Tag: short story

Thrill seeker

It was so typical of her that it surprised no one. Her parents wouldn’t worry much either and her teachers decided to hold off telling them until she returned.

Because she always did.

Merlyn took pride in projecting herself as such—unashamed, unapologetic, and uninterested in socialising. Her unconventional preferences singled her out amongst contemporaries. No one knew what went on inside her head, but they knew she’d run away on her own during every class picnic.

Hours later, with twigs in her hair and mud on her clothes, Merlyn came back from an adventure her friends only read about.

Restrictions

“As quoted above, the directors of the board, in a unanimous decision, have agreed to terminate the alleged accusations placed on it by the self-proclaimed advocates of rights. It is hereby declared that any individual or group, with our without legal advice, can no longer seek or demand the permission of the board or any other decision-level authority for additional time off of premises for purposes including, by not limited to, spring breaks or bearing offsprings.”

Huh?

“Sorry miss,” Julia’s supervisor sighed before raising his voice over the din of machines and hum of laboured men, “No maternity leave here.”

Workplace matters

“It’s upto you. Find a creative way to handle this.”

“But—”

“You’re an adult. This is a workplace. You should be able to deal with petty things like this.”

A lewd co-worker isn’t a petty thing, Meriam wanted to scream. But it was her first week at her first job. She didn’t want to screw things up for herself. She left the HR cubicle ransacking her brain and digging into the flesh of her fingers.

It hadn’t taken long to land her in an asylum. A couple of months— that’s all he’d needed to neutralise her, her reality as imagination.

Face value

“Wow!”

Applause broke out as the poet bowed, concluding his recital. Appreciation rang across the auditorium shoving excitement down his spine. How long he’d awaited this.

“He seems so conversant with the realities of poor kids in third world countries. He’s done his home work well, I should say,” the director of Save our Souls gestured at the telecast on TV. “Perhaps he should be our ambassador.” She raised her eyebrows at her husband, the investor.

The poet went home to his six children. Children he’d rescued from Save our Souls, an organisation that raised funds by starving the starved.

The determinant

“You’ve been up all night?” Asked Andrew. “You don’t have to work so hard, you know.” Esther’s colleague had popped into her workspace with his chai latte. She didn’t reply right away. She was focussed on the micro organisms, and trying to discern a behavioural pattern.

“Well, it’s my job, Andrew.” She replied tearing her tired eyes from the microscope and rubbing them with her fingers. “But you’re right, I should get home. See what the kids are up to.”

“Damn straight I’m right.” Andrew bobbed his head raising his latte as a gesture to her.

“You’re a single mom, you don’t have to hustle so much. Why don’t you get your ex-husband to split finances with you? You’re raising the kids, and it’s only fair that he does his duty as father and man.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?” Esther raised her eyebrows at Andrew. She was tired, but not unstable. She knew what he hinted at.

“Well, it’s the man’s duty to bring home the money. You don’t have to.” He shrugged. Esther’s expression hardened. Andrew didn’t realise what he was saying.

“I’m a scientist, Andrew. I won’t compromise my duty just because I’m a woman.”