OUT OF THE WOODS

OUT OF THE WOODS

A getaway in the cabin in the woods was a good idea as we needed this break. It was a little after midnight when we sat up, alarmed at a loud clanging outside.

Byron looked out, but could see nothing. Another clang! Byron stepped out inspite of my repeated urging not to. Flicking on the table lamp yielded no results. Damn the power cut at the right time!

He returned in a bit and reassured me.

"Just some woodland scavenger looking for food scraps. You know how the silence of the woods are at night. The slightest noise gets amplified". Relieved, I settled myself under the covers.

I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw a silhouette of a man against the windowpane. Panicking wildly, I grabbed Byron.

The tapping on the window made my blood run cold and I couldn't hold back a scream. The shadowed face loomed large!

"Verona! Open the door for God sake! I've locked myself out!"

Right then, I saw a serrated edge of a steel blade gleaming in the moonlight. 'Byron' had a horrific smile and his lips stretched from ear to ear as I felt the cold metal against my throat…

©️ Sangeetha Kamath

ENDLESS NIGHT

It was past dinner time and I just couldn't wait to dig in. The house was dark as I approached it. The cook must have left long ago. I let myself in after a bout of frustration when the lock didn't give in at first. When the door finally opened, I could get the aroma of my favorite food. But first things first.

Wait! Somebody was shuffling outside the door. Wringing my hands together, I darted my head about. There were no other houses for another mile so it could only be 'him'!

I could sense some hesitation outside.

Did I close the door properly? Lock it well? There was no time to think.

Upstairs!

Grabbing a knife from the kitchen, I tiptoed my way up. I could hear him in the hallway now. Hide! My brain seemed to scream and I slipped into the closet, my hands clutching the knife till my fingers went white.

Anytime now. He would come to this closet to hang his coat and would be my 'seventh' in the Lyndale County Serial Murders when I went for the jugular. I giggled softly as I waited…

©️ Sangeetha Kamath

Pic Courtesy: Pixabay

Comments

SECOND LIFE SECOND BIRTHDAY

I finally muster the energy, the grit and the emotional embrace to write about it. When life socked the daylights out of me in ways that I never imagined, I looked on the upside of it as a divine intervention and a another miracle to add to my list in this year 2024 which went down the memory highway full throttle ahead. July 7, Dear Diary is a day which left a distinct mark. A day when my father had a coronary follow up and I not only went along, but also had a check up done for myself. This was a couple of days after my visit to Sai Mandir where Sai Baba guided me to go for a cardiogram. A strong inner voice, authoritative yet kind, a heightened intuition, call it what I may, rang in a manner that couldn't be ignored. That said and done, I had a consultation with my father's doc who did my ECG and ECHO. Minutes flew by in deafening silence when he finally finished the tests and to my horror bluntly revealed that I have an ASD. A 38mm hole in my heart. I was advised to go f

NIGHTS OF THE INDIGO ROSE

The seasons have changed three times over along with the skyscapes, Dear Diary. It's already October, my favourite month of the year. From champagne colored fluffed clouds of April and the laden, dense overcast monsoon skies from June to September, I now longingly gaze at a spotless cerulean sky as I rigorously practice my physiotherapy exercises and a dedicated 30 min walk in our garden dreaming about my second home in faraway Singapore which is enveloped in the same powder blue blanket. Battling with the blazing summers of my mind, the auburning autumns of my heart and the frigid winters of my soul, I hold space for every sacred transition as a renewed me emerges slowly, steadily and yes…painfully. A metamorphosis in the true sense. Wishing upon a frosted star when the night unfolds as an indigo rose, I tether on the brink of delirious dreams, struggling to fall asleep, yet,not daring to toss and turn as my body is still relearning to balance my weight as I lean sideways with s

THE PASSENGER

I was excited for my first international trip! Finally I was deemed worthy of this assignment. But I could sense the inside gossip that I was chosen because the best candidate backed out. My resolve didn't sway, instead it swelled by notches when my boss handed me a bulky package and escorted me to his chartered flight. The pilot sneered at me and the cabin crew smirked to see a greenhorn assigned for this role. Everyone was trying their best to exclude me from a clique! But the ambience inside canceled their condescending behaviour. Leather couches, spaced out recliners…the regalia was out of this world! There was one other passenger besides me. The snooty vibes didn't stop. I was left out of all conversations. As the aircraft soared, I played out my next move, sipping on the best quality wine. The knots in my stomach started to relax. “We're about to make our descent…” a voice announced. Beads of perspiration trickled as I reached for my package. Moving swiftly, a

ONCE UPON A TEAPOT

ONCE UPON A TEAPOT The quaint streets of Olde Mageia were fringed by an assortment of shops. The Teaware Store, which was shaped like a huge teapot, stood in the center of a rose garden at the crossroads of this street. The curator, a wizened old man, had a mop of hair so white that he looked as ancient as the Earth itself. He had a twinkle in his friendly blue eyes and fine lines around it— signs of him smiling and serving everyone with joy. I stood at my usual spot looking out at the bleak weather, raindrops splattering in the rose garden, beating down hard on the window panes and blurring the scenery outside. The warmth of the fireplace did nothing to banish the gloom in my heart. My best friend who always stood beside me with her cheerful face was leaving today to her new home. One of her hands was outstretched in a perpetual friendly wave — a spout of a teapot and the other formed a curve like the handle of a teapot. But then, teapots we were,ceramic ones. Her

GOLDILOCKS AND THE BEARS

Goldilocks walked briskly in the sun-caked alley of the little known hamlet of an indigenous tribe in Arizona.Her footsteps spoke of authority and urgency. A team of armed men followed close behind her. The village folk had gathered a distance away from the Bears’ house. They parted to make way and shuffled anxiously, clenching their palms…almost pleading with the team to get them out of this ordeal. "How many people are inside?", Goldilocks' demeanor was calm but her mind was racing. "Madam, there's a family of three. The Bears. Parents and a child of five. A stranger with a menacing look is holding them hostage. Never seen him in these parts." "Okay, let me handle this", Goldilocks reassured them. She rapped on the intricately designed door. Baby Bear let out a loud cry at this sudden intrusion of noise in an environment which was already volatile. Mr.and Mrs. Bear hurriedly shushed their child, their worst fears gripping them. Baby Bear was in

Sangeetha Kamath

Search This Blog