The Autobiography Of A Peepal Tree
Navya K P
Palakkad I was born a century ago
Kerala
in a little village in Uttar
Pradesh. The farmer, a
gentle and loving person
took good care of me,
feeding me with water
twice a day. Though he
lived in dire poverty, their
small family led a happy
life.
I was a helpless witness
to the cruelties meted out
by the haughty and cruel
zamindar. He often ill-
treated the farmer and
beat him if he was unable
to produce a good
harvest. I often felt like
slapping the cruel
zamindar, but I was
helpless.
I wept silently seeing the
misery of the poor family.
I felt pity for the children
who were deprived of
even the basic
necessities. They were
denied education too.
Days passed....I grew tall
and fat. The children also
grew taller.
I had the misfortune to be
the witness to a shocking
incident. My little friend
was married off to a boy
of the next village at the
age of ten. I wish I could
have moved my heavy
trunk to prevent this
Then one day some
people started chopping
my limbs. I heard people
discussing the imminent
'sati'. How I cursed
myself for being a part of
this evil practice. Time
healed my wounds. I
have grown to my full
stature. My hands spread
all over.
People gathered below
my shady branches and
discussed various topics
under the sun. I was
happy to hear that the
freedom struggle for
Indian independence was
going to put an end to the
social evils and the
miseries imposed by
zamindari system.
Years passed..One day I
saw the villagers rejoicing
and shouting 'Vande
Mataram' carrying the
Tricolour. I sighed with
relief and silently rejoiced
with the villagers.
I have grown old and
wrinkled but I am
contented to see the
villagers celebrating their
independence. My
saplings which have
sprouted all around me
will also grow and have
interesting tales to tell...
 social evil. Again I could
only weep silently when I
saw her leave the house
in sorrow.

Heartache
Jaya Jacob
Thiruvalla, Kerala He clambered on to the The ring-tone of his
bus-the same one he phone startled him. It was
took every evening for her.. His heart skipped a
the long ride home. beat. Maybe I was
Walking to the very back, wrong,he thought.
he settled down in a seat
by the window. With a smile, he
Instinctively he reached answered. "Hi", he said
for his phone and dialled excitedly. "Oh its you!.
her. "Hello", she said,"I'm Oops..I was trying to call
in the middle of someone else. I must
something right now.. I'll have dialled wrong.
catch you later k?" Sorry..", she mumbled
(*Click*) She cut the call distractedly. (*click*) She
before he could reply. was gone again. He
settled further down in his
He let out a deep sigh seat and watched the
and stared out of the little droplets of rain
window at the light drizzle outside slide down his
that had started. 'She window pane. And felt his
was always busy',he heart bleeding silently.
thought. 'We haven't had
a decent conversation for
weeks!!' During better
times, no matter how
many hours they talked,
they would still have so
much left to say. Now it
was reduced to this- him
calling as often as he
could and her having no
time for him.

He wondered if friendship
and love came with an
 expiry date. Like when
you nonchalantly bite into
a cookie or chocolate bar,
only to find it had gone
stale. 'Maybe she just
doesn't care anymore', he
figured. And that
depressing thought
churned around in his
head.

Seduction
Mansa
Surendran I’ve gone insane trying to
Pune The moment she saw
him she knew. There was picture it. It’s even more
that lazy look in his eyes seductive, and dangerous
and suddenly the din of than I thought it'd be.
the party was to be heard There’s no way out,
no more. It was only him, there’s no way you’re
and her. She couldn’t going to let me go if I
take his eyes off him. surrender. I remember
how you abandoned me
His smile took her breath last time. All those
away. She smiled her promises and then
foxy smile and said, “We oblivion.
meet again.” He could
remain detached, You didn’t care whether I
unaffected while she had lived or died. And now
to fight a battle to keep you breeze back, saying
her emotions in check. the same old things.” He
He leaned back and pulled her closer and
studied her. whispered all the words
that she wanted to hear,
It unnerved her. He had everything that would
ordered a drink for her. make her stay. She
She smirked. He was smiled as his lips parted.
playing the same game And then she kissed him.
again. How many times She opened her eyes and
would he do it, play her saw Steve in the
for a fool? She looked at distance. She got up and
the drink and said: said, “Thanks, but I’ve got
to go. Life’s calling. And
“You first.” He said, “But keep trying, I want to do
 it’s for you I’ve ordered
this. Do you remember
the last time?” “As if
you’d ever let me forget.”
“I haven’t forgotten either.
It’s been six months. Ah, I
remember it clearly. I saw
you across the room and
knew.” She laughed
loud.
He was a charmer.
People always believed
him. He inched closer
and had his arms around
her waist now. She had
to admit, it felt like home.
There was a strange
comfort in this feeling,
knowing that there was
someone to come home
to.
But it wasn’t home he
was taking her to. It was
a place she’d only seen
in her nightmares. She let
herself relax for a
moment and then looked
him in the eye. And
said,“I’ve waited for this
day, when you’d come
back and take me in your
arms.
Tsunami
Sheeba
Santhosh
Kuwait Tanya was sorely afraid
of the Tsunami. Two
years back, it had tried to
gobble up her mother's
family home in Mahe with
this every time, see you
walk out defeated.” And
she laughed loud and
walked towards Steve.
“Where have you been,
Eva? The bartender who
told me that you’ve been
sitting alone, for the last
half an hour. I hope you
didn’t try to order any
drinks.” "No, I didn’t. I
wasn’t alone. Someone
kept trying to make me
surrender. But I didn’t
give in.” He ruffled her
hair affectionately and
pulled her onto the dance
floor.
She looked back one last
time. He knew he’d lost,
but he tipped his hat,
swished his tail and
vanished in a puff of
smoke. She’d won the
battle, and the drink had
lost it. It held no more
power over her.
One day, one of them
took Aunt Sheila to Al-
Fanar Mall in his car.
Then, they both went to
his flat and came back
her grandparents and
young aunt Sheila in it.
Then, Mother had cried
for two whole days and
Father had paced about,
his mobile glued to his
ear and his eyes on the
TV screen.
For weeks after, huge
green waves and floating
debris danced before
Tanya's eyes and made
her sleepless. Mother
took her to the priest at
the Salmiya church. On
the second anniversary of
the disaster Aunt Sheila
came to Kuwait.
"For a change," as
Mother said. Aunt Sheila
worshipped the fashions.
She wore very short
dresses and glaring
make-up. On her arrival
Manikyam uncle and
Sushila aunty, from the
opposite flat, came to tea.
Mother recounted the
narrow escape of her
family from the giant
waves, and Sushila aunty
"aah"ed and "oh no"ed at
the right places.
Manikyam uncle sat
gazing at Aunt Sheila's
legs.
When Tanya went to
school and her parents
left for work Aunt Sheila
felt lonely. So she went
shopping. She went to
Jashanmal and Marina
very late at night. Mother
cried and pleaded with
Father, "They will get
married, I'm sure."
"Let her go back to Mahe
and come after the
wedding." He grabbed his
mobile and punched the
travel agent's number.
But half way through he
remembered something
and left off. Mother was
relieved, but she warned
her sister. Father
arranged Piano lessons
for Tanya.
"Better than being alone
with her aunt in the
afternoons," he said
privately to Manikyam
uncle, who sighed
deeply. Tanya was
pleased that her best
friend, Simon Peter, was
in the piano class too.
"Kuwait is a tiny country"
he said. "If we had a
Tsunami here, the whole
of it would be gone."
After lunch Tanya threw
up on her desk. Mother
took her home. When she
opened the front-door,
Tanya staggered and
stumbled into the midst of
Aunt Sheila's rippling,
disastrous laughter.
Huge, slimy waves of fear
and blood sprang up and
roared all around her.
They swept off Father
 Mall and other expensive
places. Father was
furious. "Tell her that I am
only an employee and not
the owner of my
company." He yelled at
Mother.
Every week there were
house-parties. Mother
invited several eligible
bachelors. Aunt Sheila
was polite but mimicked
their mannerisms as soon
as they left the house.
However, she exchanged
phone numbers with
some of them and started
calling them at odd
hours.
Threshold
Shuhaib
Kottayam,Kerala It was a sunny Sunday
morning. His eleven year
daughter was sleeping
placidly. She was the
apple of his eye-his only
one. He fondly caressed
her face. He smoothed
the strands of hair which
fell over her face.
He lied besides her and
slightly embraced her
carefully not to wake her.
She turned back and
threw her arm and leg
over him and resumed
her sleep. His wife came
to the bedroom to wake
her child.
and Aunt Sheila into the
Bottomless Pit and
Mother into the Ahmadi
City jail. Tanya floated
out of the history of
Kuwait and Simon Peter's
life, as insignificantly as a
piece of driftwood. She
was no longer afraid of
the Tsunami.
Thousands of female
children walked towards
it. He spotted his dear
one in that crowd.
Anyhow he had to stop
her.
He yelled her name. She
did not hear him. After
several attempts of
hollering, her ears caught
him. She turned back,
waved and smiled at him
sweetly which broke his
heart and resumed her
journey.
He roared to forbid her
from going any further.
Finding his efforts

He hushed her with the
gesture of forefinger on
his lips. His wife with a
mischievous smile
murmured. "Father and
daughter! She is not a
small girl anymore. May
be in no time she will
attain puberty. Wake her.
It is past 8 and her dance
class begins at 9."
The mentioning of his
child's puberty made him
sigh. Everything will
change after that. An
invisible barrier will come
in between them.
fruitless, he crumbled
down and sobbed his
heart out.
“Why did you yell Papa?”
It was apparent he woke
her up. He did not know
how to answer her
question. He hugged his
child and shut his eyes.
Tears rolled down his
cheeks. She searched his
face intently. She found
her Papa's cheeks were
wet. "Why are you crying
Papa?" Her words broke
as she touched his face.
He hugged her again.

His eyes became wet. A

thickness came to his
throat. He closed his
eyes. A vision came to
his mind. There lay a
thick red line.

It represented the end

and beginning of a life
phase. It had a huge red
tongue with which it
gulped down pure human
emotions like innocence,
stainless love, soft
attitudes.

The Haunted Ghost

Sreejith P G
Thrissur, Kerala The mirror seems
inviting, seductive, daring
me to see something
beyond my flaky mask. I
But really, do I have a
choice? I have been
caught red handed. I can
hide from the whole wide
look deep into my own world but not from her. I
probing eyes beyond this am naked, I realize now,
imposing facade, which always have been. But
threatens to come apart surprised I am not
any minute I take my embarrassed anymore.
eyes off it, and beyond
the lonely graveyard of There just wasn’t anyone
my shattered dreams, I else there. “There is a
come upon a being that I place called ‘somewhere
could go right through. A else’. It is where you will
being with no body and never reach. There is
no soul. also a ‘someone else’,
whom you will never
A frightening void. A meet and ‘another time’
ghost! So utterly vacant which you will never live
that my eyes had to be to see”, came that
fooling me. For the first booming voice from
time, I saw because I beyond.
couldn’t. Or was it
otherwise? My heart “But that is all I have ever
thumping so fast, it been interested in”, I cry
seemed to have a life of out groveling in front of
its own. her, pleading for an iota
of recognition of my
And then came the wretched existence. This
barrage of questions. wretchedness, I realize
Who was she, what was with a start, is my only
she doing so deep inside asset, without which I
of me and why of all knew for sure the earth
things did I not know she would cave in right under
was in there? And looking my feet and I will fall
through her, there was no screaming into that
doubt that she was here bottomless pit that
before me. stretches till all eternity.

She seemed so much at Right into her mothering

home. At peace. And vastness!!! She is here
come storms or cyclones, right now, inside me,
she would still be around me, beyond me!!!
standing and they would Never has been
just waltz right through anywhere else!! She will
her. It just could not be be here long after I am
otherwise. gone.

There evidently was no Finally!! I am the outsider,

 place for pleasantries for
she obviously knew me
inside out and looking
into the hollow void, I
realize any question I ask
her, I would have to
answer myself.
I felt like a guest in my
own body, tentative,
uncertain. All my dirty
little secrets, I had buried
even from myself, she
knew them all. I just
wished I could curl myself
tight into some dark
forgotten corner.
The snowfall
Jamuna Sunil
Wales, UK Anu looked at the clock;
it was two in the
afternoon. Her husband
and little daughter Riya
were sleeping peacefully.
Anu opened the curtains
and looked through the
window, it was still
snowing outside and the
street was quiet. The
winter had its spells on
the nature; she could see
only the bare trees. The
old leaves were falling of
from the trees as they
were preparing for a new
life.
Across the road, a little
boy was trying to make a
snowman. Anu knew that
the snowfall was heavy
for the past two days, the
the born, whose sole
purpose in life may be to
find the ghost within him
and hand her back the
keys which I never had in
the first place. I never ran
the show. I guess,
knowing that, my soul will
rest in peace
The noise of birds was
similar to what she heard
earlier on. Whenever the
wind blew, the branches
of the tree trembled and
the butterflies and birds
soared up in the sky like
a colourful umbrella. It
was an amazing sight.
Anu heard her mother
saying to her neighbour
that it is a rare tree which
flowers only once in
twenty years and she
requested him to take a
bunch of flowers to the
church, as it was the
feast day of ‘little flower’.
Anu stood under the tree
like a child. Anu felt that
her mother couldn’t see
her through the eyes of
 roads were blocked and
nobody was able to get
out of their houses. Anu
was expected to join for
her new dream job in
London on the next day.
But she was worried as
she wasn’t sure whether
her employer is going to
consider her local
weather condition as an
excuse for not joining in
time.
Anu looked at the Holy
Cross on the wall and
closed her eyes. Then in
silence, she heard the
noise of birds. She
looked everywhere to find
the source. She went
outside and ran through
the snow then, she pass
through the seven seas in
the wings of time and
reached in front of a
house, where she was
born. There she found a
huge tree at the back of
the garden and it was full
of white flowers and its
scent was very attractive.
The tree was surrounded
by hundreds of colourful
butterflies and birds.
A New Beginning
Sharmilla Shah
Bangalore,
Karnataka It was dark and stormy.
And the wind was
blowing fiercely into her
face and hair, as if trying
time. All of a sudden few
flowers fell on her head
and its fragrance
encircled her. Mamma,
Are you sleeping? Anu
woke up as she heard
Riya calling her. Riya
handed an envelope to
her. The letter was from
her employer stating that
they have postponed her
joining date.
Anu was so happy, but
surprised as she knew
that the post office is
closed because of snow.
Riya told her that it was a
lovely lady who brought
this letter and the lady
was holding a bunch of
white flowers. Anu was
shocked, she couldn’t
see anybody on the
street but she could feel
the fragrance of white
flowers. Her husband and
Riya could also smell the
sweet fragrance, and
they were looking for its
source. Anu said nothing
but she looked at the
Cross and smiled. Still it
was snowing outside.
Ironically, it would be this
same well that would
eventually would take her
out of this world, and
 to sweep her off her feet.
But Amala kept walking,
trying to maintain a fast
pace, daring the winds to
stop her or the drops of
the torrential rain, now
pouring down her cheeks,
mixed with her tears.
It was only just a year
that her life had been
turned upside down. A
job lost, a mother lost to
Alzheimer and memories
of a father she had never
met. It was time; she
decided that after this
final blow of loosing her
baby in the womb that
she decided that this was
a life she did not want to
live any longer.
She had symbolically
selected this dark and
stormy night to end her
life which seemed as
scary and as destructive
as the night. She found
the same well that she
used to pass by everyday
to get in and out of her
building colony.
The Last Bus
Athulya Menon
Jayachandran
Tvm, Kerala Two summers ago,a holiday in
Hawaii changed me forever.
Hawaii-the ideal holiday
destination. Sunny days,cool
breezy nights-everything
pointing to a perfect holiday,with
nothing,even remotely,having
hopefully into a better
one. She stepped on that
first stone towards
imagined liberty, from this
bondage of life and
death, when gently
someone or something
tugged at the corner of
her dress, now soaking
wet.
Refusing to turn back,
she took one last breath
to surrender herself into
deathly calm, that she
heard a voice call “amma
"!! Shocked and scared
she looked back to see a
tiny girl, obviously a
street urchin begging for
food or whatever that she
needed. She was lost.
Amala burst into tears
and sat and cried there
until her tears had dried
out. She held the little
girls hand and took her
home. To a new
beginning, to a new life.
That caught my
breath. The boy,he
said,had features
like none had ever
seen,and the heart
of the devil.
People who saw
"weird" in its itinerary. him,were never
Well,here's how it started. A few again sane. There
days in Hawaii-all I did was seemed to be no
sunbathe and watch my cure. At this point,I
kids,Ella and Noah play. One got all worked up
afternoon,I drooped off,feeling and started yelling
the sun on my face. my head off. It
took about 10
After sometime,I felt it being minutes to calm
blocked,and opened my eyes to me down,after
find out why. And I saw a which all
boy,about my Noah's left,shaken a little.
age,around 12,standing. But I remained...I
had to know. "Did I
He really see the
looked....different....somehow. boy?"I asked.
He had stark features,like none "There is a
I'd ever seen-coal black possibility..."
hair,eyes-brown,but with a "What can I do?"
reddish tinge(the light’s tricks The old man
probably...)and the eeriest ventured nothing.
feature-his smile,which "Be cautious. Only
as.....unearthly. I was time will tell......"
bewildered,but finally managed His concluding
to ask him what he words left me in
wanted,when he spoke, "The dread.
last bus awaits you. It's time you
came…...." Those words left me I couldn't sleep
cold and sent shivers down my that night. I kept
spine. waking
up,sweating,to the
I just sat there,blinking. I looked boy’s bone-chilling
to see if my wife,Emily had smile. I finally
heard him,but found her couldn't bear it and
napping. When I turned back to went into the
ask him what he’d meant,I was kitchen for water. I
in for a shock. There wasn't a heard a sudden
trace of him in the split second movement by the
that I'd turned. Well,since I window,but saw
couldn't do much about it,I nothing.
decided to give it a rest. Convincing myself
that it was my
Two major attractions in Hawaii imagination, I
are bonfire dancing and night- hurried out. But all
time storytelling by the locals. the way back,I
We soon got round to the heard
storytelling,which was mostly whispering....of the
about the superstitions last bus... I packed
surrounding the place. I listened up the first thing
intently as they were narrated by next morning,and
an old man who fit the part well! we left. All through
The night wore on and he the journey back to
reached the last one which, he New Jersey,I was
said,they actually believed to be haunted by the
true. He talked of a spirit that whisperings.
wandered around,as a boy. But,finally,I was
home,and slowly
the thoughts left
me. I learned to
forget.
***
All was well.... As
John walked up
the driveway,
Noah came
running to him.
"Hey, how was
school?" John
asked. "Cool. Hey
dad, I want you to
meet a new friend
of mine. Says he
wants to meet you
too." John was a
little taken aback.
"Dad,
meet…………"
John didn't hear
the rest as his
mouth opened in a
scream of horror.

"The last bus still

awaits
you..............." was
all he heard…
 The Bearded Man
Abdul
Punnayurkulam The man woke up in the He lowered his voice, “I
Salem
morning from a deep gave my word to the
sleep. Suddenly he bearded man.” She
touched his hands and raised her tone, “What
legs. Everything was kind of promise did you
there. He wondered give the man? Are you
where these parts were out of your mind? How
during the night. He can we pay the
recalled dreaming he was mortgage, children's
a patient in a leprosy tuition, student loans, and
hospital with no limbs. He other living expenses?!”
hurried downstairs to
make a phone call. He wished to tell her that
six days of work was too
He then remembered much for him and he
something to ask his wife needed the weekends off,
and placed the phone instead he softly said,
back. He wanted to tell “The bearded man said
his wife about the dream, we should provide a few
but he couldn’t make up hours of charity work on
his mind…, because she weekends.”
might not agree with him.
She usually disagreed “You’re an emotional
with him, even with minor creature! You had a wild
matters. She was dream, that doesn’t mean
preparing breakfast for you give up your
the children. weekend job, especially
when the economic
After gathering some conditions are so bad!” A
strength, he summarized deep silence lingered
his dream to her as if he there…
were swallowing bitter
medicine. After wife While his thoughts were
prepared breakfast, she scattering like thinning
sat on the sofa across clouds on a windy day,
from him with serious he realized he was late
face. Between them, a for work. As he was in a
grim stillness grew. rush to go to work, he
wondered, what would
She gently said, “Are you have happened if he had
going to give up your quit his second job?
part-time job as the
bearded man
 suggested?” He nodded.
The mildness in her voice
disappeared, “How can
you do that when you are
buried in
responsibilities?”

Sreejith
Rose
Purushothaman
Alappuzha, Early rays of Sun started Surprisingly, she could
Kerala kissing the wrinkled find a beautiful small red
forehead of exhausted rose fluttering with a song
Earth. It seems she had on her lips.
had the worst experience Earth couldn't believe her
last night. eyes that how only the
red rose was able to
She couldn't even raise escape the claws of that
her head to have a look furious wind.
around her. A small
breeze glided over and Red rose leaned over
started wandering with a Earth and sighed.
chuckled face.
Earth asked: "I don't
He just wanted to know, know why he had done
the extent of destruction this to me....? What
occurred last night as he wrong have I done to
had a joy ride with his him? I have always given
friends. enough playgrounds for
him and his friends..But I
After finishing his never expected that he
"patrolling" he had signed would do this to me.
his log book with a smile Anyway, the only thing I
and had gone to join his don't understand now is
friends. how did you escape
without any scratches...?
Slowly, very slowly, Earth
crawled over and pushed Red rose replied: "I've
herself up from the given a bottle of scent to
ground to see her own smell and a bouquet of
body...but failed. flowers to wish his
girlfriend...!" .