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 humble dedication from me to all the girl children of the world who face the ignominy of gender discrimination.

You tell me I was born
Very near midnight
When there was no light
On a very dark night.
Is it my fault
I was born at night??
Tell me Mother
Doesn’t day follow night??

The ink I spilt
Makes you so angry
When it [...]