpuii, a north eastern woman in Delhi with ass kicking powers, Namrata, a mass manipulator and so many more. It is in totality a gripping read with some manageable dry parts in the middle. The story is quite simply put about how a nerd kicks a strong, good looking mans arse both by winning the day and getting the woman of his dreams. I sense a bit of Bollywood creeping in.
After having read the Gameworld trilogy with its twists, turns and plot changes, I find myself demanding more from this book.
The whole plane-incident giving superpowers is loosely based on the Fantastic Four saga wherein the four travellers are given superpowers almost in the same way.
Page 203 to Page 207 exactly imitates a segment of the new Artemis Fowl book titled Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex wherein Artemis develops a disease known as the Atlantis Complex which gives him a split personality who is madly in love with his colleague, Agent Holly Short. Same is the case with Aman Sen when he tries to overuse his powers. His alter ego surfaces and expresses his feeling/lust for Uzma.
And hidden in there is a classic reference to ‘The Watchmen’ which says ‘Superman exists and he’s not American!’
For people who have not read Samit Basu before I would suggest you give it a read. It is a fast paced book sure to grip you from the start to the end. For a returning Samit Basu fan, I’m sorry to say but this book is a wee bit disappointing.
Note: All views belong to the Blogger and are not intended to break copyrights or hurt the sentiments of anyone. Any hurt caused is deeply regretted.
How To Fall In Love
It was a beautiful morning. Clear and Calm, Birds chirping as far as the ears could hear. Footsteps on the dry leaves that were scattered on the footpaths. It felt magical, that morning, it was a beautiful December sunrise, school was out and yet I woke up so early. I slipped into a pair of shorts, grabbed my camera and went out for a walk. Everything came to me as pictures and I went mad clicking all that came before me. I wandered into a park and started clicking flowers and insects. I was ecstatic. I turned around and saw a girl sitting on one of the park benches with a book in hand, the sun shining straight into her face. I focused at her and clicked the shutter.
She heard the shutter and looked at me. I looked at her face closely. There were tears in her eyes. I got scared; I sat down beside her and asked “Are you okay?”
“Did you take my picture?” she asked again.
“I did.” I replied “But I can delete it if you want to.”
“That would be nice” she said and turned her head away.
I kept looking at her face. Her tears were still fresh and I decided to ask again. “Are you sure you’re ok?”
“Yeah I’m fine. I’m just waiting for someone.”
“Will they make you happy?”
She looked at me with vacant eyes this time. It seemed like those pretty blue eyes had seen a lot of pain. “I guess.” She said.
“What was the last thing they did for you to make you smile?”
“I don’t know. I don’t remember. I’m forgetful.” She said. “Look I don’t even know you.”
“Well what do you want to know?” I asked.
“You could be anyone.” She said.
“Exactly.” I said “I could be anyone; I might just change your life.”
Then came a few moments of awkward silence as she looked away from me, tears still in her eyes.
“Look I’m not perverted or anything.” I spoke up.
“That’s……….. good to know.”
“I like to see beauty in the world. I like animals and nature. I like books too.” I said snatching the book that rested on her lap. It was ‘The Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini. “In fact I have read this one.” And handed back the book to her.
She kept staring at me as I continued speaking. “I feel nostalgic sometimes. My favourite pair of shoes is falling apart.” I said pointing to my feet. “Makes me remember all those wonderful treks and camping trips that we went on together.”
I walked around behind the bench. “My Mom used to say to me, Son; you can tell when you’re having a bad day because your shoes have an argument. I guess I stomp when I’m angry.”
She laughed a bit and turned around to face me. A smile on her lips. Our eyes met for the first time. She kept looking at me for a while and turned away shyly. “Why are you telling me this?” She asked.
“I guess this way we can get through the awkward getting to know each other things. Where we lie to make each other happy and to impress each other. To get to the stage where we are comfortable with each other. The good stage. Sitting in perfect silence but loving every moment of it. Getting through the bad stages like bad dancing and your forgetfulness. I mean, how can you forget my birthday?” I said.
“But you never told me your Birthday?” She asked surprised.
“It’s 15th of September, don’t you forget now.”
I sat down beside her once again. “ Listen……” I said and paused.
“Zarah” she said.
“Yes! What’s the difference between me telling you these things in person or you reading about me some day on facebook?”
“I actually don’t use Facebook.” Said Zarah.
“Really? I like that about you.” I replied.
“You shouldn’t say that.” She said.
“Why not?” I asked.
“It’s… It’s just weird.” She said.
“Why? Since I said I like you without knowing you long enough?” I spoke. “We could meet every day for the next 20 years and still my answer won’t change.”
“I think you should leave.” She said.
“So this is the painful part. Where I have to walk off with a single question in my mind that would stay there for a long long time? What if I stayed?” I said.
“You’re crazy” She said.
“You’re gorgeous.” I replied.
“Honestly. Are you on drugs?”
“No. I like your concentration. You were so engrossed in that book that it made you cry. You have feelings. You’re not like most of the teenage girls who are getting drunk or getting laid. You’re real. You exist.”
I saw her fidgeting with her hands. Getting even more fidgety as I continued. “You’re sitting in the park reading a book, not caring about anything else, not giving a damn about the world. And I really love that. In a shallow sense, I like your hair, I like how the sun is dancing on your face and I love how you’re blushing as I say this.”
“Stop.” She said and turned away again. “You literally know nothing about me.”
“I know that you might change my life.” I said and stood up. Turning my back to her. Hands in my pocket and staring at the sun.
“What’s so bad about your life?” She asked. I didn’t reply. She picked up my camera and started looking at the pictures.
“Not bad” She said. “Some… Some of these are very beautiful.”
“They are beautiful because of what’s in them. I just merely took the chance of showing them to the world. They are the actors, I’m just the stage.” She took the camera strap and put it around my neck. I reached out and took her hands in mine. A smile played on her lips. It had happened and I had no clue.
The Birth of the Universe
The Universe was created when the divine He & She got together after one of the godly banquets for a bit of fun. They fused their bodies in a manner, which is beyond the scope of this book and their auras reacted. Though it killed both of them, the massive amount of energy floated through Time and Space. Time was the domain of Samyius and Space that of Antarixius. They were the only two heathen gods left. All others were either the offsprings of the older heathen gods with mortals or the Gen-X, the Earthen gods. The big chunk of energy generated from the bodies of the divine He & She floated through free time and space, coming terms to itself every million years or so. Finally it raised a question ‘Why should I?’ and blew apart with a big bang. Samyius and Antarixius had trouble controlling the energy and they were the only ones qualified enough to do so. They wove an intricate black web from their blood magic and cotained the energy in it. Once everything settled down, both the gods entered the realm of black starfire but found themselves to be mere reflections., Incomplete and Powerless. The gods then felt scared and withdrew. They had unknowingly created a magical realm far beyond their control. They poured their Xpirit and might into whatever useless items they could find nearby and put them into the realm. The chasm suddenly expanded, exploded and came to a standstill. The universe was born.
How relationships start.
I was looking at the darkest night sky ever. I felt fear and i enjoyed it. Something in the pink hue of the moon caught my eye. I looked at my hand, it was glowing. But soon i realised that it was the light on my phone. Someone, somewhere in the world had remembered me.
‘1 missed call.’ It said
I replied with a message.
Me: Who’s this?
Unknown Number: I’m a blood thirsty vampire. With fangs.
Me:Is there any other kind?
Unknown Number: I was born 1500 years ago.
Me: Oh!!! So you’ve read twilight!! Cool!! You must be knowing english and all!!
Unknown Number: Shut up dude!! You’re trying to make fun of me. You read??
Me: You think!! Yeah i’ve read it sort of. I’ve got to utilise those evenings i spent learning english somehow. Don’t i?
Unknown Number: Nice!!! How old are you dude?
Me: I just cut my 99th Birthday cake yesterday. You see, i’m friends with Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and also with Annah Spontana, the famous werewolf popstar.
Unknown Number: Oh really!!! Nice!! Which school?
Me: You ever been to New England? I’m from the Vampire School of Progressive Thought, Surrey.
Unknown Number: Kool. Listen dude, i kind of totally dig you. Your pic on MyFace is so hot. The cuts on your muscles are so macho. Can we go on a date?
Me: I’m not homo. Besides i don’t meet people who consider me as lunch.
Unknown Number: Neither am i. And i was joking about the vampire part. I’m just a sikh beauty queen.
Me: That’s even scarier. You sure you’re not a drag queen?
Unknown Number: I’m a girl yaar.
Me: A girl? What do you mean a girl?
Unknown Number: I mean that i’m Feminine, Fair and sexy. I can bowl you over with my charms.
Me: Ohh!!! Lets meet then.
Unknown Number: Sunday at 10 in the mall near your house!!!
Me: Shittywak??
Unknown Number: Absolutely
Me: I’ll be there.
Unknown Number: I’ll be waiting for you.
I’m standing alone in Shittywak, waiting for her. I don’t even know her name. I think she’s ditched me.
Suddenly a really hot girl walks upto me wearing the same clothes that girl promised to wear. My jaw dropped down. I held it tight. She extended her hand and said, ‘Hi i’m Xenia.’
‘Who?’ i ask.
‘We chatted on fone. Remember?’ she replied.
She went onto her toes and kissed me. We held hands and walked away. She had the awesomest curves ever. We went to a corner and started making out. She gave me a lovebite and my pupils diluted. My vision fogged out, i embraced death, the vampire had its victim.
Prince Of Prose 