Short Story 18 : The Ignored Scars

The Ignored Scars

                                           - T ABRAHAM

    Times flies off as soon as the autumn steps in. The day was cold and the night was darker than usual. Pinky was left all alone in the Blossom cottage as Mr. and Mrs. Cephal have went to the hospital to console one of their relatives who is at the verge of losing one of the older member of their family.

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    ‘Pinky… go to bed early and don’t be awake till the midnight’, said Mrs. Cephal to Pinky before they both have left. Pinky was scrolling through her mobile phone and did not give ear to what her mother told her. It was already ten o’clock in the night and when her parents were with her, Pinky would be forced to go to sleep by this time. Pinky was getting tired after sometime but did not go to sleep.
    Pinky had suddenly started to think about random stuffs and it was already midnight. By the time when she had started to think, her thoughts had started to shuttle from present to the past and also the hard times of her life came in front of her in the middle of the night. Suddenly she fell asleep and it was already four o’clock in the morning. ‘I feel nauseated and unwell. I have important tasks and an interview today’, said Pinky to herself and started to get ready for college.
    Again the scars which were inflicted upon her in the past and present, were hindering her phase and energy in getting ready for the day. Then, she had received a call from her mother, ‘Pinky… come to the hospital immediately. Your grandfather had passed away’, said Mrs. Cephal to Pinky. ‘But mama… I have an interview at the college today’, said Pinky to her mother. ‘I am not asking you to be with us for the whole day. Just pay a visit and then you may leave’, said Mrs. Cephal. Her memories were disturbing her for the whole of the time until Pinky reached the hospital.
    The reason for asking Pinky to go to bed early was just because she was not in good health and because of her physical conditions her mental health was also not in good form. Since, she did not listen to her mother she is suffering now.
    Finally, Pinky had reached the hospital and was received by one of her aunt whose father had passed away. ‘How are you Pinky?’, asked the aunt to Pinky. ‘I am fine aunty. How are you?’, asked Pinky. ‘I am fine. Thank you for coming and you can leave once it’s time for you. Your mom told us that you are having an interview today. All the best and do well’, said aunt to Pinky.
    Pinky was quite surprised to see her family members in a calm and composed manner even amidst the air of sadness which was surrounding them. ‘You may leave now Pinky. Do well in your interview’, said Mrs. Cephal to Pinky and Pinky left the place immediately as she was getting late for her college.
    On her way to college Pinky was thinking about the mannerism of her family members and relatives and also felt her sorrow about her past was vanishing away. ‘I would let go of the scars. Let me just ignore them and move on my path’, said Pinky to herself.
    It was almost time for her interview and her sickness had vanished away forever. Pinky outperformed in the interview and she was the only person who got selected. The moment she had started to ignore her painful scars infested upon her by her painful past she became an individual who was able to utilise her full potential towards her journey of success.

Short Story 17 : The Dearest Friend Of All

The Dearest Friend Of All

                                      - T ABRAHAM

    That was the day when Pinky found her peace. The time of spring is descending towards its closure but still the flowers are in their place. She received a beautiful notebook from one of her friends whom she met during her schooldays. It was none other than Liddy with whom she has been well acquainted with for the past seventeen years of her life. ‘Thank you Liddy’, said Pinky.

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    By the time she had reached home she unwrapped the other gifts received from her classmates as it was the day when they have reached the final semester of their degree programme. ‘Finally I have reached the last step of my academic journey’, said Pinky to herself and went to refresh herself by having some chocolates and honey which she had bought from the supermarket the day before.
    Pinky did not feel like reading during the weekdays but she felt that she can improve her command over her language by honing her writing skills. ‘I am going to start writing from today onwards. Can I type or write?’, said Pinky in a tone of confusion. Pinky started to write in the notebook which she has got from Liddy. But after a few days felt disoriented and stopped writing. Pinky started to write a novel in her notebook but felt tired after a hectic schedule at her college. Even though it might be a hectic schedule Pinky usually does not feel tired but she also faced many other problems as well.
    After a few days, she wanted to write but this time no more using a pen. ‘I am going to type on my computer’, said Pinky and started to type out small lines which were tuning with themselves. ‘Finally, I have started to write poems!’, said Pinky in a mood of celebration. Pinky wrote a poem everyday and also she did not give up on writing her novel. Finally a day came when she has completed writing one hundred poems.
    ‘Liddy, I have written one hundred poems on my blog’, said Pinky to Liddy and Liddy immediately went and told it to her friends. This became the talk of the day in their college and the news had fallen into the ears of one of her teacher. Ms. Maple asked Pinky to meet her during the lunch break.
    Pinky went straight to Ms. Maple’s classroom during the lunch break and she congratulated Pinky. ‘Well done! You have written one hundred poems and it is a great achievement. Would you like to publish them?’, said Ms. Maple. Pinky did not know what to say but immediately nodded her head approvingly.
    Pinky had to follow up with all the procedure given by Ms. Maple regarding the publishing process and had successfully published her first book. One of her friends had asked her how did she get so well acquainted with writing even though it was really a very tough time at college even to have some peace of mind. Pinky’s answer had shocked everyone.
    Pinky said, ‘Even amidst such a dark phase during the final semester. I am able to do this because this has become my hobby. I don’t think this as something which would provide me with an academic credit but I feel happy after writing everyday. Writing brings out the unheard and unpresentable voices inside me on this very sheet of paper. This notebook is my best friend with whom I can share everything in a language which is comprehensible only between two of us.’

Short Story 16 : The Strawberry Cake

The Strawberry Cake

                                  - T ABRAHAM

    The spring was slowly coming to an end. It was witnessed with the early darkness found during the evening. There was a bakery opened at the Bakers Colony. It was known that the baker makes all his cakes during the middle of the night and his sleepwalking problem has become a boon to him as it makes him bake around fifty cakes and one hundred pastries during this time when the whole town is being drowned in deep sleep. Pinky loves strawberry cakes and decided to go to this newly opened bakery one day.

 

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    ‘Mama, I am going to the Nightmare Bakers. I will get a strawberry cake for myself’, said Pinky to her mother. ‘Get me a butterscotch pastry as well’, told Mrs. Cephal to Pinky and went for washing the dishes used for the lunch. Pinky took a short route to the bakery which was a pathway near an eerie slum. The children of the slum were running everywhere around with their playmates. One little teddy bear bumped over Pinky and did not even turn back to look, but it ran away as fast as it could. ‘What’s wrong with this little one?’, Pinky said to herself and suddenly she felt a little lighter than before.
    When she had reached the bakery and got her favourite strawberry cake and also the butterscotch pastry she was unable to find her wallet. ‘My wallet is missing,’ said Pinky and was panicking. Then suddenly she realised the little teddy bear whom she came across in the slum. ‘Oh! That little ragged thief. She has stolen my wallet’, thought Pinky and checked her pockets and found her debit card still with her and made the purchase.
    ‘Did you go to the Nightmare Bakers through the slum Pinky?’, asked Mrs. Cephal to Pinky and hesitantly she nodded as it was the third time she is using the path even after her mother had warned her about the thefts which were usually taking place near the slum. Mrs. Cephal after knowing that Pinky has lost her wallet asked her what was there inside the wallet. ‘Only some cash mama’, replied Pinky and she went to have her cake.
    During the dinner Mrs. Cephal warned Pinky not to go to the Nightmare Bakers again because she came to know that the person making the cakes is known to be a psychopath and it is not a good idea to buy cakes from them. ‘I didn’t eat the butterscotch pastry Pinky. I have thrown it away. There was a weird smell coming out of the package’, said Mrs. Cephal to Pinky. ‘People also tell that the baker of the shop is not from a very good lineage and it is not safe to go there all alone’, said Mrs. Cephal to her daughter. ‘You are not supposed to go there again Pinky’, told Mrs. Cephal and went to sleep after the dinner.
    Pinky also went to bed that night. But she got the most darkest nightmares of her life. The little teddy who had stolen her wallet was found loitering near the Blossom cottage and Pinky started to follow her. Then she had finally reached the slum where the little thief was living. From a small tattered hut it went straight into the Nightmare Bakers and it was during the middle of the night. A beast-like figure was baking the cakes and Pinky peeped inside through the window. The little thief who had noticed Pinky suddenly let out a scream and then the beast started to move towards the window. Pinky started to run and had crossed the slums. But since the surroundings were pitch dark she suddenly felt herself falling into a stream which was carrying her and left her ashore.
    It was around nine o’clock in the morning. ‘Are you alright Pinky?’, asked Mrs. Cephal to Pinky when she had woken up. ‘Last night you went to the bath tub and suddenly started to drown yourself. It was just on-time your papa rescued you and took you to the doctor. Doctor Nosy told us that you have sleepwalked and went and drowned yourself’, said Mrs. Cephal.
    Mr. Cephal came home rushing in a hurry and told his wife and daughter not to eat anything which they have bought from the Nightmare Bakers. There was a news circulating in and around the neighbourhood that all the people who ate the delicacies from this bakery were drowning themselves to death. ‘The shop is possessed by a demon!’, said Mr. Cephal.

    Pinky was terrified after hearing the news and understood the mystery which encircled behind the theft, the strawberry cake and also about her nightmare.

Short Story 15 : The World Of Books

The World Of Books

                                 - T ABRAHAM

    The season of spring was never coming to an end. The time was moving like a gentle breeze bringing in comfort. There was a pleasant sunshine to keep anyone awake. But not everyone likes to be outdoors and one such person is Pinky. Pinky is a bookworm who likes to read anything given to her and especially if it would be useful for her in terms of her academic pursuit. Since the summer vacation seems to be like years for her and she had a lots of leisure time she had started to read a novel.

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    ‘I have only been reading short stories and poems all these years. Now I am starting off with my first novel’, said Pinky to herself and began reading the novel. Initially she felt hard to keep up with the pages which she has left for reading and felt some discontinuity. But during the course of time she was able to catch up with the method to maintain breaks in her reading to make it into an effective one.
    It was about a week and Pinky has completed reading her first novel. ‘I am going to read one novel every week’, she said to herself and continued with her journey of reading. Now Pinky has read around four novels and already June has come. During the holidays Pinky was able to reduce her screen time. Her eyesight was gradually recovering and she also felt energetic as the days went by with a lowered usage of the mobile phone. Pinky went to sleep early and was also able to rise up early in the morning.
    Gradually her lifestyle was getting upgraded which brought in a progression to her life. ‘I feel energetic till the end of a day and I can do all tasks assigned to me with interest and also I am able to work using my full potential’, said Pinky to herself. The frequency of her falling ill to any kind of sickness has also gone down. Pinky had also started to read her religious texts and tried to inculcate a habit of reading it every day. All these new habits started to make her more healthy in terms of all the three spheres, that is, physically, mentally and also spiritually.
    Then the holidays came to an end. ‘Tomorrow I will be going to college. The cycle of routine begins’, thought Pinky. Mr. Cephal came home that evening to meet Pinky before leaving for Lycra Hills to attend one of their family functions which has been planned for that week. Even though Pinky, Mrs. Cephal and Mr. Cephal were under the same roof he did not notice the transformation seen in his daughter. ‘Goodbye Pinky and best of luck for the new academic year’, said Mr. Cephal to Pinky and went on his way. Pinky bid goodbye to him and went to bed early to have a fresh start on the very first day of her college.
    The very next day at her college Pinky’s transformation was noticed. She told her change in lifestyle and habits to Liddy and she was really amazed to know this. Liddy asked Pinky, ‘Then you will also be able to analyse the character or nature of anyone I guess. Since, you have got exposed to a variety of characters in the novels, you would also have been able to find out a new way of life. You have also become a fast reader and also your oral and written communication has also become of higher standards’.
    Hearing Liddy’s words shocked Pinky as she had only thought her hobby was just used to spend time productively and for her own self-recreation but did not know that it would also be useful in her professional life as well.

Short Story 14 : The Birthday Gift

The Birthday Gift

                               - T ABRAHAM

    Pinky has turned nineteen years old now. Time has passed like a stream of river going at its own phase with rocks and obstacles in between. The Blossom cottage has been renovated into a bungalow and it looks like a palace of the royal family. Mr. Cephal has retired recently and has moved to his brother’s house in the valley to have some change from his static life. It was during the beginning of the month of May. Mrs. Cephal and Pinky were the ones who were there in the cottage.

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    Pinky had her birthday in the month of April and it is now almost a month since she had received the birthday gifts. She did not unwrap some of the gifts she had received from her friends as it was the time when she was having her exams.
    ‘When are you going to open the presents Pinky? It’s almost a month now’, said Mrs. Cephal to Pinky. ‘Once the exams gets over mama’, said Pinky and went to her room.
    All her exams got over. ‘Pinky…. your birthday gifts!’, said Mrs. Cephal to Pinky. ‘I will open them mama’, said Pinky to her mother. It was almost afternoon when Pinky had started to unwrap all her gifts. The gifts ranged from small keychains to a laptop. Mrs. Cephal was with her daughter all the while, ‘Aren’t you going to open that last gift which you have received from papa?’ asked Mrs. Cephal to her daughter.
    Suddenly Pinky noticed that she had forgotten to unwrap one of the gifts and began to remove its wrapper. ‘Who is this mama?’, asked Pinky. The last gift which she had received from her father was a portrait of a young teddy bear. ‘Give it to me!’, demanded Mrs. Cephal and forcibly grabbed the portrait from Pinky’s hands and went into her room.
    Pinky was clueless and she heard her mom crying from her room. Pinky went near the door and asked loudly, ’Why are you crying mama? Who’s that in the portrait? Tell me mama! Tell me!’. It was almost night and there was no sound from the bedroom. Pinky tried to unlock the door but it was locked from the other side.
    ‘Who’s portrait was that? And why did mama get angry and also started to cry?’, thought Pinky. ‘I should find out who it is’, then Pinky made a call to her father, ‘Hello Papa! Mama is crying continuously’, said Pinky to her father. ‘Why my child? What happened?’, asked Mr. Cephal to Pinky. ‘It was after seeing the portrait which you have presented to me as my birthday gift papa. Who’s that papa? Does mama know the teddy bear before?’, asked Pinky to Mr. Cephal. The call ended abruptly and Pinky was unable to find out the answer about this mysterious portrait being presented to her by her father.
    Pinky went to her room and had fallen asleep. It was during the middle of the night when she heard her mother talking to someone. ‘Why did you gift her this portrait? She should not know who he is. Pinky has to complete her studies and we shouldn’t reveal this to her now’, said Mrs. Cephal to Mr. Cephal over the phone.
    All the while Pinky was overhearing this conversation and was still clueless about what was going on. ‘Is there any mystery prevailing in our family history?’, she said to herself and went to sleep. Pinky had a nightmare where she was seated in a park with a little teddy bear and it was suddenly shot dead by someone who was holding a pistol in his hands. Then suddenly she woke up from her dream and she was drenched with sweat and was also shivering. Mrs. Cephal was already there inside Pinky’s room as she had also let out a scream while witnessing the gory sight in her dream.
    ‘What happened Pinky?’, asked Mrs. Cephal and hugged her daughter. ‘I saw someone being shot dead in my dream mama. A little teddy bear…’, said Pinky to her mother. Mrs. Cephal started to cry upon hearing this and revealed all that was behind the portrait. The mystery behind the portrait was revealed. It was none other than Pinky’s younger brother who was shot dead by a psychopath when Pinky was a little child. This incident had happened when they went to the park. The nightmare which Pinky got after seeing the portrait was a real incident which had happened seventeen years back in time.
    Pinky was shocked after hearing this but Mrs. Cephal consoled her and asked her not to worry about this. The birthday gift was something which was an eye opener for Pinky. The family history was presented to her by letting her know about the mysterious death of her little brother. Her memories were kindled by her father to make her into a strong woman. And he had succeeded in it as she was behaving more mature and responsible after this incident. Her father’s gift was forever a life changing one for Pinky.

Short Story 13 : The Last Call

The Last Call

                          - T ABRAHAM

    The cherry blossom trees were harbouring their pink leaves. It was the mid of April. The season of flowers and fruits with their energetic growth. Little Pinky was staying indoors with her new mobile phone. All her friends had invited her for the tea party hosted at Liddy’s house, but she was too busy with her mobile phone and she had totally forgotten about the lovely little tea party which was going to happen that very same day.

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    ‘Pinky… stop scrolling with your mobile phone and help me with some gardening work this evening’, said Mrs. Cephal to little Pinky. ‘Mama I have a tea party this evening at Liddy’s house. I am going there and would be back home by six o’clock’, said Little Pinky to her mother. Mrs. Cephal was happy to know that her daughter will be away from her mobile phone for some time if she is going to spend her time with her friends. ‘Get ready once it is three o’clock and reach the Lydan’s residence by four o’clock. And also, come home before it gets took dark’, said Mrs. Cephal to little Pinky who responded with a nod but her eyes were still glued to her mobile phone.
    It was two o’clock when Mrs. Cephal started to get ready and go to her sister’s house which was located in the Platter City. ‘Pinky… I will be back only by tomorrow evening. After the tea party water all the plants and keep all the lights on until tomorrow morning. You can get some honey and bread from the Talton Supermarket on your way back home’, said Mrs. Cephal to her daughter before going. Little Pinky was still scrolling and was absent-minded at this point of time. She did not even realise it was nearing three o’clock and suddenly she received a call from Little Liddy. ‘Hello Pinky! Are you coming for the tea party?’, asked Little Liddy. ‘Hello! I will come to your house by four o’clock Liddy’, said Little Pinky and ended the conversation with a good bye.
    Little Pinky started to get ready. It was almost half-past three and she had started to walk towards the Lydan’s residence. She has left her mobile phone at the Blossom Cottage and was unable to attend the call from her mother who wanted to remind her daughter about the dinner. Little Pinky reached little Liddy’s home on time. At the tea party all of them were having a good time. It was almost half-past five and little Pinky bid good bye to little Liddy and to all her friends. On her way back home she started to feel hungry and was thinking about the dinner. Suddenly she started to feel words ringing inside her ears.
    ‘Get some honey and bread……. I will be back only by tomorrow……. I called you. This is my last call….. and there is no signal here’, she heard a feeble voice of a woman from within her ears. Little Pinky did not hesitate to do the things mentioned by this voice.
    Finally, after the shopping she reached the Blossom Cottage and noticed the call from her mother. She tried calling Mrs. Cephal but there was no signal from her mother’s side. Little Pinky just followed the instructions given to her by the feeble, but a firm voice. Little Pinky completed all the chores and went to bed.
    The next morning little Pinky did not scroll through her mobile but started to read a book. Little Pinky started to forget about her mobile phone and was totally engrossed with reading. By afternoon she received a call from her mother.
    ‘Did you eat honey and bread for the dinner? Have you watered the plants and also kept the lights on?’, asked Mrs. Cephal to her daughter. ‘Yes mama, I did everything you had asked me to do’, said little Pinky. And she finally remembered the tasks given by the voice. ‘It was mama who had told everything to me before her journey. I was absent-minded, but managed to get those words into my brain unknowingly. Anyways, I have completed all the tasks’, little Pinky said to herself.
    It was the last words spoken by her mother before she had left for the Platter City. Last words are no more considered to be lost words, but they remain forever until the task is accomplished. Little Pinky managed to get her mother’s words and it was her last call for little Pinky to get away from the mobile addiction. Finally the addiction left little Pinky once she had completed all the tasks and also she had realised the power of her mind.

Short Story 12 : Tragedy In Darkness

Tragedy In Darkness

                                   - T ABRAHAM

    It was an evening during the time of winter when the darkness surrounds a little early than its usual phase. There were frequent power cuts during the day time and also sometimes during the evening and night as well. The Blossom Cottage was situated in the heart of the Lily town where Little Pinky lived with her mother Mrs. Cephal.

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    ‘Mama, why are there frequent power cuts nowadays. I am afraid of the dark and what will happen if they do this during the middle of the evening’, asked Little Pinky to Mrs. Cephal. Her mother was not very much concerned about this and knew that children run in their own fantasy when it becomes dark. ‘Nothing will happen my dear’, assured Mrs. Cephal and she continued to chop the vegetables for the dinner.
    Mr. Cephal who is little Pinky’s father was not in town as he has gone for a business trip to the Acrylic Valley and would only return after a month. Little Pinky always feels safe and comforted when her father is around and she is well assured that no one can harm her or her mother when he is with them.
    During the frequent power cuts happening in the Lily town there was a rise in thefts and crimes taking place during the evening. Little Pinky was afraid of the darkness as she runs behind her philosophy of darkness as ‘Darkness is evil and horror. Every tragedy, misery, pain and suffering happens only when the darkness surrounds’. She is always reminded of these lines whenever there is a power cut and feels panic stricken and anxious. It was hard for Mrs. Cephal to deal with Little Pinky when she gets afraid and starts to cry. Whenever little children cry it was hard to calm them down unless the thing which has made them cry is being removed from their sight. But darkness was something which cannot be removed voluntarily as the power to control the electricity is not within one’s reach.
    ‘Today papa will return home. I am going to play hide and seek with him’, said Little Pinky to her mother. ‘Wait a minute, papa will not come today my child. He will start his journey today and will only reach home by tomorrow morning’, said Mrs. Cephal to her daughter who was overjoyed by her father’s arrival. ‘But you told me today mama?’, questioned little Pinky to her mother. Mrs. Cephal did not reply back to her daughter’s question but smiled it off and continued towards the kitchen.
    Suddenly there was a power cut and little Pinky began to cry. It was the most dreaded moment by little Pinky and her worst nightmare was in action today. There was a power cut in the middle of a dark evening. Little Pinky began to cry and there was a sudden knock on the door of the Blossom Cottage. There was a crowding near the door and several voices were heard. ‘Pinky… be quiet! it might be the bad characters of the town who are in search of the right place to complete their mission’, whispered Mrs. Cephal. Little Pinky realised that her philosophy of darkness was coming alive right in front of her eyes. She was suddenly becoming silent, as the knocking became louder and louder.
    They did not have telephone at their home to call inspector Ruddy as it was a time when mobile phones were only used by businessmen for their professional needs. In a few moments there was a car which stopped by the door of their cottage and they heard a familiar voice. ‘I will call the police now. Who are you standing near my cottage? You cannot harm them till I am alive’, it was none other than Mr. Cephal.
    The inspector arrived and handcuffed the men who were knocking at the cottage door. As the whole of the townsmen came to the cottage and held these men they did not get a moment to escape. ‘Finally, we have caught you. No more thefts and crimes will happen in the Lily town’, assured inspector Ruddy. ‘Good work Mr. Cephal, you have arrived at the right moment to help us catch these men who were the cause of all the trouble going on in our town these days’, said inspector Ruddy and Mr. Cephal thanked him and went inside his cottage.
    ‘Papa is back!’, shouted Little Pinky in joy and went and opened the door. ‘It was good that you both did not open the door when the thieves tried to break into the cottage’, said Mr. Cephal to Mrs. Cephal. ‘I thought you will be back home by the middle of the night’, Mrs. Cephal said to Mr. Cephal. ‘Mama told you will come tomorrow only papa’, said Little Pinky.
    ‘It was good that I returned a little early than usually I do. Some of the tasks got cancelled and we were asked to return before tomorrow morning. I was quite worried about you both and returned early. Good that I stopped the tragedy’ said Mr. Cephal to his wife and daughter.
    Little Pinky started off with her philosophy of light, ‘Whenever the darkness conquers and brings the utmost misery and fear. My shield will come and rescue me. Darkness is temporary and light is a sword to kill the darkness. Light is immortal but darkness is only a mortal being’.
    All three of them began to laugh hearing Little Pinky speak like this. The sun was rising and the darkness was fading away. The Blossom cottage bloomed with the light of happiness and joy with the union of all the three dwellers of the place.