The Storytime

I sat there for quite sometime. My brother kept on hugging and soothing me. "It's okay kid. There's no one here". People had gathered around us. We stood up and started towards my school. My brother accompanied till there and then went about to his own work. I was preoccupied with what happened to me whole day. "Hey buddy! Are you all right? You look like you have seen a ghost", said my best friend, Aadit. Have I?  I told him everything. "Dude! I think you need therapy. You should talk to your parents about going to a shrink". "What? I am not crazy. I don't need a shrink". "Come on! It's not about going crazy. It may just be the stress of studies and that stupid nightmare may just be an indication of that". In the evening I kept thinking about my conversation with Aadit. "You okay baby? Saddy told me about what happened today", my mother looked at me, worried. "I am fine Mom. Saddy is exaggerating as al...

I was grasping for air. No one came into the room. I assume no one heard me. I have to find out what happened yesterday. I have to find that traitor I tried to help despite repeated warnings, and punish him for what he did to my love. I removed the IV from my arm and stood up. Everything was still hazy. I knew they won ’ t let me go, so I stole a look towards the window, the lady cop was sleeping soundly. I took a look at myself, it seems my mother had changed my clothes. I was still looking terrible but it ’ ll have to do. My mother was nowhere to be seen but her wallet was lying on the table. I thanked God for her forgetfulness. I started out as noiselessly as I could, after sometime I was out of the hospital. I walked for some distance, when I felt safe enough I hired a taxi for my clinic. The clinic was locked, so I took out my mother ’ s spare key and opened it. I went to my office and started thinking about that day. I reached at my usual time, and immediately started s...

I was holding her lifeless body in my arms. I was just staring at her trying to make sense of it. She would have been alive if she had listened to me. She just never listens. I feel like my breath is caught somewhere inside my throat. I have to run, otherwise they'll kill me too. I hear footsteps and start running. My foot is hurting, I trying to run as fast as I can but they are catching up fast. Someone has hit me from behind. I am falling. I am surely going to die here. I woke up, crying and screaming.  Its been years and she still haunts me. If only I knew who she is, why do I feel like I know her. I was seven when I first saw her in my dream. It felt like such a loss at that time that I was scared to go back to sleep. I slept with my parents for 3 months after that. I am 15, and I still see her. The nightmare has become more frequent and the feelings of loss and fear intense. I often speak to my parents about her, but they just shrug it off as a silly nightmare. I must c...

“ Why did you kill him? ” asked the cop sitting in front of me. I looked around, I seem to be in some dimly lit room. What is he saying? Why would I kill my own husband? I loved him dearly. He killed him, that hallucinating nut case. Didn ’ t they read his letter? I should have listened to my husband, should ’ ve stayed away from Parth ’ s case. The cop is saying something, “ look this act of yours is not going to work. ” There came another voice, “ Maybe she needs psychiatrist. What if she killed him in her psychosis? The neighbor said they seemed to be a happy couple but she had some trouble, sleep walking and hallucinations. ” Nonsense, I never sleep walk, that must be the stupid old lady who just moved in the neighborhood. I have told her a hundred times, seems like she suffers from hallucinations. “ Nonsense they all try to play the psychosis game whenever we catch them in the act. Look lady! You can ’ t save yourself like this. Tell me what happened between you two y...

I was standing there with a knife dripping with his blood, so much blood. His face was as serene as ever. In the other hand I was holding the letter. I wish I ’ d been there earlier. It might have made all the difference. So all I can tell you is why he was murdered. I murdered him, I murdered my love, not with the knife but with my arrogance. I stood rooted to the place, not even the cops entering our home could make me move. “ Ma ’ m!!! Ma ’ m!! You ok? Ma ’ m are you hurt? Please hand us the knife, ” it was like their sound was reaching me through a long tunnel. “ Baby!! My baby!! How are you darling? ” my mother was crying inconsolably. I looked up at her, but even she couldn ’ t break my trance. I tried to see her face, but all I could see was him. Sparkling eyes, smiling lips, a small and pointed nose, calm expression, that man was a depiction of serenity at its best. That man looked the same even in his death, like he is telling me that he has forgiven me. We were in the ...