Girls are Angels

‘Chastity, What an amazing party !’ I reached my friend. Certainly the birthday was being magnificently celebrated with arrangements of a delicious buffet and her colossal hall was elegantly decorated. I handed her my present which went gratefully into the large pile of gifts in the center of room.
Then she took me aside; 'do you know, Ivan sent me a huge bouquet of blue bell flowers.'
'Wow, Blenda must be totally envied' I told her.
We both giggled.
Several girls joined in to share their scoops of latest gossips with us. One of them shared that no one has hearkened any news of Blenda up to another of her stunts. It was such an unexpected piece of news that i doubted if Blenda was the subject at all. Chastity started frowning and pleaded not to spoil her birthday with mentioning the  queen of pain and pulled us all to dance floor.
Just then a package arrived. Tag said: 'For chastity, from Blenda'
As music died, everyone gathered around the package, staring as if it contains their death orders.
'What will the box embody?' A trembling voice asked.
'If the sender is Blenda then I bet it is a very mean note.  One girl was sure.
Another had seen a movie in which parcel full of leeches were sent by an antagonist.
Someone said it was poisonous frogs.
Everyone was revolted yet doubtful that Blenda could attempt such an act. 
A very popular girl sobbed, 'She threw salamander on me once.' We all felt sympathetic for her and I patted her.
A girl with huge glasses said, 'She  threw a cat on me' The reply was rather astonished, 'So...?' But she made a crying face, 'I am allegric to cats,It was an ugly scene'
 Another tale revealed about Blenda putting a medicine in salad of girl to upset her stomach, only because she had performed better in an assignment.
Abruptly a thought struck me. 'Chastity what if it contains some poisoned pastry!!?'
There were loud rejections as naught agreed to idea of her drooping such low.
'Think about it girls, we are talking about Blenda here. The girls who exploded  the cafeteria for her conflict with queen and who destroyed Principal Ailbert's coat being punished by him. I continued with a frown, 'She had once impure my juice so on day of my speech my throat screeched. Chastity is the girl who is dating the guy she is craving, she would love to slay her with her own hand'.
My speech was perused by a silence- a convinced silence.
Chastity asked in a horrified voice. 'What do i do with it?'
All of a sudden we all had different ideas about what to do with the parcel.
'Send it back to her unopened, IN HER FACE' 
'No burn it, If she threw it away in anguish, the poisonous frogs can cause a mass destruction' Someone was being very thoughtful.
'Yes just burn it immediately or leeches will eat down your house if they managed to escape' A terrified girl suggested.
'Listen Chast, call the police now, they might lift finger prints and prison her for murder attempt.' I persuaded, and we will get rid of Blenda forever'.
Halt!!! A girl with an innocent face toke over. She was considered the most intellectual girl of our school. ' You are making a hastened decision and none good ever comes out of it.' She paused for a while, 'All of you know the blue lake, right? Once i slipped into it. I had been struggling to breath while every wave brought me away from life. When two strong hands gripped me and brought me to shore. It was Blenda. She had not only spoiled her tennis kit but practically risked her life for me.' She further continued in a thoughtful manner, 'She is not that bad. Now may be she wishes to befriend, since no one has seen her doing more of her acts. Why don't you open it Chastity?'
Chastity carefully unwrapped the pink ribbon and brought a small,red velvet box. As we all leaned in to read it, a few of girls dropped on floor. Chastity read it aloud:' This rivalry has left me exhausted. Would you forgive me for a new beginning?' We all looked around in pleased amazement while Chastity opened the box.
Abruptly there was a burst and a part of birthday cake blew apart right into Chastity's face. Another chit flew down that stated: 'ENJOY, BITCH'

Zero to Hero

‘There will be so many strangers. I am reluctant of them.’ I wailed.

‘Are you? Why did you acquire an MBA degree, then?’

Verily, why would I do MBA, then? I had no answer and I agreed to attend the magnificent party at Miss Yvonne’s.

This famous event of all business and trade personalities dining together would annually take place at the ‘Yvonne Mansion’. Her colossal garden had been embellished with decor and lights for the ceremony. Veronica and I strolled past the ever-going rows of expensive cars. Large teams of private security guards, who accompanied each of the invited very-important-persons, suspiciously glared at us. Though it was not queer, they were casting the same looks over almost everyone. We attained to a floral gate and there we were-in the middle of a human sea. All over were groomed man in Armani suits and the women in silk gowns. Right then I inhaled in best fragrances of Paris.

Suddenly Veronica’s phone rang to life. But her face drained out of life after she heard the other side.

‘Is everything all right?’ I inquired.

‘Mother had another trauma attack, they took her to hospital, and I am leaving now.’ She rushed full speed to entrance.

I accompanied her to outside but she refused to take me any further.

‘Someone got to fill me on all the happenings’. She patted me.

As I saw her leave, leaving me behind, a thought struck me: ‘What am I going to do now?’

I glanced around extremely desperate to catch sight of at least a solitary recognized face. And I did recognize almost every one; all the tycoons, industrialists and models that were always on television, though none of them would ever chat with me in a century. There was no real acquaintance. I was surrounded by important people but no one that I knew. Furthermore, their eyes fell questioningly upon me and could not be matched. After all I was not one of them and both of us knew that.

After striding around for an hour I collapsed on one of the benches at far-end. ‘A respectable name in the society’, that covered the entire of my desires. But no matter of my endeavors, my awful socializing aspects would never fail to fail me. ‘Why was I such a dolt when it comes to befriend people’ I thought while tears slide down to my cheeks. I had been fighting with my emotions and loosing consistently . I was a looser after all.

Abruptly, some heart-piercing shrieks rose. Then huge blazes broke out in the trees, beside the barbecue arrangements. The throng of spectators immediately rushed towards the exit, screaming violently and running over each other. I followed them as well.

Just as I had reached the exit, I caught sight of a woman captured in Yvonne’s precious imported trees. The clump was on flares. I wanted to run ahead but something stopped me and urged me to that clump, to the life threatening clump.
‘But even if I lived without saving her will my consciousness ever allow me to breath?’ I asked myself.

And as if I already acknowledged the reply I hastened to the trees with a fire snatcher.

When I brought her out, bruised yet alive, the parking lot was muted with a mysterious silence. A secretary made her way to us, thanking me for saving Ms. Yvonne.

‘No problem’ I told her.

Wait… Ms. Yvonne!!

That was when the crowd broke into applause. Cameras flashed and the business persons began to pour in to congratulate me on my achievement and praise my bravery.

 Was it the same crowd that looked through me until a few hours ago. Of course it was. Yet I was different. I was now a hero.

My heroic hubby.

I cursed the time I had decided to visit my village. I wished I had not had a quarrel with my husband. But it was too late. As the water darted closer, I clutched my son tighter.

My husband and I were extremely excited for the summer holidays. There were several places that we had planned to tour with our four-old-son Aajam. However, my husband arrived with awful news one day. His holidays were aborted.

‘Why don’t you send someone else this time?’ I felt very gloomy.

‘It’s not that easy in army. There are people struck in deadly floods who needs me. I have to help them’. How gently he had attempted to explain, yet he could not reduce my anguish. I asked him to take me to my village for holidays.

‘You can’t expect me to suffer alone behind you, every summer’. I was very firm in my decision.

The village, in fact, provided some very relaxed vacations. It felt nice to be with my family, away from hustle of city. Aajam enjoyed the most, who was never left alone by his cousins or grandparents nor did he ever stopped receiving sweets.

One summer night I broke into the sitting of village men and the news I heard shook me. River Soan was mounting. This river went through the agricultural lands of a local land lord, but it could hardly be called a river at all. Nevertheless the memories of floods over rest of country, last year, terribly worried me. I craved to abandon the area but I could not leave my family in hardship. On the other hand, father would merely laugh on idea of River Soan, flooding. At last, I determined to send only Aajam back.

Next day, cries and wails woke me upright. There was huge chaos in house. Under the motherly instinct I seek for Aajam who was nowhere in sight. I ran around, bare foot, asking each of my relatives, all of whom seemed horrified and in a hurry, about him. When I entered my sisters’ room they were gathering valuables.

‘River Soan overflowed today and the land lord broke the banks to save his agricultural land. He has practically left us to drown’. They told.

Mother joined us and thankfully, she had Aajam with her. I scooped him in my arms and suddenly I felt terrified than ever.

We left home in a disastrous condition. While almost everyone wept and screamed, I held my kid close and prayed silently for my voice had already drowned. Since our house was at far end of village, we were cut off from rest population as well. The leaders of family attempted unsuccessfully to lead us until the water touched our ankles and we had to hasten up a village watch tower as the last resort. All sights from up there were nerve wrecking. Our entire village had been covered by the water if this small tributary. By afternoon, the tower was half under water as well. Inevitably, the overburdened, vulnerable building was to collapse anytime. Tears streamed down my face.

A helicopter came in sight. Abruptly, noise broke among the crowd to catch its attention, although it was already aimed towards us. It was an army rescue party who landed on the roof and we immediately climbed onto the helicopter. Just as the last member was pulled in, a stream swept past, taking the tower with it. Our rescuers were such in time. All of us thanked God and the entire party who were now treating a traumatized Grand ma and a few injured ones. Yet we were safe. 

To my biggest surprise, my husband accompanied the party. He smiled on my sight while I was covered in guilt. It was only then that I truly recognized him. In fact suddenly I did recognize him. He was a hero.

The horror of that night...

Two weeks after their first arrival in the hut, the beach was covered with clouds. The clouds become thicker &  the sky got darker with time. There was no fun in visiting beach in such weather except, they would get joy of freezing winds & caught a fever as Mrs. Martina warned.

So, they were spending the day in warm kitchen while they helped Mrs. Martin in cooking. After dinner they moved to lounge. There was a large screen flat LED television with heavy sound system. Behind them was a large glass window on wall, from where the full moon could be seen peeping through dark clouds. As they entered the lounge & switch the TV on, Mr. Martin put on the channel showing Spanish league Match between Barcelona & Madrid. Soon Mrs. Martin caught hold of the remote & flipped through channels, when Rick asked her to stop at Home Box Office channel, the weekend night matinee was about to start, that they soon found, was film Nightmare on Elm Street.

The family gladly settled upon it, as a horror movie was only good way to add some excitement in that dull day.

The film began with a boy napping in a trailer restaurant & he suddenly stabbed himself with a knife. His lady friend started having dreams of a furnace and a scar faced man trying to kill her.

Mr. Martin was watching film with a serious expression. Mrs. Martin often gave a horrified expression but Rick was being very involved as his deep emotions changed on every scene showed. Then in the film the scarce faced rose his hand that in place of fingers contained a hook & as his hand lower the hook buried in the chest of the girl & cut her till stomach, a flood of blood rose and splashed.

Lights thundered behind them, whole sky lit for a while & then loud thunders made them jump. Mrs. Martin almost let out a cry. Rick was covered in sweat.

‘Fredrick, no, not Fredrick, I am your uncle Freddy, do you want to see the hidden chamber, let’s play hide & seek there?’ the scarce faced man moved toward a boy, the boy shouted and jumped off a cliff. In real he fell off his bed & woke up. There the window in front of him was broken by Fredrick as he forcefully hit his hook on the window. The glass broke with screech & noise.

May be it was the originality of sound that strongest sound system couldn’t adopt or may be something hit Mrs. Martin on back that felt like a piece of glass, that Mrs. Martin look towards the glass window on her back. The glass was shattered.

On this, Mrs. Martin pulled Rick towards her & shouted for Mrs. Martin. He was still watching the film. Before he looked towards the window on his wife’s scream. His eyes met hers and the horror in them gave him the message. He wanted to tell her that the glass might be broken due to some stone or lightening, but he couldn’t. He indicated her something back, through eyes & ran towards table where he left his car keys.

At this point the lights went off. Now Mr. Martin wanted to scream too. He was feeling around things to find his keys while his heart pondered as high as a loud speaker. Surely he was comforting himself by reasoning the storm for black out and some God-damned stone driven by winds for the break out yet something about circumstances were assuring himself that he can’t do it. He can’t be assuring himself with any reasons. And then he got them, around a foot above the table surface hanging in air, or probably on a hook, or on a hooked hand…

Martin raced with keys. He raced to the car where his wife clutched his son, looking as frightened as nothing. Mr. Martin drove through the terrain and only halted at a hotel in nearest town. They checked in for night, yet none of them could manage a doze off. Next day they reached home and cancelled their trip; some time Mr. Martin managed to sell off the hut.

Whenever they discussed about that night in future, somehow they laughed at their extra-ordinary imagination. Of course it was rain all the way. The hut was quite harmless.

Then one day they received strange news. A girl who had arrived to the area for holidays was found dead in the hut living room with her chest slit open with a hook.

In the land of Unjust..

‘Do you remember your Grandpa?’ My father asked me.

‘I have a reminiscence of two gentle, deep blue eyes leaning over. Yet that is all.’ I told.

‘You’re Grandpa possessed an exceptional courage. One day he was passing by a home when he noticed that invaders had raided in a home. A British woman was staying in that home with an NGO. The attackers were well armed and no one dared to confront them except him. It is still incomprehensible that how he knocked them down single handed, however by saving foreign guest he saved the pride and Honor of his country, a longed dream of his, and his heroism was officially recognized by a state medal. His merriment was limitless although for a short period. Just a week later, our home was assaulted and Father and I had to flee to Britain and found asylum there.’ He narrated in a deep voice.
‘Who did this?’ I was astounded.

‘He was a local land lord. Chaudhray Nizam. He had attempted to kidnap the woman at first place. But Father spoiled his scheme. In return he taught father a hard lesson. He even took the medal awarded to him and placed it in his own home, thus to strengthen his horror in the hearts of villagers. While my father died with wish to touch his medal once again. I tried my best to take the medal from him with help of police but in a lawless country, influence is the ultimate power. Nizam hid the medal.’

‘What can I do Papa?’

‘Bring it back to us, my daughter.’

‘Papa I will… Papa’ I shrieked as his hand dropped lifelessly.

The memory shook me when I sat in a bus going through lavish green fields. I was going to mansion of Nizam, as a village researcher. He welcomed me warmly and offered to tour me through his mansion. It was difficult to even fake a smile in front of that nefarious yet I managed a nod. During this trip, I glimpsed a glass showcase, spotless and vacant. I was sure it abided the medal before being veiled and I spent the next day scanning the entire place for it. Since I was a precious object, Nizam could not conceal it in any store room or stable. So I scrutinised all other possible places, but in vain. At last I had to bring Nizam’s son Wahid, a witless boy who seemed overwhelmed by my presence and was desperate to catch my attention, in use. I cunningly inquired him about the secrets of village houses and he offered to show me one secret object he has in his bedroom. Unfortunately Nizam arrived at that time and all of a sudden Wahid looked uncertain. Nevertheless, I sneaked into his room and seek through it. Wearily, I was leaning against a wall after hard work of an hour when unexpectedly, a hollow chamber appeared in the wall. There were several jewels and among them was the gleaming medal.
Just as I was escaping out, Wahid entered in. He replied my startled expression with a meaningful smile and I returned it. ‘Let him live in his dreams’ I thought. 
I sat in a bus going through lavish green fields. I was going to my home and had my family’s possession back. I was guilty on all the rules I had to break. All the lies I had to keep up. But that was all I could do in the land of unfair, use unlawful ways even for the righteous. Thus my conscience felt light as I held the medal tighter.

 

Lemonade

 Who could have looked more concern less than I did on that Sunday noon?  Strolling my fingers through my hair I reposed back against a pillar in the crowded street. However, no one comprehended that I was signaling to the two boys at a corner who signaled me back before slinking through back door of a lemonade shop, in an unobserved manner.  We were companions of Raspberry gang, a club of local teenagers formed for farcical yet we were about to launch an errand on the lemonade shop.

Last week, young Bustep abruptly collapsed while a baseball game and doctors proclaimed that his dilated heart was detriment by some hazardous diet. Among our conjectures, Bustep’s elder brother surmised the lemonade Bustep had been drinking and a few verifications divulged the truth. The vile and abominated owner of the shop Adelaide had blended addictive substances into lemonade to enhance sale, nevertheless in a cunningly proof less way.

The ingredient molests the fragile organs immediately. Bustep’s brother told us. Hence a plan took shape as we amalgamated this information with a well known fact that Adelaide owned a feeble stomach. Further he was a fond of lemonade.

Plum another member of raspberry nodded at me from the shop when I was gazing at the throng of customers. I sensed victory, knowing that our two sharpest allies have accomplished the arduous undertaking of altering Adelaide’s personal and evidently hygienic jug of drink with a corrupted one. Now was my turn. I rushed into the shop and sent the door to a thundering shut. Adelaide frowned ‘Hey! You look handsome behind the counter’. Adelaide stared in amazement, ‘Mr. Lemonade’ I said and Adelaide groaned’ Two lemonade please’ I ordered and grim faced seller, who was serving the customers in between grumbling, dumped two glasses in my hands. Not with standing, my hands were not there, because I had pulled them timely back, sending the lemonades on floor and splashes on Adelaide. He aimed his fists at me and turned to drink some lemonade to extinguish the frustration, the harmful lemonade. That marked my aim, but I adjudged to stay. After half an hour, Adelaide’s grumbling and groans halted with a squeak. Customers gaped at him. There was second one and then Adelaide screeched like a cat. The amazed concourse broke into laughter at the sight, which turned more jocular when a bull frog seemed to yell and Adelaide’s neck swelled up like one too. ‘This is the loudest and fattest toad I have ever witnessed’, a girl smirked. Adelaide retreated back and his hiccups settled, or rather replaced with strange noises coming from his stomach. ‘Timer is set Adelaide will burst anytime’.  Chortles aroused while the clatters evaluated into rumblings. Everyone laughed their hearts out, paying him back for some of his mean comments and rude mien. In between, the doomed shopkeeper hastened and stepped on the dropped lemonade. He fell as such behind the counter that the space fitted him. Viewing several men, attempting to liberate the en masse of flesh and skins made me feel weaker with laughter. When he was conclusively unfettered, he was brought to an inner room. I heard one man telling him,’ ‘it was quite a musical show you gave us’. I was aware that plum would be accompanying Adelaide. Right then I craved to be spectator of her saying; ‘Stop your filthy work now, or we will not even require a laboratory proof of it. You are a living proof of entire stuff yourself’ I also yearned to watch the defeat in Adelaide’s eyes. I sighed and with a chuckle, left through the cachinnation of gleeful mob.