Gayathri's Prose and Poetry

  A Deepavali to Remember Karthik wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead with his tired hands. He was a little boy, just a few weeks shy of ten.  He, along with other kids his age, had to wake up before five every morning, travel in a bus, and start making firecrackers as soon as they reached the factory. They had to work until six in the evening, in a dark, dingy room, with no protection from the dangerous chemicals.  It was 6 in the evening, and the sun had almost set, casting shadows on the already dimly lit factory.  “That’s it for today,” said a deep voice, who seemed to be in charge. Karthik got up, looking as though the entire life had drained out of him.  There seemed to be no ray of hope left in his life. He trudged slowly to the bus that would take him back home, where he’d sleep, only to wake up to the same fate, the next day.  Karthik sighed. In one week it would be Deepavali, but he wouldn’t be able to light lamps, burst firecrackers or eat a ...

  Trapped ‘Whoosh.’ The wind howled and Lucy could feel a shiver run down her spine as it blew fiercely. Lucy, who had decided to explore the woods behind her house, now found herself lost. Suddenly, she felt something wet on her head. She looked up and was greeted by a drop of water on her face. Within a few minutes, it started to rain. Lucy looked up and saw some light in a tree. She could make out a treehouse amongst the branches. A rope ladder emerged from the branches as if beckoning her to take shelter in the treehouse. Lucy caught hold of the ladder and started climbing up. She could feel the wind picking up, and the rain intensifying. She gripped the ladder firmly and tried to climb as fast as she could. As soon as she reached the entrance, she stepped inside and was surprised to find the treehouse empty. The door suddenly closed behind her and it became quiet. Lucy was surprised by the sudden change of atmosphere. From outside, the treehouse had looked as if ...

  The Mysterious Silhouette The sun was about to set. It looked like someone had painted the sky, starting with bright colors at the bottom, and finishing with dark shades at the top, each color perfectly blending in with the next.  Saanvi was enjoying her short vacation at Dumas Beach in Gujarat. The soft sand beneath her feet, with the waves gently washing them and the scenic beauty around, was a perfect escape from her monotonous work schedule. She sighed as she stared at the birds flying back to their homes in a perfect V- formation. Saanvi wished she could stay there forever.  The sky was now being dominated by hues of violet and mauve. The sun was slowly disappearing below the horizon when she saw the silhouette of a woman a few feet away from her. There were quite a few people scattered across the beach, but Saanvi felt that something was intriguing about this woman. She didn't seem very far away from her, yet all Saanvi could see was the woman's silhouette. As if ...