Claustrophobia

It’s Day 3 of the A-Z Blogging Challenge! What is this A-Z Blogging Challenge all about? An Aries new moon always inspires disruptive action of sorts. And A – Z Blogging Challenge was staring me in the face. As it is, it’s been a long time since I’ve really written fiction. I was missing my true love *wink,wink*. I attempted & completed A-Z Blogging Challenge in 2013 and partly, the following year (check out the A-Z posts by clicking on the A-Z in the category cloud). The past 2 years, I’ve been traveling up and down by the Mumbai local, 5 days a week. So, it’s inevitable that most of these stories – flash fiction – will be inspired by that daily commute. Drop in here, then, for your daily fix of sweet&spicy stories (from different genres) based on the 26 letters of the English Alphabet.

Read the previous stories here and here.

Read Claustrophobia below:

CLAUSTROPHOBIA

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Hugging the doorway pole tight, she stood on the footboard of the Mumbai local which was her favourite place inside the train. Like the breeze that blew her hair all over her face, the train rushed forward, carrying its load of busy people.

She looked down. The adjoining track sped along in the opposite direction. Clumps of dried grass, bleached in the sun, dotted the ground between the tracks.

The strip of dry mud called out to her in tune with the wheels. Clang, clang, come, come, clang, clang, come, come. It looked so inviting: to just jump out and fall splat on the ground. The euphoria of freedom. All ties broken and unbroken, now redundant. Just one step forward.

She looked up. A fleet of birds fluttered upwards breaking free into the sky. The train slowed down as it entered into the station.

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Anahata – the Chakra of Love

What is this A-Z Blogging Challenge all about? An Aries new moon always inspires a disruptive action of sorts. And A – Z Blogging Challenge was staring me in the face. As it is, it has been a long time since I’ve really written fiction. I was missing my true love *wink,wink*. I attempted & completed A-Z Blogging Challenge in 2013 and partly, the following year (check out the A-Z posts by clicking on the A-Z in the category cloud). The past 2 years, I’ve been traveling up and down by the Mumbai local, 5 days a week. Most of these stories – flash fiction – are inspired by that daily commute. So, drop in here for your daily fix of sweet&spicy stories (from different genres) based on the next 25 letters of the English Alphabet. 

ANAHATA – THE CHAKRA OF LOVE

Genre: Memoir

One is not at the railway station at this hour except as part of the usual crush to reach home after a travel that has taken up a better part of the day. So, here I am, sitting squashed, back to a stranger on the opposite end of a narrow stone bench that can barely hold one in comfort.

Interspersed with the local trains are the outstation trains. They hurtle past the local stations, carrying thrilling expectation of a faraway destination. The local-train-warriors, waiting on the platform for their ride, eye with disguised envy those long-distance travellers. Munching on Mumbai’s second staple – roasted peanuts – vadapav being the first, their ears are perked for the announcement of their train, their minds already having raced home.

I am going against the tide, against the peak hours. Responding to the call of a friend. There’s an air of excitement about our first meeting. We met online and our energies jelled. When it was time to meet, a book launch seemed the best site. After all, weren’t we ardent readers and writers?

We are just a train ride away from each other. The distance seems never-ending. The train chugs along, carrying me to meet my destiny.

Yes, our friendship is not long but it is deep.

Or so I thought.

Also check out my friend Dola’s blog where she is writing about the art of self-editing (you’ll find amazing gems there): http://shiuli.com/blog/