FORTY WINKS

(  The short story fiction category was chosen for an online writing competition. The story began as a 50-word submission I wrote for a prompt on Instagram.) The Patterns In The Sky Ten-year-old Nina pointed towards the sky, her eyes sparkling with wonder.  "Look, Mom, the sky looks so beautiful," she exclaimed. It was a cold, dreary morning in January, and the looming clouds veiled the entire landscape. Nina and her mother, Neelam, were nestled in the tranquil embrace of their farmhouse courtyard, enveloped by the undisturbed rural panorama. As Neelam hesitantly looked up from the book she was engrossed in, she couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between the dull, gray sky and her daughter's vibrant, elated expression. Instead of basking in the warmth of her daughter's joy, she was unexpectedly trapped by a bewildering surge of conflicting emotions. Unsure of navigating this whirlwind of feelings, she was transfixed. She realized that this moment would ma...

          ( This short story was selected in an online writing competition.)                                                                                                        Dear “M” Among the stacks of books, I noticed an old novel. Curious, I grabbed it up. The author was not celebrated, and the cover had a neon green text with the simple title "Dear M." I went up to the storekeeper to ask what the pricing was. "Take it as a gift; the novel has been waiting for you," he said, a smile showing through his wrinkles. I felt strange because the shopkeeper had never been so kind. Mom would take me shopping on my birthdays. She adored giving books as gifts, and I loved to read. However, I have paid the...