She's late, as usual

Writing Five Sentence Fiction on the word prompt this week- Waiting. Click here for other entries.

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I met her for the first time, my new roommate, after waiting outside our room for an hour; apparently she had been sleeping soundly inside.

I waited for her to gulp down all the shots on the table and then held her hair back while she threw up in the basin; I wasn't going to let her suffer alone.

I waited for her, wearing my white veil, while she looked at herself in the mirror for the umpteenth time, applying some more gloss now, readying herself to walk me down the aisle; I wasn't going to let her miss a minute of my wedding.

I waited for her to arrive at the venue before starting my speech, as I grabbed my first award; I couldn't do this without her.

Today I'm waiting for her again, on the death bed, creating her worried, panicked face's images in my mind; I'm not dying without seeing her for the last time.

©SoumyaaVerma

For, the House

Writing for Friday Fictioneers again, hosted by Rochelle here. 

The smell of antiquity filled my nostrils as I entered my new residence.

"You know the history," my broker had exclaimed, "Everybody who has lived here has turned out to be a legendary writer! Daniel Defoe, Dickens, Christie and most recently, Rowling."

I could be next.

"Yes, you could be!" He read my thoughts. "Sign up for a bright future, now." I bought his house and his tales.

As I now sit at the same exquisite table and write my first piece, I can already feel words coming naturally to me. You might just see my name in this year's bestsellers!

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Here's to our lucky places, lucky houses, lucky pens, lucky days, lucky colors and everything lucky. Here's to the futility of acknowledging luck.   

The butterfly effect

At long last she found that butterfly, reveling its reunion with the garden flowers. Butterflies show semblance to freedom, she had heard. Envious, she carefully grabbed and bottled it, hindering its bond.

"Siya, come on get back to studies", her mom called. Ah, reunions!

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Written for From 15 to 50 prompt by Shailaja V. She's started a new monthly challenge and it's already so much fun! Go pay her a visit.

The Map

Writing for the Five Sentence Fiction prompt- MAPS 

Image source- Creativebloq.com

I thought I knew what 'complete' felt like when he found the map to me, making me smile and laugh and cry and grow under the bubble that covered us.

Now thousand miles apart, spaces have grown in our togetherness.

But mourn not for us, for we found happiness in the drops of the sea between the shores of our souls. 

Last night, he visited, finally holding the map to my body. I think I now know what 'complete' feels like.

                                                      

Book review- Is This Love and Automn- The Last Leaf

BOOK REVIEW

Is This Love and Autumn- The Last Leaf

SYNOPSIS:

The book is compiled of two stories "Is This Love" and "Autumn- the last leaf". Both the stories, though quite different, revolve around friendship and love.

'Is This Love' is the story of how two friends find the love of their lives in each other. Vishaal (notice the double 'a') and Sheetal are liberal youngsters who live together in the same house, though never having got physically close. The two have been together for each other in the highs and lows of their lives and that has eventually led them to fall for the other, secretly. They realise this only after the entry of Aman in Sheetal's life. Caught in her own perplexity, Sheetal decides it's too late for her to revert back and ends up marrying Aman. As their journey unfolds, you will see the different shades of love that color the lives of the three. I'm not going to give the end away and spoil the fun of reading the book for you guys, but yes, the end left me the reader satisfied.

'Autumn- the last leaf' is more of a thriller entwined with love and friendship. The story starts with Neha's dream where she sees that her friend Kathy is in danger. Neha often sees such dreams which later come true. A series of events that follow make Neha realise that she is indefinitely in love with Kedar. But Kedar marries Samiksha, a charming woman and a good wife to Kedar. However, an unfortunate even in Kedar's life brings Neha back to him again. But as hard as she tries, she cannot get Kedar out of mourning. She finally decides to let her lust rule. But how close can she really get? Somewhere, Neha's dream holds the key to those unanswered events. The havoc of an obsessive love has been presented by the Author in a very believable manner.

CHARACTER SKETCH:

I liked the character of Vishaal, from the first story. He was an understanding, caring and a composed person. Sheetal, on the other hand, I could not much relate to. The author has formed her character thoughtfully and tried to make her more like the contemporary girl, and yet there were times when I wanted to shout through the book to tell her to get a spine. The characters of the second book are more relateable I think. The conflict that Neha goes through, her thoughts and her feelings are radiated through the book to the reader. Allowing Samiksha to be this beautiful person that the author has made her, was a good choice I think.

NARRATION:

If you have a O' Henry or a Nicholas sparks book in mind when you begin reading this, get rid of those suppositions. Go read this book without any expectation EXCEPT to just enjoy two beautiful stories, sitting by the window on a rainy evening. The author has used a very simple english to narrate these stories to her readers. I liked the parts where she has given a larger meaning to some smaller acts. Like when Sheetal's tear falls on a card she's reading, given by Vishaal, and it falls just where Vishaal's tear had fallen when he'd been writing the card, thus uniting the two forever- extracts the author.
I wouldn't say it was a very powerful narration, but a narration which could hold you onto the book and leave you wanting to know more as the story unfolds. Just don't compare the book with any other book of the same genre. It's not meant to be that way, the author has only intended telling you a story through her perception, her eyes. And she's done that well.

VERDICT:
I'd call it simple but intriguing.

Visit Arti Honrao's page here

An interview with Arti shall be coming up soon, so stay tuned!