Loss & Regret, A Collective Story (By Lovely, Spandna, Prashant, Meena & Ankit)
ankit govil
The final round begins with the screeching sound of the bell. Supriya’s sweaty forehead wrinkles. The enthralling maddening crowd, the continuous screams and whistles transport her to the musical ballroom of her dances. The scene in the ring, the men moving in sync and the referee’s regular interruptions remind her of the instructor, instructing her to keep to the left during the waltz. She murmured to herself, “Little left Joe, you have to be to his left for the next attack.”
The to and fro deadly attacks on Joe seem like her dance steps at raging speed. She can hear the instructor’s voice, “move with the wind, speed and strength of a storm.”
“He can evade the attacks if he tip-toes faster. His stamina can keep going for a few more minutes,” she says to no one in particular. She remembers her pirouettes and spins before falling through her partner’s arms on the hard wood floor, and the instructor’s scream.
Joe ducks and dodges before the opponent’s blow on his jaw lands him on the floor. The referee starts the countdown. Supriya doesn’t wait for the final bell, she has to rush home to prepare for his surprise.
-x-x-x-
Joe leaves the shower, enters the room toweling his hair. Supriya, with a sheepish look on her face, wonders if he will like her surprise. Maybe it will cheer him up, take his mind off the loss. She holds out the ring on her pam. He looks down at it and glowers, “What’s this?”
Her smile quivers, “I am proposing. Don’t you want to get married?”
He looks down at the ring then at her face. His voice slow and deliberate, “No, I don’t.”
“Why… why not?”
“Why would I? I’m getting enough sex aren’t I?”
The blood drains from her face, “What are you talking about?”
“C’mon, you can’t be serious, Supriya. Why would I want to be tied to a clingy cow when I don’t even get great sex out of the deal?”
Her face hardens. The doctor’s voice echoed in her ears, “Mad Cow, Supriya. I’m sorry; you have 6 months at best.”
“Say that again,” she says, teeth clenched and her hand tightening around the table vase.
“Oh be glad it was only cow you bit—“ his voice is cut mid sentence as the vase flashes through the air. The blood is warm against her skin. It pools around his slumped body, dripping steadily off the table.
-x-x-x-
In her current state, Supriya rushes out the door, running in no particular direction.
Why wouldn’t he marry her? She knows he loved her. Or was it just the sex he wanted? For her it was love, what they had was a lot more than physical contact. An emotional connection. Didn’t he feel it?
She runs across the bridge bumping into people. In her trans she doesn’t hear their cries of anger.
The image keeps coming back. The vase on his head. Was that what she wanted? His blood so warm, so red. She can feel the drops on her face crusting over now. He is gone forever.
The sound of the foaming river brings Supriya back to the present.
-x-x-x-
She stands on the steps of the ghat. Fishermen on the opposite bank were collecting their nets for the day. The day which is slowly coming to its end.
The river calls her like her mother did in the days gone by, “Come to bed Supriya, time to sleep.” Like her mother, the river accepted her without any discrimination.
With each step flashes of the day overpower her. The love of a man, the loss of a partner, her self belief. Maybe the river can cleanse her soul, like the stories mother had told her.
Supriya walks into the river, the deafening silence speaks more to her. As she goes deeper, the guilt of the day slowly leaves her. As if the old Supriya is washed off.
She sinks to the bed below, all she can see are the bubbles raising to the surface.
They sure look pretty.
-x-x-x-
Ramesh Menon
Ramesh Menon
Syndicated Journalist, Film Maker and Corporate Trainer,
2356, ATS Greens Village, 1, Expressway,
Sector 93-A, Noida 201 304.
Handset: 9811633769
Res: 0120-4345676
http://www.linkedin.com/in/journalistramesh
supriya sharma
prashant . anand
Replace ? It is fictional :-) or is it not ?
supriya sharma
We request.
On May 6, 2012 10:05 PM, "supriya sharma" <supri...@gmail.com> wrote:Fictional or otherwise, you shouldn't use a group member's name for such a story without permission.
govil...@gmail.com
Do you want us to rework this in class? Or work on it as homework?
Ramesh Menon
ankit govil
The final round begins with the screeching sound of the bell. Ankita’s sweaty forehead wrinkles. The enthralling maddening crowd, the continuous screams and whistles transport her to the musical ballroom of her dances. The scene in the ring, the men moving in sync and the referee’s regular interruptions remind her of the instructor, instructing her to keep to the left during the waltz. She murmured to herself, “Little left Joe, you have to be to his left for the next attack.”
The to and fro deadly attacks on Joe seem like her dance steps at raging speed. She can hear the instructor’s voice, “move with the wind, speed and strength of a storm.”
“He can evade the attacks if he tip-toes faster. His stamina can keep going for a few more minutes,” she says to no one in particular. She remembers her pirouettes and spins before falling through her partner’s arms on the hard wood floor, and the instructor’s scream.
Joe ducks and dodges before the opponent’s blow on his jaw lands him on the floor. The referee starts the countdown. Ankita doesn’t wait for the final bell, she has to rush home to prepare for his surprise.
-x-x-x-
Joe leaves the shower, enters the room toweling his hair. Ankita, with a sheepish look on her face, wonders if he will like her surprise. Maybe it will cheer him up, take his mind off the loss. She holds out the ring on her pam. He looks down at it and glowers, “What’s this?”
Her smile quivers, “I am proposing. Don’t you want to get married?”
He looks down at the ring then at her face. His voice slow and deliberate, “No, I don’t.”
“Why… why not?”
“Why would I? I’m getting enough sex aren’t I?”
The blood drains from her face, “What are you talking about?”
“C’mon, you can’t be serious, Ankita. Why would I want to be tied to a clingy cow when I don’t even get great sex out of the deal?”
Her face hardens. The doctor’s voice echoed in her ears, “Mad Cow, Ankita. I’m sorry; you have 6 months at best.”
“Say that again,” she says, teeth clenched and her hand tightening around the table vase.
“Oh be glad it was only cow you bit—“ his voice is cut mid sentence as the vase flashes through the air. The blood is warm against her skin. It pools around his slumped body, dripping steadily off the table.
-x-x-x-
In her current state, Ankita rushes out the door, running in no particular direction.
Why wouldn’t he marry her? She knows he loved her. Or was it just the sex he wanted? For her it was love, what they had was a lot more than physical contact. An emotional connection. Didn’t he feel it?
She runs across the bridge bumping into people. In her trans she doesn’t hear their cries of anger.
The image keeps coming back. The vase on his head. Was that what she wanted? His blood so warm, so red. She can feel the drops on her face crusting over now. He is gone forever.
The sound of the foaming river brings Ankita back to the present.
-x-x-x-
She stands on the steps of the ghat. Fishermen on the opposite bank were collecting their nets for the day. The day which is slowly coming to its end.
The river calls her like her mother did in the days gone by, “Come to bed Ankita, time to sleep.” Like her mother, the river accepted her without any discrimination.
With each step flashes of the day overpower her. The love of a man, the loss of a partner, her self belief. Maybe the river can cleanse her soul, like the stories mother had told her.
Ankita walks into the river, the deafening silence speaks more to her. As she goes deeper, the guilt of the day slowly leaves her. As if the old Ankita is washed off.
ankit govil
Regards
supriya sharma
govil...@gmail.com
prashant . anand
We request.
Lovely Zogta
Regards,
Lovely Zogta
govil...@gmail.com
Though we could broadcast your plans for your parts and we can all contribute to it.
Please note this is not just for the 5 of us who wrote it. Opinions and suggestions of the rest of the group is welcome too. Supriya, Renuka & Shashank.