CALL OF DUTY (DAY 3)

Here she was praying for a stranger. A stranger who put his life on the line for her.

****

Stella walked down to the neighborhood cafe where she always met Alan for Friday night dates or a cup of coffee and warm snacks in the late evening when she got off work. She spotted him sitting in the far end towards the wall, scrolling down his phone, eyebrows knitted and lips pursed in a thin line.

It was unusual of him to choose that spot from their usual place by the French windows where they had a view of the quay.

Sensing some unpleasant news coming her way, she walked up to him anxiously. He gave her a wry smile and fumbled with his words. Finally he handed a letter with a sheepish look.

Her worst fears had become her reality. This was certainly bad news. Alan had been distancing himself from her and try as might she couldn't get through to him. This day had finally come when they ended their 5 year old relationship over a letter. No spoken words, just a handwritten letter with lines scrawled across which read–"This is going nowhere, it's best if we part ways."

If he expected her to throw a tantrum and create a scene, he sure was surprised to see her calm and collected. Little did he know, she expected this day to arrive sooner or later.

With a knowing look, she laid the letter down on the table and prepared to go. At the door, there was a huge commotion. Two armed men had barged in and had started firing at the glass panes. Shrieks rent the air in the crowded cafe. A few injured patrons screamed in pain.

Stella was the nearest at the door and they used her as a hostage even as the hysterical screaming didn't stop. Finally, everyone was gasping for breath when the intruders demanded silence.

Stella was taken unawares. Why did it always have to be her? Somebody had managed to dial the emergency number and there were a horde of police cars outside, sirens blaring. But none dared to take any hasty steps.

The air was tense with uncertainty inside. Stella was jostled around and brought to the center of the cafe while the criminals kicked chairs and tables out of their way. Everyone sat huddled together whimpering. Alan refused to even throw her a fleeting glance. The coward…

Stella's eyes met a pair of kind arctic blue ones as she passed everyone on the floor. He was trying to reassure her and managed to stealthily show her a badge of honor for serving in the military and she nodded. Out of nowhere, she felt a shove which made her slump on a chair nearby.

Military man in a fluid martial arts move, disarmed the henchman of his gun. A shot was fired in the chaos grievously wounding him in the tussle. Momentarily taken aback, the leader lost his focus and that's when Stella picked a ceramic vase from the table and brought it down on his head with a sickening crash. Both the men were quickly handcuffed and the military man rushed to the hospital.

There was a heavy loss of blood and his life hung by a thread. But he was in good hands with the best doctors giving it their all. Stella prayed fervently for his recovery. She couldn't handle any more bad news for the day.

His was a selfless act of courage. Hers was a selfless prayer pleading to God asking for nothing in return but mercy and benevolence for the kind stranger who saved her life.

©️ Sangeetha Kamath

Comments

ANAM CARA

The waves are soft and frothy. Laced with gossamer frills tenderly kissing the tips of my toes covered with the grainy sand of the rugged seashore where I'm sitting, wistful. A gust of briny breeze tousles my hair as I gaze as far as my eyes can see. A flock of terns wheel overhead, their sharp, shrill cries punctuating the air as they dive and swoop over the surfs. A lone frigate bird, its crimson belly dazzling like a jewel skims majestically above, its long, slender wings outstretched as it rides the thermals high above the ocean. I absorb the sights and sounds of the late afternoon while absentmindedly scooping seashells beside me. As the afternoon phases, the furthest rim of the ocean is fringed in a gilded hem and the sleepy sun yawns, its dipping glow streaking the sky in a mellow tangerine and warm cherry. As I continue sitting there, the ships and yachts appear --specks of light from the portholes glimmering in the distance, reminding me of the phrase “That ship has saile...

A-Z Blogging Challenge Theme Reveal

Hey everyone! April is almost upon us and it reminds me of my childhood summer vacations, visiting my cousins in different cities, playing with them and watching movies late into the nights, brunches, more outdoor skips and hops and when the boiling sun drove us indoors, how the tangy, icy lemonade pitchers awaited us. April is also about April showers, new beginnings and of late —the month of blogging! I'm excited to announce that I'll be participating in the A-Z April Blogger Challenge, starting on April 1st! This challenge is all about pushing myself to create new content, connect with fellow bloggers, and have immense fun while doing it. Throughout the month, I'll be posting daily(except on Sundays) on a variety of topics, ranging from personal reflections to mixed random bags of thoughts especially bordering on memoirs and non fiction. That's something I excel in apart from writing fantasy and the paranormal. 2025 will see my blog Sanguine Allegory bustling with ...

BOKETTO

In my quiet moments, I pause the world from its frantic pace. In that stillness, I wistfully gaze into the distance and just let things unfurl as they please. I let my thoughts flow, absorbing nothing. Internalizing nothing. And just like that, the strands of tightly woven twine untangle and the knots come loose. Today, as usual, I found myself caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily grind. I was rushing to get things done, stressing about deadlines, and feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tasks on my to-do list. But then, I took a deliberate pause. With a deep breath, I stretched, stepped away from my desk, and walked out onto my balcony. Leaning on the railing, I looked down at the familiar lanes of my neighborhood, twirling around the corners behind the blocks of apartments. The park and playground stood deserted at noon amid the cluster of flowering trees and surrounded by the hedges lining the curbs. I gazed at the sky, feeling the warm sun on my face and ...

CHẠ̀WKHRĀW (Chxw̒kh rxw̒)

As usual, at the dot of 8 pm, the Guzheng plays its stirring chords, the haunting notes beginning a slow sweep, rising to a powerful crescendo and alternating with a tranquil ebbing of melody surfing me along the waves of soul-stirring, yet a serene stretch of an hour every day. I make it a point to sit right beside my dining room window to bask in this lulling sound therapy as my neighbor downstairs diligently plays on this zither, oblivious to my admiration. What a luxury it is to have a live orchestra while I savour the last meal of the day. It's a welcome distraction to the otherwise jarring squabbling of the playful neighbourhood children. The Chạ̀wkhrāw of this– that the musical household might move one day is a foreboding thought. Foreshadowing this, deeply ingrained in me is the shattering news I had received upon returning to Singapore after an 8 month absence here. The Ramadan festive season was fast approaching at the end of March but the apartm...

THE WISE OLD OWL

The taxidermied owl was perched on the mantle piece, it's shiny, wise gaze fixated on her. Kim had an unsettling feeling with this sinister showpiece everytime she visited Cunningham Manor. She sat opposite Keith, going over all the details again and asking more questions. The investigation had drained both of them with no solution on end. It had been months. Audrey Cunningham had disappeared without a trace.. “I'm afraid we've done the best we could. We will be archiving this into the Cold Case Files in a couple of days”,sighed Kim. Out of nowhere, a sudden gust of wind knocked the owl off the mantelpiece. It dropped near Kim’s foot with a loud thud. A key neatly hidden key under it's talon was exposed. HELP and MUSIC BOX were etched weakly on it. **** “Mr. Cunningham! I need to see the Music Box right now”, Kim said with an authority as she radioed the team outside. It held a secret compartment in which a handwritten letter by Audrey said that her life was in danger...

Sangeetha Kamath

Search This Blog