Nameless Skies

The voice was familiar. Warm like winter sun on old skin. It came from a low-lit room in a small, sleepy town called Rewa, where time didn’t move. It sighed. Aman lived there. Fifty-four. Unmarried. Untroubled by it in public, disturbed by it in the shadows of his heart. He had grown to accept solitudeContinue reading “Nameless Skies”

Window Seat (…because sometimes the journey is the destination)

The train platform in Delhi was its usual orchestra of chaos—hawkers shouting, tannoys stuttering names of distant cities, the metallic clang of wheels, the stink of hot food and warm metal. Nikhil walked through it like a man out of time, unbothered. A duffel bag hung from one shoulder, its strap slipping slightly with everyContinue reading “Window Seat (…because sometimes the journey is the destination)”

Monsoon Highway

When Nikhil Arora lost his job at the advertising agency in Lower Parel, the monsoon had just started to scream across Bombay like a woman scorned. He didn’t even take the elevator down from the 15th floor. Just left his resignation letter and a half-drunk cutting chai on his desk and walked into the rainContinue reading “Monsoon Highway”

The Waiting Room

The railway station was almost forgotten—by the trains, by time, by the world. The tiles were cracked like old skin, the signs faded to near whispers of color, and the air tasted of rust and dampness. Weeds rose defiantly through the tracks, stubborn and alive in a place long left behind. Morning light spilled acrossContinue reading “The Waiting Room”

The Runaway Hearts

It was a sweltering June afternoon in Jaipur, and Nikhil sat across from Aditi at their usual tea stall, watching her talk animatedly about some random movie scene while he smiled and nodded, but didn’t really hear a word. Because Nikhil was in love. With Aditi. He had been for years, ever since they metContinue reading “The Runaway Hearts”

Table For Two

Every morning, without fail, he came in at exactly 8:13 a.m. Aarya had been running her tiny café in Bandra for just over six months when she first noticed him. In a crowd of chatty students, remote workers, and backpack-wearing tourists, he stood out. Always dressed in a crisp white linen shirt and a charcoalContinue reading “Table For Two”

The Hitman

It was late afternoon in Mumbai. The sky over Marine Drive simmered with gold and grime—bright enough for comfort, hazy enough for clarity. A man sat on an old concrete bench near the rocks, the sea whispering secrets behind him. His jacket was too thick for April, but it hid the silenced automatic  tucked neatly underContinue reading “The Hitman”

While We Wait

The café was half-empty, basking in golden afternoon light and soft strains of indie music. It had that cozy kind of modern charm: distressed wood tables, dangling plants, the hiss of espresso machines punctuating lazy JJ conversations.  Mahi stepped in, the bell above the door announcing her arrival with a delicate tinkle. She paused atContinue reading “While We Wait”

The Empty Chair

Every morning, just as the sun filtered through the slatted blinds and bathed the little café by the square in a soft gold glow, he would come. Crisp coat, dark eyes, and that quiet kind of grace that made him look like he’d stepped out of a half-remembered dream. He never spoke much, only noddedContinue reading “The Empty Chair”