Shail’s Nest

- A 55 words story

“Who spilt the paint??” the mother asked angrily.
“Not I… ” Little heads shook denying.
“It’s you!” the mother accused her.
“I didn’t” she said indignantly.
“Liar!!!”
The boy smiled weakly, in embarrassment.
“It’s him,” she pointed.
“Oh was it you darling??” the mother smiled, hugging the son.
The non-liar daughter stood watching from the sidelines.

– a 55 word story

“Show me your lunch-box!” the mother-in-law demanded.
She obediently showed the small-sized rotis, the sparse vegetables.
“Three??!” she hissed spitefully, taking one out, throwing it to the dog.
At noon, her co-workers shared from their lunch-boxes.
Her eyes overflowed at their kindness, remembering with sadness, the unkind grandmother of the baby growing in her [...]

- a 55 word story

“Go inside”
“Why??”
“You can read in your room”
“I want to sit here and read. It’s cooler here…”
“Some boys are loitering outside.”
“So??”
“They are staring at you…”
“So??”
She didn’t see the slap coming.
“Go inside, now!”
She went in quietly.
She learnt: When boys ogled her, it was somehow her fault.

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The above is a 55-word [...]

– a 55-word story.

“You haven’t done your home-work again!” the paan-chewing teacher spat exasperated.
He smiled insolently, not condescending to answer.
Some girls giggled. His eyes searched for her among them.
“Get out!” shouted the teacher.
He walked out of the class to the previously chosen tree, settling on a branch.
Now he could see her even better.

She fed them herself. Each rice-ball shaped with the right amount of vegetables, dal, rice ….and love that swelled in her heart. She stroked them gently till they slept, peacefully.
In the morning, the police came. As they led her away, she gave her son-in-law a crooked smile of triumph.
He couldn’t hurt them anymore!

“Chinese!” she smiled.
“Sure!!” he replied gallantly.
His heart sank watching her expertly handling chop-sticks.
She looked enquiringly at his untouched plate.
“Upset tummy…” he feigned.
“Awww…!” she sympathized.
As he lay in bed, rats gnawing his insides, he vowed to fortify himself with his mother’s tasty curd-rice before next venturing to a Chinese restaurant.

Note: From [...]

“Here is a rainbow. For you!” he said.
She extended her hand to accept, her eyes shining with colors far brighter.
He quickly withdrew his hands making the colors vanish in a flash.
“The rainbow doesn’t belong to you alone…” he said laughing. “Fooled you!!”
“You didn’t have to….” she replied “I was born one.”