Artlexicons

“We’re not bad people. We just have bad habits. Everyone has something dark inside them. In my case, it’s smoke residue.” She gazed away at the horizon, “If somebody knew the true you, they would judge you. If somebody knew the real me, they’d laugh at me.” “I’m not laughing and I know you better than you know yourself. Look at me,” he said, his face an incomprehensible mask. Sometimes she wished she could look at him the way he looked at the world. All heart, no soul. There was that passion in his eyes, it burned her skin just looking into those caramel irises. But his soul was a deep abyss, and thus the mask. He lured her with that look, but she couldn’t make that leap. Because if she fell, just this once, there would be nowhere to land. And she wasn’t...normal. She couldn’t feel. So she pushed him away and didn’t look back as  he  fell. Deeper and deeper into the ocean beneath.   I turned the page but it was blank. ‘Huh! It’s like you sit down for coffee a...

“What do you mean she killed herself? My daughter is no coward! You are lying. I need to see her. I need to see my Priya.” The man was banging his fists on the table, anger bursting through his bloodshot eyes as he demanded to see his daughter. “She wasn’t weak,” came a voice from behind him. He looked back to see a girl, the same age as his daughter’s. Her clothes were tattered, lips swollen. There were bruises on her face and marks all over her arm. “Do you know what happened?” the man walked over to the girl in hysteria. “Can you tell me where my Priya is?” The girl was barely holding backher own tears and rage. This man’s helplessness made her choke on her own words. “She wasn’t weak, but this world didn’t deserve her. We were coming back from tuitions together and a few men grabbed us. They-” she stopped mid-word to let out a sob. Her hand went straight to her mouth covering it and she turned her face away. “They tried to force themselves on us but she fought them. She t...

“And what happens tomorrow?” he asked in a gentle tone. Delilah smiled at him and planted a firm kiss on his lips. “Tomorrow we die.” The look in her eyes wasn’t one of horror or fear. It was the look of determination. 24 hours till death. Rory was worried about it but Delilah just walked around like she had no care in the world. First day of high school was a terrifying prospect according to him but as long as Delilah stuck with him, some of her enthusiasm started rubbing off on him. Rory had always wondered why a girl like her, so lively and fun would choose to befriend him. The most exciting moment in his life before he met her had been when he had caught a squirrel and kept it as a pet, for three days but even that didn’t last long because it died. He forgot it needed to be fed too. He had been upset for days until Delilah moved next door and with her, her pet dog Sunshine. She was perfect, like a unicorn, always spreading smiles on faces. And she let him pet sunshine. ...

Mai akela masjid ke bahar khada use dekh rha tha. Uska chehra uske aaj ki kahani mujhe ab kyu nhi suna rha tha? Itna kya badal gya inn salon mei ki wo aaj, mere saamne ek bachi ko mere hi lafzon mei allah ke baare mei wo bta rhi thi jo kabhi mai use btaya krta tha aur wo manne se katrati thi. (Alone I stood outside the mosque looking at her. Why wasn't her face telling the story of her life anymore? What had changed over the years that today she was repeating my words in front of that kid, telling her about Allah when she herself used to refuse to believe it?) “Kitni gamzada hai na begum humari?” (Isn't my darling melancholic?) Maine dekha toh mere sath ek aadmi bhi ussi chehre ko dekh rha tha pr alag nazariye se. (When I looked, a man standing next to me was looking at the same face, but with a different perspective.) “aapki begum hain?” humne poocha.  ("Your darling?" I asked) “Meri khushkismati aur uski badkismati se.”  (Because of my fortune an...

The Hunt begins. Don’t dwell on the past or what is yet to be. “What utter Bullshit,” thought Anna. Every self-help book she had read had the same old philosophy. Try to forget what happened; embrace the present and who knows what light the future will bring. If only it was that easy. Fifteen, that was her count till today. No, not her age. It was the number of people she had killed and the tattooed birds on her back represented them. The blue jay was the recent addition. She had just gotten in yesterday. It was thrilling to remember how she had almost been caught this time. She had been following this man for days now, and she could say with confidence that she knew him better than he knew himself. Gabriel, height 6’2, age 30, an alcoholic, a private detective, number of suicide attempts: Four. Every Saturday he would go to this support group, talk about his dead wife, of how he didn’t want to live anymore because she was gone and Anna would just sit there, listening, observin...

Masjid ke bahar hijab mei ek pehchana hua chehra mila toh awaaz lagayi aur wo naam jo ab salon se zehen mei bhi nhi aaya tha, aaj labon pe tha. (Outside the mosque when I saw a familiar face wearing a Hijaab, I called out and that name which hadn't crossed my mind in ages was now on my lips) “Sangeeta” Uske labon se mera naam ek dua kit rah nikla, ek dum pak aur azaad. Par na toh wo shakl ab jaani pehchani thi, na hi naam. Mud kr dekha toh mera kal mere aaj se takraye khada tha. Usne mere chehre ki traf dekha aur pehli nazar meri ankhon se pehle mere hijab pr pdi. (My name rolled off his lips like a prayer, pious and free. But neither that face, nor that name was known to me now. When I turned, I saw that my past had come clashing with my present. He looked at my face and before meeting my eyes, his gaze fell on my Hijaab)  “Naam ab wo nhi,” keh ke maine bhi halka sa muskura diya ki use yeh na lage koi shikayat aaj bhi baaki hai. (After saying "My name is not...

Man 1: Jo Jawab aap dhund rahey ho, uski talash mei aapko bas sawal milenge. Yeh Kashmir hai, yahan logon se zyada awazein dafn hai (The answers you are seeking will only lead you to more questions, This is Kashmir, cemetery of voices more than people) Father: Aisa konsa jawab mang liya maine? Mai toh bas apni beti hayat ko dhund raha hu. (Which answer have I demanded? I am just searching for my daughter Hayat (life)." Man 1: Hayat ka naam-o-nishan nhi jahan Yeh Kashmir hai, yahan bas kaza hi kaza Wo rha raasta, jo yahan se guzarta hai Hayat ka pata ussi raste par milta hai (Where traces of life don't exist This is Kashmir, where there is only death That is the way which goes out of here That is the way where way of life is found)