CREATIVITY HUNTER

I WRITE,READ,ADMIRE

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OK..,BUT BE HAPPY :)

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SHORTSTORY, PART-20 !! THE UNSEEN by AUTHOR MAHIZHAVATHANA

BREAK THE POT:

Murali and Himaye were shocked to see Amy at the gateway, gesturing like welcoming the couples with a huge bouquet and a fake smile. Her eyes spilled excess fire that resulted from Murali’s refusal later that afternoon. Both of them approached slowly and crossed Amy. The thrill filled their space, “Congratulations!, Both of you,” sneered Amy. The pure awkwardness of the moment threatened to swallow them whole. Himaye turned back and said her thanks politely, noticing her gaze was fixed on Murali. She already knew that she was obsessed with Murali and jealous of her. She realized the situation and walked towards the grand hall, half-full with couples and happiness, love, whatnot!. The lovebirds were chatting, and their laughter filled the hall. Goshan kept shouting at the workers, as he was in charge. Murali approached his friend, Goshan was super surprised to see them both coming and exclaimed,”Wooahh hoo! Look at that !” and hugged Murali tightly, he even lifted his friend. While Goshan lifted Murali, he noticed that Goshan’s girlfriend, Louise, was there. “Oh, is she joining us?” asked Murali, surprisingly. Lou was happy to see them coming together. Himaye rushed and hugged Lou. The stage was ready, and Goshan was hosting the show. He even passed secret hints to his gf which made the show more interesting and romantic. Murali was excited to see his friend having a good life, and Himaye’s presence made his pleasure double. 

Amy was watching the proceedings from a corner, where she could visibly watch everything. Goshan was supposed to call a woman with good regards to the stage to start the party by addressing everyone in that hall. She was about to give a good speech and was planning to conduct a game. But unfortunately, Amy tore the stage, got the mic, and started lamenting in front of everyone. She knew Murali’s reputation in the office, and Himaye was growing. She had to cut off her growth and pin Murali, and she was going to use this moment. Her entrance made the situation uglier in an instant.

—-

“Hey, hey, uhmm, sorry that I had to snatch the mic and your attention, haha, a quick story, and first of all, I would like to congratulate the beautiful butterflies here. Who came with their pair, or solo appearance, like me!” she pointed herself to show off as she got sabotaged by someone. “So happy to see you all buzzing and happily holding your loveable ones’ hands together,” and gave a burning look at Himaye. I would like to call my favourite character here, who rejected me for a cheap one, which I could forgive, but I would love to hear his voice on this stage, and I insist him to dance with me on the stage! Everybody started to murmur, “Omg, she is making Murali uncomfortable, so sad!” “She is disturbing us. Why can’t they just start the show, and I can dance and forget my ex?” spoke a frustrated and honest man. Now, Murali had no choice; he had to leave his love for a moment and appear on the stage to show his side of concern to the people waiting below. Murali slowly moved forward, which made Himaye worried, but she accepted it later. Then Murali’s subconscious told him,” We have to end this here and now!” He confidently grabbed the god damn mic, checked the output, and Goshan was worryingly watching his friend. Murali gave an assured look at his friend, that he will take care of it. 

“Hello all.., hope you guys are doing great, of course, you are. You guys are sparkling when you are with your loved ones, so am I,” and gave Himaye a caring look that put a smile on her anxious face instantly. The gathering was awestruck to see their head in such a situation and surprised that he liked a girl, finally, which gave disappointment to some women who were secretly in love with him. Murali continued, “Let me finish with a small story, you all. I am keeping myself here. I was sitting on a balcony, in a beautiful 7 pm evening, the sun was resting, and the moon was about to take charge. The breeze was strong yet calm. I saw a beautiful firefly hovering around the garden, which had beautiful daisies and sprouts that had been planted that morning. I was admiring the whole scenario. But when I was about to get closer, the realization hit hard. It was not a beautiful firefly with a light of hope; it was a bird that was carrying a hidden fire in its claws, and the fire kept spreading throughout the garden. The cinder damaged the sprouts. The breeze kept the cinder growing; now, everyone is in danger!” People were listening to him very keenly as he was leading a meeting. It was easier for Murali to keep people engaged and send a message, as he had been doing this for years now. “It was not a cute firefly; it is a bird with unhealed fire, that gave illusion from a distance. Thank you,” finished Murali. The crowd clapped him, as there was a hidden meaning in it. Some doubted themselves for choosing the wrong pair, as they had to come with one person to get entry, which could spoil their nice moment. 

Goshan had no words to extol his friend’s confidence and manliness. Himaye was in the Himalayas of pride. Amy’s face was dead, her evil plans too. Murali got off the stage by forcefully pushing the mic to Amy and gave her a look of “stop”. 

Ganesh was clapping thunderously, which made Goshan feel fishy. “Ganesh said that he was in love with someone he was about to reveal, but we didn’t give a ear to him, let me find it out,” thought Goshan. While everybody was clapping, Himaye rushed towards Murali, and Ganesh lunged towards Murali before Himaye and hugged him tightly. Goshan’s head was about to burst with suspicion. He kept looking at Murali, Himaye, and Ganesh. Ganesh smelt his doubt, and he started to move towards Goshan while Goshan had to finish the stage scenario. Goshan left the stage open and grabbed Lou to dance. The air felt romantic, and Ganesh gave a revealing look at him. He understood that he had to make conversation. Ganesh started to break the pot. “Do you have any idea how the heck, Himaye’s uncle Jason knew her new company ?. How did he know her transformation/” Goshan gave a confused look and was waiting for the reply. “Uncle Jason had two sons, Jiva, Ganesh!,. Yes, I am his younger son. Himaye is my cousin. I made a huge mistake by updating him about Himaye. That is how my father approached her family without any alarm with a marriage proposal. Fortunately, my brother Jiva is in love with another woman from his office, and next, my dad pressured me to marry Himaye, whom I could not even dream of. She is my good friend, and I was thinking of saying this to you. I am sorry!. I was scared of getting judged.” Goshan was still in confusion. “Whom do you love then?. What is her name? Please reveal it at least now!” Groaned Goshan.

It is Himadri!. She joined last month, but I have been watching her for a year. We share the same transport. Ganesh smiled. Goshan smiled in relief. Goshan rubbed his palms against his poor face and sighed louder in relief. He felt like the weight was dragged down from his chest.

—---------------

Murali was dancing and chatting with his girlfriend, Himaye, when a thorn was pricking his brain. He has to open up to Himaye, but he cannot. He was scared whether she could leave forever. He cannot hide a rock under a blanket. He had to tell her somehow, but didn’t know how. He was continuously rubbing his fists and palms. Himaye sensed it and gave him a “anything else/” look, which gave him an ignition to start his long-term cry.

[wiredmagnanimousadmirer]

SHORT STORY, PART 19--THE UNSEEN by AUTHOR MAHIZHAVATHANA

QUIET ORBIT:

Murali was very conscious of his outfit for that evening. Yes, the prom was here, and everybody was ready to get themselves in a sharp and crisp outfit to impress. His DJ called him and asked for the playlist. Murali was fumbling. He couldn’t be specific, but his brain was overflowing. Goshan was his perfect DJ. Now, Goshan tried to suggest some audio that would be suitable for the situation. Goshan was very much interested in making his friend Murali’s special moment into a movie. Unfortunately, the other side, Murali, was unable to choose his matching trousers. As a consequence, he gave his friend an open opportunity to choose something by himself, thinking that he could deal with it after he found his lost trousers on the first hand.

Murali got an ‘OK’ from the other side, and the call was about to stop, when Murali overheard Amy’s voice,” What are you planning today? Are you in this plan too, Gosh?’ in a wrathful voice. 

Murali’s blood flow paused and then resumed. He was not expecting her voice. He couldn’t accept the fact that she was ready with something for the prom; he was worried about her inability to go with the flow. He revived, and got his outfit ready, and the cologne, which was his lucky charm for years, was waiting for the moment to get acknowledged by his pair. The late afternoon had come. He thought of leaving his house as soon as possible. 

_______

“Mom, can I wear your saree today?” Himaye cheerfully asked her mom. “Why not, sweety? Choose whatever you want,” Her mother, Natali, was aware of the situation and gave her an open choice. Himaye joyfully chose a saree without a matching blouse, but she was already ready to mix and match. Her mom was looking keenly at her daughter. This situation reminded her of the past incident where Himaye was little and rolled herself in her mom’s saree, stood in front of the mirror, reflecting her mother. Natali was watching her daughter doing the same now with the hidden tears. She wished her daughter the very best without any idea of the man her daughter was interested in. Himaye set everything for the evening and left out for shopping with Ganesh, who was a fanboy of Murali. They both went to an ice cream shop while cracking jokes, and made the whole shop stare at them. Ganesh and Himaye then went to a textile shop where Ganesh chose an outfit to his taste and asked Himaye whether that would be suitable for him!. 

Himaye already had her outfit ready, but was wandering to shop for matching jewellery. She even video-called Murali; he was surprised to see Himaye on the call. He loved her taste, and then he decided to match her. Ganesh waved Murali through the screen. Everything went smoothly and according to the plan.

Ganesh and Himaye then had their lunch and left before the sun hit the west. Amy was the only one who was burning herself and planning to gain everybody’s sympathy. Goshan had his well-fitted vest, handy and called his girlfriend, Louise, to show off his outfit, and mock her in the usual way. Louise was planning to give him a surprise visit, poor bf was not aware of it, and Louise was playing along.

—------------

The purple spread on the sky matched Himaye’s blouse, and the pink which layered the clouds, interestingly, convinced Murali’s blush. The whole sky was displaying colours that overcame the buzzing warm solar lights in people’s yards. Murali pulled up in his most favourite car in front of Himaye’s apartment, which impressed her dad, Peterson, who was watching the parking show through the window and looked surprised at Murali, and searched for his wife, Natali, who was standing behind him, watching the same. Natali called out Himaye, who already knew Murali’s arrival, and came down in a most stunning outfit. The saree looked more beautiful on her than on her mom, as felt by her dad. She approached the door, avoiding her parents' eye contact and opened the door once the doorbell rang. Murali was awestruck to see his future in the prettiest way, who had gotten ready only for him!. Himaye’s eye scanned his outfit and deduced that Murali had failed to match her outfit. He even talked to her through his innocent eyes, whether she liked his so-called matching outfit. He thought deep rose seemed to be purple.

Natali jumped in and invited Murali into the house; later on, her husband, Peterson, joined in. Murali slowly entered the house and caught the eye of her brother, Ruban, and they hugged each other. Her brother was very happy that his sister escaped from a python which craves fame and money. Whoever the man may be, his sister should choose him. That was all his concern. Murali had a nice little talk with Himaye’s family. He was very polite and nice enough to invite her parents to his house. Himaye and Murali left the house by holding each other’s arms. Both looked like a mature, lovable couple. Himaye’s whole family waved them, and her mom watched till the car disappeared.

Both looked at each other frequently throughout the drive. The car halted at a traffic signal, and Murali started talking. “I am super excited to dance with you”, and pursed his lips. Himaye smiled and smirked. “You know how to dance?. If you need experience, you can dance with your female fanbase from our department, they're more interested in you! teased Himaye.Murali was suffering from his word scarcity and cleared his throat, wishing he could move the car faster. 

The climate was very romantic, but unfortunately, they were going to stay indoors for the whole prom. Himaye was an admirer; she kept looking through the windows, giving a big sigh now and then. This made Murali doubt himself, that he was not entertaining enough. Finally, they reached the destination. Murali parked his car in a spacious lot and scrambled to open the door for his girl, but she was standing behind him before he reached the other side. Both of them gave each other a look and secretly admired, then they started walking towards the party hall, where Amy was standing with a bouquet that caught everybody's eyes, including Murali and Himaye’s. 

[wiredmagnanimousadmirer]

SHORTSTORY, PART-18- THE UNSEEN BY

AUTHOR MAHIZHAVATHANA

12.30 PM :

Himaye was in the midst of self-conversation. “Am I in love? Or is it just an attraction?” She was very conscious this time; she didn’t want to lose her mental peace in the name of love. She was having her perfectly brewed coffee, at the right temperature, with the right amount of caffeine, staring out her window, which displayed the gleaming sun, hovering over a small pond formed by the previous rain, which remained still for hours. She didn’t want to disclose her date to her family or friends. Murali asked her the same. “Hey, let us save this secret until a special day comes, ok?”His voice was wandering inside her head and left a sweet print on her heart.

Himaye’s mom, Natali, noticed that her daughter was slowly sipping her hot coffee and drifting into deep thoughts. All her mom could worry about is her upcoming unseen relationship. Natali approached her daughter and placed her fingers and then her palm successively on Himaye’s shoulder, which gave an instant alarm to Himaye. She was afraid for the first time by looking at her mom closely, wondering whether she had already smelled her stream of self-discussion.

“Are you ok, sweety? I am here to help you, you can tell me!” minced Natali with her careful and caressing words. Himaye tried to conceal," Uh, nothing, Mom. I am fine, just me and my coffee, and I’m admiring through the window?” “Admiring at nothing, darling?” questioned her mother. This left Himaye awestruck, and she was derailed by her mom’s investigation. Her mother could definitely sense her secret, yet wanted to hear from her daughter’s mouth.

‘Uh, Mom, I am your best friend. Ain’t I?’ doubted Himaye. Natali gave a soft look and continued, “Why not? We have been besties since you started talking to me. You can be open to me.” Natali did her best to make her daughter feel emotionally safe. She tucked Himaye’s hair over her ears. Himaye continued,” Mom, there is this guy whom I recently admired, and he loves me, but he is an introvert, not yet officially proposed to me, but he will soon, and I can assure you that. I like him too, Mom. I think I am seeing my future in front of me.” “In front of you or in him?” asked Mom, with a curious tone that intentionally made her daughter blush. Her blush acted as the meter of how deeply she is in love. 

Himaye’s mother, Natali, was secretly smiling under her chin and excessively happy for her grown-up little girl. I am so happy for you, but your boyfriend said not to disclose it, right?” asked Natali sarcastically. “Mom, but you have been my bestie for years!, and I can only rely on you!, please guide me,” requested Himaye, with a worried frown on her forehead. Natali could only see a 10-year-old girl who was pleading for extra playtime from her mom!. 

*******************************

Murali was reading his all-time favourite romantic novel, relaxed on his rocking chair, with his cool glasses on. That morning, his dad was pretending to read the old newspaper, using the paper as a shield and watching his son, who seemed to be in his teenage years. Murali was extra conscious, like a frightened cat who was doubting his dad could watch his sudden behavioral change. Denver felt happy and wanted to know what was wrong with his son. Maybe the meds made his son mad. Something else was fishy enough to make Murali’s dad watch his son consistently. But Koyal, Murali’s mom, knew what was actually surprisingly making her son lighter.

The checkups showed that Murali’s body was capable of the CAR-T therapy, and he is going to undergo the biggest examination of his life. His parents were worried, but Murali could feel what was happening around him, but also excited for his new beginning, before the tornado tended to pass on.Murali  was reading, side-by-side, and he was thinking of revealing his condition to Himaye. He had no idea how he was going to open it up, but the confirmation of his prom night with her gave him a boost. After a while, he took his phone and kept on swiping the pics like a sloth, and his thumb and forefinger kept on zooming while his eyes sparked multiple times. He gently kept on pushing the chair with his toenails; his mind was busy hugging a person through the picture. Finally, the HCL from his stomach demanded something to munch on, he decided to get up and hit the off button on his phone, and simultaneously saw his dad’s gigantic figure behind him with a pinned stare looking at the same screen the whole time. 

There is no way he could hide anymore; his dad almost knew what was going on, but the most awaited period is yet to come; he was saving the curiosity for the same wind to pass. Murali pretended like he had an urgent call and tried to leave the room while his fingers accidentally slipped away the novel, which he was reading, that caught his dad Denver’s attention. He was smiling under his shirt, but didn’t want to discuss more. On the other hand, Murali had a real call; the ringtone made the situation even more tangled. He flew away, embarrassed, and looked over the screen to know who the demon had sent to cause the discomfort. The god damn call was from Amy, demanding to meet him the next morning. Murali insisted on knowing the reason for the meeting and got to know that it was about the prom, and Amy was desperate to go to the prom with Murali. She just wanted to show off her obsession and capability to date a handsome, young man who was already seated in a remarkable position in her office. Murali observed her intention for a long time and never gave a thought to her invitation. “I am not interested right now, Amy, I am busy and ..you know? I am not interested. Hope you understood,” stuttered Murali. There was an awkward silence that filled the conversation. “You know what,? I will prove that I am the best choice you could make, I know who is on your mind, that is this new mouse, Himaye!” tiraded Amy. Once Murali heard that she was about to pull his life's favourite into this conversation, he felt the heat over his head and tried to end the conversation forcefully. Amy challenged him for nothing and said that he could see worse in the prom and aborted the call. Poor Murali!

[ariesrin]

The worst part about writing is that sometimes you actually have to write.

The best part about writing is also that sometimes you have to write.

I will not elaborate further.

[ariesrin]

The worst part about writing is that sometimes you actually have to write.

The best part about writing is also that sometimes you have to write.

I will not elaborate further.

[wiredmagnanimousadmirer]

Short story, PART -17 THE UNSEEN by AUTHOR MAHIZHAVATHANA

THE RAIN DID IT!

It was a fine morning, and the sunshine entered Murali’s window confidently. The dust wandered freely into the beam's stream, like the kids on the ground. Murali’s mom’s cardamom tea filled the air, and his dad’s newspaper turned asmr; all these felt fresh to him. He went to the kitchen and poured the aromatic tea into his nice sparkling teacup and sat near his favourite windowside, with a slight blush on his cheeks. His conversation with Himaye, from his first date, swirled in his mind.

 It was a nice evening, and the sun was about to log out for the day. He was waiting in the very place and had reserved a table near the window, which showcased the beauty of the streets with fairy lights and the laughter of teens, as their vacation mode was about to turn on.

 Rainy clouds were already in line to swallow the sun’s beam, and the slight breeze hugged the streets, passing gently to every flower in the nearby florist shop. The flower shop was comfortably seated next to the restaurant, where people pick up the flowers for their loved ones. Murali thought to pick from there too, but didn't have any idea what to choose, and finally picked up a bouquet with lots of greens and random flowers. He sat very comfortably, but his heart was pounding, his eyes were expecting Himaye’s arrival, which could happen anytime. 

Rain started to pour, and Himaye’s arrival was happening simultaneously, as she was aware that her dress was safe. She didn’t want her outfit to get soaked. She was searching for his muscle man around, and finally her sight perched on the raised arms of Murali. She was admiring the rain from inside and walked gracefully towards Murali, and gave him his lifetime’s candy-like experience to chew on whenever needed. She placed her practical handbag to the side and asked him, “Am I late for the date?’ with a hesitant smile. Murali was pouring hot water into the glasses and nodded, “No, I have been here for 10 minutes. Lie! He has been waiting here for 30 minutes. 

To avoid the gentle awkwardness and to crave something, Murali called out the server and ordered his favourite, which he had been having in the dark since his childhood, that had loads of sugar. Himaye ordered a spicy starter to kick start the rainy mode on. “I lOve rain!, but only to admire, I just don’t want to get drenched in the shower outside”, added Himaye. Murali opened his mouth and laughed like he had heard the best joke for a month. They were gazing at each other’s sweet faces and how best their outfits fit each other by wandering their eyeballs, when the other one was not noticing.”So..uh, I want to know something from you, Murali, can I ask?’ started Himaye. “Yeah, please, go ahead’. “How long have you been working for this company? I'm just curious”. The heartbeat went down to normal, and Murali explained how long and intensively he was working for that god damn company, and how people used to notice the efforts and how long it generally would take to show up in the stream. Himaye was eagerly waiting for the twisting end, and so was Murali. The conversation kept on driving away but did not reach the town where they had to find their home at. Came the waiter with their order and a gentle smile. He served their snack nice and hot, when the tone of the rain resonated harder. The breeze forced itself into the doors of the restaurant, and the people inside the concrete felt hugged for a moment. The frequent banging irritated the cashier, so she decided to switch off the air conditioner and kept a couple of the windows open where nobody had their business on. The customer’s heart went light,  like they were in their childhood again. Himaye felt extremely touched by the climactic condition, her moments with her friend cum colleague and wondering about the space in her heart in the future, and of course, the series of breezes, made her open up. 

“Are you interested in someone? Planning to call anyone to the prom?” she uttered each word carefully. “I have already decided who to invite”, said Murali confidently. Himaye was waiting for him to confess, as she had already decoded his behaviour earlier that day, when he was around her at the ground.

Himaye pinned her eyes on Murali. And Murali asked her politely and more softly than usual,” Will you go to the prom with me, Him?” Himaye’s eyelashes tried to divert her sight by flattering, just like the blinders were in the restaurant, reacting to the heavy blow. ‘What..!” wisphered, and paused, Himaye. And tried to look down,  her mouth stopped chewing for a moment, and it continued so that she could speak more clearly to Murali. She cleared her throat.” Murali, I know you are interested in me. I was saying no to two of them from our office and completely omitted to admit the reason to them, because I was waiting for you to show up. Please don’t make me wait long like this hereafter.” Her answer made Murali forget how to blink. He was staring at her. He cannot believe what is happening to him. He gulped and came to consciousness. 

“So, is that a Yes, or..” Himaye gave a straight look at him,” Why men are such a late sloth? That was a yes dummy”, said Himaye by swallowing the word dummy in, along with her snack. They even went to another spot in the same vehicle. Himaye was not in her car on purpose. Murali and Himaye had an accidental shower in the rain. Everything was going great until they saw his friend Ganesh in the store, where Himaye gave an unexpected entry by holding Murali’s arms tightly and leaning towards him slightly. The rain did so!. 

He doesn’t want to recall the rest. He hopped up his bed and got the newspaper from his dad’s desk after his dad left to get ready for his morning exercise. Murali casually grabbed the paper to see what he was staring at for a brief amount of time. It was NOTHING!

[wiredmagnanimousadmirer]

SHORT STORY-PART -16- THE UNSEEN BY AUTHOR MAHIZHAVATHANA

MOLTING THE FEATHERS:

‘I am not your third wheel, ok? She was right, you guys are selfish!” “WHO..?” Stopped Goshan. But he kept on shouting and tended to move by picking up his phone from the bench, which was kept near where unbothered Himaye was seated. Murali tried to stop him by raising a pitch higher than him. Ganesh was very touched by Murali’s behaviour before. Ganesh stopped that moment and turned back. Murali was walking behind Ganesh and hugged him when they halted. ‘I just wanted to know..know you.. that you are taking away; my phone, bro.’ And gave a very innocent shrug. Ganesh was confused and felt embarrassed about his behaviour, and apologised very quickly! “Murali, huskies to Ganesh, please tell me whom you are in love with, it is eating my brain, bro.’ 

Goshan sensed the conversation from a distance and tried to gush towards them, but Louise knew his cells and halted him for minutes. ‘I..uh..I’m in love with the new one, yes, she is new, but I am already impressed by her excellence and her beauty, how gracefully she handles the situations’ by saying so, he gave the sky a look and Murali a side look, where Murali almost lost his presence of mind. 

Ganesh kept on singing her praise despite saying who she was. I can tell you, but please, do not reveal it. I like you as much as I like my elder brother. It is HI..”

“Hey, hey, hey, we are sorry, ok? We didn’t intend for it to happen so. Forgive us, brother, please join, will you?” cooked Goshan. Murali looked at the same sky with a frustrated look by leaning back, and moved away. Now Murali is overwhelmed and gives a strong “why?” stare at Goshan. Gosh, pampered Ganesh through his friendly jokes and embraces, and made him sit again. Himaye was watching this drama very patiently. She never pokes her nose in anyone’s space usually, but it is happening in front of her, and somehow she knew that she was included in this season too. She was about to leave, but had to stay for some time as she is a soft-hearted one with an extra brain. 

“OK, who are you going to invite, Murali?” asked his monkey. This sudden question made his heart rate rise to the skyrockets. He gave a camouflage look at Himaye and stared at Goshan,” uh, not yet decided, that’s why we are here, right? Quized Murali and Goshan know what that means. “Ok, prom is going to be conducted this coming Saturday. I am very eager to see our office for this whole week! So much entertainment on the line. HAHA!” exclaimed Gosh. The whole conversation was very confusing for both Him and Lou. They were looking at each other frequently since they arrived here. The tension was cooled down by useless jokes and unexpected laughter. People tend to leave the place, and it is already too late for Murali to meet his doctor. Himaye picked up her bag and exchanged her number with Lou and hugged her. Himaye loves making friends in and out. 

She gave a nod at Gosh’s flex and a confirmation look at Murali and waved bye. Her sight stirred Murali’s heart and loosened his limbs. Goshan tried his best to conceal the awkwardness and tied a ribbon over it. However, Himaye and Murali are going on their first date. She herself called him, which made Murali love his life again without a period.

Murali was humming and entered the hallway where the doctor’s assistant was having his mom’s signature cardamom tea. Murali stopped and switched his walk from a playful kid’s to a gentle man’s. Murali slowly entered the hall, and the doctor was there on the sofa, talking by holding his dad’s hands, and his mother was serving him snacks. His mother is so friendly to whoever visits. Why can’t we imagine a scenario with the doctor who is going to help to keep their only son alive?. Murali halted and looked at his mom. The doctor sensed his arrival and got up from the sofa. “Oh, Murali! How have you been, my man?” “Good sir, what about you?” welcomed Murali. He is just a good-hearted man with a little bit of anxiety. Now the doctor's assistant started explaining about the therapy to this family. He was patiently brewing each step so that they could grasp it, as they are already in a most precipitate state. 

The conversation was over by excusing a day to discuss and proceed further. They are not at all worried about the money or the facility. Their only concern is whether Murali will get through this. Does it cause lifetime effects? How is he able to continue his life after such treatments? Will his body react in a good way? The doctor gave generous time as the decision has to be made by Murali. The doctor left the house by hugging Den and giving Murali a tight handshake, and appreciated their hospitality.

The house after the doctor left was swallowed by immense silence, and each one of them was left in deep thought. Their hands and legs were programmed, but their minds dove into the depths of a dark ocean, heavy with fear of the future.

[wiredmagnanimousadmirer]

SHORTSTORY PART-15- THE UNSEEN by AUTHOR MAHIZHAVATHANA

EYES AND EYES:

“Move, move, I am in a hurry. Where are my lucky shoes?” rushed Murali. Despite knowing about the therapy, Murali’s excitement surprised his parents. Their eyes were talking to each other. Their pupils were darting here and there like a fish that was about to get walled in. Murali quickly gave a bye-bye note to his mom and dad, saying that they were going to discuss the prom, which is going to happen once in a blue moon, and his mom knows who her son is going to invite to the god damn prom. She smiled instantly, which Den noticed, and he anchored his gaze on his wife, Koyal.

Murali’s gesture and happiness made his mom forget the upcoming fog. Murali kissed his mom on her forehead and hugged his dad like he had more to do before therapy. Den’s memories were ignited like camphor as he was a teen who once invited his wife, Koyal, to a prom by jumping over the fence illegally, and got a threat from his father-in-law instead. 

Old good memories hit Den and Koyal’s brains, they started smiling and blushing, and they even forgot to do the checking session of Murali before he left. Den was staring at Koyal, same as he saw her years ago in her pure peach gown, specially customised for the prom-she said.

Murali jogged to their nearby playground, which was deserted as the kids were busy with their academics. He was surprised, and his adrenaline hit a level when he saw Himaye there. She joined his friend Goshan. Now they are friends, which was a sudden blow for Murali.

She already knows what they are going to discuss, and she is here, boom!. Murali took seconds to realise the situation and act. There was a big tree that was about to shower all its flowers on the bench down where his squad was seated. Himaye, Goshan, his girlfriend Louise, and Murali’s co-worker cum admirer Ganesh. This unexpected meeting was arranged by his very right hand, Goshan. He even pointed at Himaye and winked at Murali. You are more than enough to make me nonplussed, thought Murali, by giving a steady look at Goshan. Murali rubbed his palms and was ready to sit near Goshan’s girlfriend, as they both already were known to each other. He looked up, and Himaye was looking at him and gave a welcoming smile, which was surprising too to him. Both the lovebirds were facing reciprocally now, no escaping from hidden feelings. Goshan said let us all welcome Himaye to our team. Now, tell me, Him, anybody invited you to the prom yet?’ Himaye pouted her lips and said N0. (Well, she said no to whom approached). Murali’s mind is free now, but suddenly jumped into the rehearsal for calling her to the prom before anyone dives in. Ok Ganesh, what about you? Whom are you going to invite? Asked Louise. ‘Uh, she is new to our department. I love her, but I didn’t showcase or reveal it to her. I am going to say it to her by using this prom as an opportunity!’ said Ganesh confidently. His statement whisked Murali and Goshan, and they stared at each other in an instant. Louise was awestruck and looked at Goshan when no one was noticing. ‘Ok. Can you tell us? Come on, we are friends, right?’ said Murali’s lips, but his eyes weren’t so friendly. Goshan paused the awkward situation and said, “Hey, there is a snack spot, let us move there, and I can smell some spicy popcorn from here’ his call felt like absolute cinema. They had to cross the road and reach the spot. Both Goshan and Louise glued mutually and were already discussing their next meeting place, of course, it is a restaurant. Ganesh was close to Himaye, tried to move heroically, halting the poor scooters when Himaye crossed the road already. Murali was behind everybody, smelling the situation very carefully. They luckily got a small bench to sit on, where only two could sit. Murali guessed Himaye’s place and sat near her. Ganesh sat facing Himaye, and Goshan Louise got chairs for themselves. 

Louise started the conversation to cool down the tension. ‘Murali and Him are matching today!’ Only after her statement did both of them notice their attire. And yes!, they both were in a nice blue which made their eyes meet again without any weight. Goshan hummed “MMmm, Hmm”. And intoned repeatedly. Ganesh squealed, I am wearing blue pants today!. For the sake of God, he mostly wears blue jeans. And everybody knows it. His sudden surrender made the situation even worse, and the rest of them decided to stay calm till they finished their juice, snack, whatever. Himaye stayed silent as she loved her muskmelon juice. It seems she lost herself and never bothered about the air around her. 

Himaye returned the glass and paid for that treat and turned towards the road. She was planning to sit on the same bench again on the ground. She picked up her bag by saying,” There is no popcorn to smell, Goshan. I had a mind for a caramel popcorn, sadly, it is a shop where the popcorn machine has to be repaired”. She secretly gave a hint to Goshan, which made everyone in that place stare at Goshan instantly. Poor monkey buried his chubby face in his momo plate, which was half empty already. Murali had lost his patience and stepped towards his fanboy to know who he was rooting for. He fastened his limbs, and Goshan hugged him from nowhere and whispered in his ear, " Let us figure this out, please don’t act weird, bro. I tried a lot to get Himaye here. The rest of the commitment is yours. Do not mind Ganesh, you already read his behavior, right? Murali gave a stale look and moved gently away from that place. He had a huge dumbbell on his chest and had to remove it to breathe. Making a conversation as soon as possible with Himaye is the only way. By thinking so, Murali approached Himaye slowly while Goshan kept Ganesh distracted. “Uh..” buffered Murali. 

Himaye continued,’ Do you have plans for this evening?’ ‘ No!, I I am free today’ spoke decendingly softer. ‘Ok then, let us meet in a coffee shop which is in the heart of our city today evening at 4 pm, is that ok for you?’ waited Himaye for approval from Murali. Murali glanced at Ganesh, who gave a confused and betrayed look at Murali, which made the situation tighter. Meanwhile, Louise went near Ganesh and asked him about his plan for the prom. Ganesh’s lips were pulsing in anger, and he felt like they were trying to make him the clown by inviting him here. “Why did you invite me here? To insult me? Am I a mayonnaise for your crispy conversations, huh? I am outta here right now and never expect a smooth talk from me hereafter!’ Ganesh lifted his phone, which was resting on the bench, and started walking.

[wiredmagnanimousadmirer]

PART-14- THE UNSEEN BY AUTHOR MAHIZHAVATHANA

THE WAVES REACHED THEIR DISTANCE:

Himaye was very keen for her parents to open up. Just like she expected, her dad, Peter, opened his mouth and gave a big sigh like a train blowing before a long journey,” I was confused, darling, I didn’t know what to do when people around me pressured and frightened me. I love to hear from you, but I was unable to lend my ears, my sweet. Now tell me, I am all ears, what do you want to do for your future? We are now free from the suffocation. Your Mom and I will support you; at least my daughter will be happy from now on. Said Himaye’s dad, realising that his vulnerability helped in losing his mental stability and the weight of his love for his family. He looked down, unable to face his ambitious daughter, who never expected his money or status to speak up for her perseverance. 

On the other hand, his brother Jason pointed his filthy fingers towards him, saying,” It is all your fault, Peterson. You ran away with your family, and now my son doesn’t want to listen to his dad, who has nurtured him since childhood, just like his very own uncle Peter. I don’t want to see you for the rest of my life. Suppose your daughter’s vision is important to you. You can leave!. My dear son doesn’t want me either,” and shed tears, realising that his master- like plan didn’t work and tried to utter a speech like his circle is betraying him and aborted the future meeting with his brother Peterson. Natali and Himaye, her brother, as well know what had happened to her dad when he visited his brother Jason last time. Both the daughter and mother stayed calm.

Peter holds his better half, Natalil’s, arms gently. The hands once halted the mountain -level stress and insults from their surroundings before it ate her husband, during the times when they had no one. Knowing that her patience and efforts had been placed in the right person, his apologetic touch calmed Natali’s tsunami-like pessimistic thoughts and cooled her motherhood, which had been suffering in a furnace for a long time. A best moment for Natali in 12 years!.

Himaye rose from her bed; she was just clinging to the edges of it. She hugged her mom and dad with a big sigh of relief. She continued,” Mom, Dad, I was longing for this acceptance for a long time. Luckily, I had mom on my side when the hurricane hit my mental peace. ( Meanwhile, her mom was thinking vice versa ). Your realisation is enough for me, Dad. I just want you to trust me, and please don’t take the talk of my marriage for some time, as I am in my prime time in my office. I am about to get promoted for my non-withdrawn efforts. I am gaining good friends there: As she kept talking, Natali's happiness and pride climbed Everest, never looking back.’Her dad has never been so curious about his daughter. “Ok then, I’ll take time to regain your mother’s love and attention, meanwhile, you keep up your steps ahead Hima, I lost your mother in this war, and I wanted to make sure whether I'm still worth her time.’ Hima’s dad gave an open claim to his daughter and made a secret proposal to his beloved. Himaye was staring at his mom and dad with a smirk as she missed this vibe when the Uncle entered without the invitation. 

(THE NEXT DAY)

Den was walking end-to-end like a hamster with zero feed. Koyal was biting her nails as if she had no snack either. Murali had gone to the office. Maybe to escape or to see his Him or to work perhaps!. His dad was in the peak of oscillation, sitting by staring at his smartphone with the number on the display which belongs to Dr Strange on it. Koyal gave a gentle smack on his forearms, insisting him to call the doctor, so that at least they could vision his son leading a happy life. He pressed the green icon as it was very fragile. The other end took a lot of time, according to Denver, but it was 10 seconds in reality to pick up the call. The end said,” Hello, this is Dr Watson, may I know who is speaking?” A moment of silence pushed Den to say his small introduction. “ Uh, this is Den..Denver, Muralidharan’s dad. We met in the ..in the crowd, in the temple, do you remember?. You gave me the number to call, uh, sir. Is this the right time to talk about my son?’ finished Denver, who got relieved from his social anxiety and made a brave decision. The opposite side was silent; he thought it was the wrong time to talk at that moment. The silence was broken by the doctor saying,” Yeah, I remember. How is your son?” “He went to the office today! “ok we have to talk about this very quickly, as you are at the tip of the slip”, said the voice, which made blood rush faster in Den’s body. “What should we do? Is my son capable of living? Denver’s tears ate the rest of his words. “Not just live, but to lead a happy and hustle-free life.” Koyal urged to switch the call to the speaker mode so that she can listen too. Dr Watson wanted to meet this desperate couple to explain the procedure of the treatment, which could take months to get done. “So there is this process for your son’s condition called ”CAR-T CELL THERAPY”..Let us discuss that tomorrow, can I visit you MR & MRS DENVER?” asked Dr Watson politely. His fast approach made both stare at each other and agree to meet tomorrow at noon at their house, especially since their son Murali has to know what is going to happen to him throughout this period.   Meanwhile, he was making sure that Himaye was not yet committed to anyone else for the upcoming prom in the office. While everyone was busy making scripts and drawing mind maps for the proposals, Himaye had triple the excitement as her fetters were unlocked.

[wiredmagnanimousadmirer]

PART-13-THE UNSEEN BY AUTHOR MAHIZHAVATHANA

FETTERS ARE UNLOCKED :

All of a sudden, there comes a huge band with all those drums and jingles. People were following those instruments happily, lost themselves in the beats. The vibrant, coloured, artificially painted tall feathers were mounted on each instrument. The feather and silk papers on the Nadhaswaram (an instrument that requires a lot of breath to play, considered very challenging to play, a kind of Indian saxophone) waved welcomingly when the player raised this instrument into the air while the high note was being hit. around the crowd, and the vibration from those notes made Arun pause his investigation for a certain period of time. Koyal starts folding her palms for prayers like she was going to render an essay , but her mind was empty, unable to process her terrible situation, left with a huge exhale, thinking she had already sent her message to the universe. 

Den and Murali went aside as the crowd wanted to pass by the temple premises. Koyal’s eyes were extended wide and waiting for the hope like a tired child, weeping for hours for its mom’s arrival. “Murali, right?” a voice gained their attention, and surprisingly, the anonymous shadow knew his name. ‘Yeah, and may I know you please?’ said Murali, as if he had just woken up from the VR game into reality. ‘So, this is Mr Denver. I hope I am guessing you right. You are the patient with SLE. Doctors are talking about you across the multi-speciality hospitals. Denver swept his gaze across his surroundings very quickly and gave a clueless look to that mysterious doctor. He continued,” They think that you are a rare one and untreatable, but I trust that I can do something for you, Murali’ softly spoke the doc. Den had a precipitous mind and was turning into a mama bear in an instant, as some vultures would take advantage of such indigestible situations in a family to promote their projects and wealth to the world. Den was right by mind, but his heart was longing for such moment for so long. 

Murali asked,’ What are you talking about, sir? Is this curable? Can I live my life like I wanted? ‘UH, I gotta go now, as I want to get back to the lab, I am a clinical researcher too. Take my card and meet me in my office two days from now; I’ll be waiting for you. ‘Please don’t leave us hanging, sir. Give us some clarification, raised Denver. ‘I am not leaving you orphaned, sir; better call me tonight, and I’ll explain the rest to you,’ said the researcher and left like a mouse wheeling in his BMW.

They thought that there was a solution for this condition for a moment, but their brains were alarmed not to trust anything, as they are already facing a lot more than their capacity to hold.

Koyal returned and rushed to her husband,’ Let's go, let's go, we have to leave, ‘ and gave a quick look at her back. Meanwhile, Arun was washing away the crowd by raising his hand to signal to his most demanded popcorn to stop. They understood the situation and left. Poor little family once was happy, and now is facing a terrible tornado alongside the queries raised by their seagulls. 

Himaye was dreaming of building a strong foundation and then finding a partner herself who would like to grow together. But life tends to give her the bitter curd that couldn’t even take a smell of. Himaye’s mom broke into her room with no worry lines on her forehead; instead, her limbs were relieved, but her eyes were wide open, guessing what would happen next. She had no patience and spilt the shocking news, but that was unbothering to Himaye’s mind. Jiva, her uncle’s only son, finally spoke up for himself, revealed to his parents that he is in love with another woman from his office, and is already planning for a minimalist wedding. ‘WHAA..WHA..REALLY?” struck  Himaye. She continued, “Whoa, interesting! We should see Uncle’s face now.”My son will only listen to me!” Well, he only listened, “haha.” Both mom and daughter broke into laughter after weeks. That felt good for a while. Her dad joined the chat, too. He stated that he never wanted his family to get tortured by these hooks, but he had no other choice than listening to the noise of raccoons, which were emotionally blackmailing him for a long period of time. He even oscillates between ignoring the arrows of questions on giving away his daughter or allowing Himaye to choose her future on her own, which is believed to be unacceptable by society. He doesn’t know what conclusion he was going to give to his chains, which kept on rusting and made his mental peace rot. Himaye was expecting something else from her parents. She kept on staring at their face and mouth simultaneously. Like she wants to hear a huge assent from their very knowledge. 

[wiredmagnanimousadmirer]

PART-12-THE UNSEEN BY AUTHOR MAHIZHAVATHANA

CINNAMON AND COLD FILES:

“Goshan, thank you so much. I cannot express my gratitude,” exclaimed Goshan’s girlfriend, Louise. “That’s ok, anything for you, my love! “ Louise and Goshan looked adorable as a couple of sunflowers in the spring, under the tree which had already welcomed the fall by sprinkling its leaves. He is a good partner and friend. Louise works for a hospital as a nurse. She knew what actual caring is. She met Goshan when he was looking after his grandfather, who was admitted to the ICU, and later on, he departed for heaven. She saw the kind heart in Goshan; he felt bad and gave his attention not only to all the emergency patients out there, but also was appreciative towards the doctors and nurses who worked overtime and expected nothing in return. This made Louise fall in love with him. He at least has enough humanity to consider people’s efforts, unlike others who complain and curse doctors for not being available all the time, forgetting that they are human beings with lives outside the hospital. 

Goshan and Louise have been in a relationship for a year and a half now. She even knows Murali and his condition. So what about Goshan, does he know?His friend’s condition?. NO. And Murali requested Louise not to reveal his big secret, which could kill the happiness he wants to stay, as follows, and love to stay as it was, to be loved and teased by his friend, not to be piteous. And Louise obeys. “What about the prom?, Have you chosen someone to dance with? Gosh?” Bumped Louise. “I had already chosen a beautiful worm..., uh, a woman to dance with” buffered Gosh. He didn’t even hesitate to mock Louise’s mind. “Stop bugging me, gosh!. Now tell me who you're gonna dance with?” Goshan never seemed to be bothered by her quiz; he was strongly pulled by her cinnamon-shaded lipstick, which smelled the same. His eyes were on her glossy, finished lipliner. “Oh, uh, yeah,” “what gosh, would you like to answer me or what?” “Sure, after tasting a cinnamon roll,” huskied Gosh and never looked away. Louise was awestruck as she had never mentioned the change in her appearance. She didn’t even expect her boyfriend to notice it. “Ok! I trust you. Just tell me what you are going to do at the prom, which side are you on?” “I am going to be the DJ. I am going to help Murali by choosing the right song for him and his girlfriend”. This gave a huge surprise to Louise. “Girlfriend? Murali got a girlfriend? Tell me about it,” exclaimed Louise, as she knew his friend. Goshan has a unique taste in gossiping. Am I supposed to explain his role when he got a warm topic on his friend that could keep his girlfriend amazed for minutes?

And he said all the stuff happened therefore, and his role in his friend’s relationship. “I’ll do my best to get my friend committed. I just want him to experience true love. I am so desperate to save him from fake attention-thirsty vultures around him.” “Oh, that is a lot of commitment, Gosh. How can I help you? I just want to be a part of this selfless project”. “Oh, really? Ok then, please don’t ask anything about the prom, that is enough,” and got a smack on his arm in return. While Gosh was planning to engage his friend in a good relationship, Murali was travelling in a different landscape.

[raindropsonglasss-deactivated20]

[wiredmagnanimousadmirer]

PART-11–THE UNSEEN BY AUTHOR MAHIZHAVATHANA

NATURE IS CRUEL

Himaye was trying to pull the halter rope so hard to keep her on her track. It was not easy for that poor woman to keep her mind healthy while facing the raging Uncle like a bulldozer, and her dad, who seemed to be ready to give away her daughter against her will. A loving mother who is unable to speak up but has unsettling thoughts about her daughter’s future. On the other hand, the new yet exciting environment shows the way to her bright future, where she has to display her full potential. She was very conscious of not losing her cool inside and outside.

Her brother gives a piteous look at her all the time, like she's gonna fly away to the unknown continent soon. She slowly hated to be in her house; she took advantage of this situation and stayed for long hours in her office, utilising her time for her personal growth. 

This leads to more learning, and slowly she gained her respect among her team, which made her happy and inspired Murali, obviously.

Whenever she entered her house, her mom would be ready to spill what had happened in the house in her absence. She cannot withdraw her ears as she is the only person who is acting as an antiseptic agent to the wounds of her mom. Her mom loves Himaye a lot, but bit scared of being hated by her dad. This attitude of being helpless is absolutely irritating to Hima, but she has no time to boost up her mom, as she is not ready to watch Himaye’s side. They acted as friends who were hugging each other at the North Pole. “So tell me, Hima sweety, what is happening in your office, how are the people behaving with you, are you eating on time?” Typical motherly questions. She kept on answering like a kindergarten kid and felt heavy as she doesn’t want to reveal the reason behind her long absence from that house. Meanwhile, her dad was making a secret conversation with a person with a little knowledge about humanity and never went to college, not for education but loved to stay empty saying,” Education and books are only for the people who are helpless in surviving. I have learnt life lessons, I need no advices from books”, and he feel proud of himself for this.

He was clearly brainwashing Hima’s dad for her marriage.., Ok, but who is he?. Is he related to her uncle or her dad in any way?. NO. He just belongs to a twig in their family tree. Then why would he call and try to decide for this family on behalf of Himaye?. He just wanted to make sure that women around him are not getting any knowledge or empowered more than him, or else he’ll lose power over them. A typical illiterate human’s mentality. Again, her dad was on the road full of thorns, who felt bad for sweeping the thorns away from the pathway. Sometimes, parent’s well behaviour towards their circle spoils the well-being of their kids. “Ahh.. I’ll..I’ll let you know after speaking with her. No, I cannot decide anything before discussing it with my family. I cannot involve my kids; this will be a terrible idea. Will tell you, ok?” and disconnected the call in a hurry. This conversation was overheard by his wife, who was standing behind him with a nice frothed coffee. “Are you planning something against our daughter? Are you even feeling responsible for our daughter?” and tears popped out. “I don’t want your advice, and I am not fond of watching dramas over here. I am in the midst of pressure.” Yelled Hima’s dad. She politely asked,” Who is responsible for the kid’s future? Remember who helped us throughout the tough times. Who is supposed to make decisions in this family?” *An awkward silence* “It is us! Who has the responsibility for our kids, not the people who cursed us and never peeped when we were in the ocean of debt. Think and make your move!” and she placed the coffee mug on the table where he kept the horoscope details of Himaye, which caught the glimpse of her mom. She even recalled the period when they had written this. The label and the hard cover looked too old, like the people’s ideaology but felt like a gentle breeze, unlike the mindset of chauvinists. Himaye was too little when they were reckoning the places of the planets. She even wore a pistachio green satin frock with creme lace works in the end, which had bottle green lotus and large magenta leaves lifting the flower. Which was like reversing the role on purpose. (just a kid’s clothing, no logic!) Her mom’s mind echoed each modulation of her daughter’s voice when she asked,” How can the person over there read my future mom? Could he able to tell what breakfast I will have tomorrow? If so, then why would he wear just one piece of clothing and his house looks like it needs renovation?” This seems cute to her mom, but to the people over there, it did nothing but cause headaches. “Your daughter is so unique and has a huge trust in the system of family. Please don’t ruin her future,” said the mother and left the room like the wind with a soft and impactful autumn breeze.

A sharp headache pierced Murali’s head. He grabbed his head and collapsed in the gym hours. His gym mates thought that it be cause of dehydration, only he knows the reason for the blurred sight. It is clearly because of high BP. He sat there for a few minutes and left. He returned home by plucking some flowers from the roadside, as he doesn’t want to continue his time in the gym for that day and had time to appreciate some non-fragrant flowers. He returned home, told his mom that he collapsed, as his doctor advised him to inform each changes happens with his body. He had no way, either. His mom urged him to take the day off, and they rushed to the hospital for a checkup. The doctor said it is usual to have high blood pressure, headaches and collapse at certain times with this condition. This reminds his mom that she has no control over nature, and she’ll be left with only his childhood memories. His dad rushed to the doctor’s room while Murali and his mom were waiting outside, as the consultation was over. His mom was clueless, but could sense a heated conversation inside. His dad was in a state where he wanted a clear solution for this prolonged condition. The doctor tried to explain, but they could only hear,” Do something, please! There must be some other way to help my son, please, PLEASE, do something, doctor. I need my son to have a long lifespan. I don’t want to see my son’s body at the end. I need my son to be a normal kid, just like others, please”. This broke Murali into pieces, as he never saw his dad this frustrated and crying like he lost his life savings instantly. He left the corridor with a heavy heart and empty-headed. He was forced to accept that even his parents couldn’t do anything with his condition.

[wiredmagnanimousadmirer]

short story-PART -10, THE UNSEEN BY AUTHOR MAHIZHAVATHANA (AUTHOR.M)

SOMEONE IS IN LOVE:

Murali reached home at his usual time. His mom welcomed him, and he frisked into the hallway, which made his mom smile rather than dwell on how difficult his day would have been. Murali dropped his bag like a kid, free from exams, and got freshened up, slid into the dining space with his good-looking phone. His mom already knew the reason. She continued,” So did you hand over the gulabjamun to that girl?” Murali got struck for a second,” Yeah, Mom, we shared it.” “What did she say? Did she like it?” “Yup, she said that you are a pro, and she even finished the whole box!” “The whole box? It seems like she has curly hair with headphones all the time around her neck. She loves snacks. Am I right? She even calls you brot..” “Mom!” interrupted Murali. “You didn’t give her the sweets which I made.” “The impressing process has to be done by me! Mom, why would you do it for me?” “ Then do it for yourself,” said Mom. There was a beautiful conversation about the bud that will never bloom.

Murali had a happy hour in the kitchen and was watching his mother’s favourite TV show with her by confusing her to his best. He entered his room casually and opened his cupboard to find his old T-shirt, which would layer up his biceps. He loves to wear it whenever he feels good. His eyes were caught by the files which were made to stand in the corner of the shelf behind his clothes, which were standing like a pillar, stocked neatly. His fingers urged him to pick it up and open it, but his hands were trembling like a kid who had fallen off a motorbike. It says,’ Muralidaran- 28 years old. The diagnosis cornered SLE- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Found two years ago. The treatment is useless; we can just extend the lifespan. In Murali’s case, it was diagnosed late. He has one year in his pocket. He still does the strength training to keep himself healthy to face the driver who wears black. He experienced intense fatigue, and later on, partial seizures popped up. Now he is on the journey where he can watch the window-side sunshine for a year or so, and then?. 

His phone rang. He picked up the call as he wanted to divert himself from the revised, current situation of his immunity. His neighbourhood friend called. “Hey, are you ok? Just wanted to check on you”.  “What would be wrong with me? I am perfectly alright exclaimed Murali by pushing the files in their own place, which had been hiding there for a long time. “I heard giggling and funny shows on TV from your walls. Wanted to know everything was alright with you guys.” “Is being happy a sin, bro?” Murali suspected something odd. “Your house usually stays silent, can even hear you convincing mom for even a small gummy bear sort of things. Never heard you and your mom laughing out loud like a maniac for two years. Are you ok?” He finished like he was doing a sarcastic play in a circus with no audience. 

‘Yeah, bro, we are fine. What about your layoff? Trying some other job? Should I help you with that?’ Murali tried to divert him in all the possible ways; his approach never failed him. ‘I’ll be glad if you help me, bro. I have a mind to send you my resume. “Why are you giving a second thought? Do send me your resume,” And there was a healthy conversation regarding their future. 

Murali’s mind was oscillating between reality and sparkler moments. His mind got sweetly trapped in his heroine’s thoughts. His heart was heavy from the distance, but his logical sense was drawing a line. He got another notification on his phone, which said,’ Let us create something new this weekend, bringing back our school memories by conducting a prom.’ Our office is going to shine the way you all like, expecting all the employees to participate. The mail was kindly passed by the HR department and forwarded to him accidentally by his junior. He recalled the meeting where the Hr department was discussing the employees' encouragement. Finally, Murali and his team found a way to keep their dopamine high for a temporary period. This created a chance to embrace the closeness of Himaye. But he has to remove a thorn that has high porosity. His mind got out of the bitter circle and started to practice dance in his mind, as soon as he closed his eyes, “I am leaving too, but not that soon ” got echoed.

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

[wiredmagnanimousadmirer]

SHORT STORY,

PART-09 - THE UNSEEN BY AUTHOR MAHIZHAVATHANA (Author. M)

BREAK WHERE SHE SPILLED THE BEANS:

Murali has loved cardamom tea since his teenage years. He likes it for all the flavours of the tea leaves,  the way the dried cardamom is boiled in the red dye, and how it suffers throughout the process. Slowly, it releases its aroma and calls not only tea lovers but also those who love to drink it through the nose.  He had his cardamom tea sip by sip, He and his only tea, he believed. His back got slammed by Goshan, who stuffed his morning snack plate.” Enjoying the time alone, huh? Imagine yourself as a bigshot?” entered his chaos close to his heart. Goshan was almost ready to have his most enjoyable time of the day. But never alone, it is always with his friend Murali. 

  “Why don’t you try ginger tea or tulasi ones? It is boring to have the same all the time,” exhausted Goshan. “Would you love to erase your childhood memories from your brain? It tastes good even though the years rolled by, right?” stressed Murali. Poor boy, he just wanted to chew his good old days whenever he had alone time. Himaye rushed to get her filter coffee with double decoction, definitely the strong one. Her eyes wandered, finding a good space to enjoy her beloved coffee. Goshan raised his arms quicker than Murali noticed her. His eyes opened wider as he saw Himaye in the broad spectrum daylight with a floating outfit, slightly loose and comfortable pants, which caught his heart as she chose her comfort over being unfit, trend following, random girl. And it was very surprising that his crack head is inviting her to sit next to him. Murali could neither nod his head nor take his eyes off. Himaye was called by another woman who looked friendly to her, and she had already met her. Hima chose the woman-to-woman rather than sitting and chatting with the boys. Amy was very curious to know about her. She started asking questions like the one she had faced in the interview as soon as she sat next to her.        

 “Oh, I saw you on that day; it seems like you work here too.” Himaye was trying to be a nice girl with a voice which had speed breakers, as she had social anxiety. ‘Yeah, see we are friends now, how is it going, everything is fine?’ by dragging the tone, Amy glanced over Murali while her body was there with Himaye, but her consciousness was on where Goshan and Murali were sitting. They could literally listen to everything they were speaking with each other the whole time, which made the period very uncomfortable for those two.

Murali rubbed his forehead between those thick eyebrows and thought of leaving the place. He was called by Amy demanding to join them. “Joining them! Joining Amy? I don’t feel good, “ said Goshan. “Neither do I,” he blew the air slowly to ease the situation and went near the table,” Heyy, how is it going? “ asked Murali quivering. “Quite good,” said Himaye in a soft voice as if she had all the air in. Amy was keenly picking up Murali’s body language around Himaye. “Ain’t I worth asking for a Hi Murali?’ Interrupted Amy. “The minute is getting over, and you are asking for Hi and hello in a sarcastic way? , Seems like your joke peeps out only at the end of the play,” teased Goshan. People slowly moved away from the snack corner as their desks were calling for them. “Ok then, see you guys later, “ said Himaye and left like she had a debt to pay. Goshan had already started his engine and moved away; he didn’t want to witness the awkward situation his friend had been caught in. Amy got up with a fixed and manipulative look at Murali,” Ok, I'm leaving too, but not that soon..,” Murali got the threat in an instant, his brain decoded what she meant. 

Amy chased Himaye and gave a hug. Himaye was pleased. Amy whispered, “It is good to be in a place where we get kept, right Hima?’ By raising both eyebrows and giving a sharp look with a smile. Himaye can’t catch it as soon as Murali did. She was confused, “Why would Amy chase her? Came running, away from her department? What did she even mean? What is wrong here? Did I hurt her feelings?” So many questions in her already stirred mind.