HBR Patel

“Half-filled Teacup” by HBR Patel

Rick was trying to cover his ears with pillows, with as much effort as he could muster in his sleepy state, to drown out the sound waves of the snoring symphony coming from his wife.  The symphony always caught its rhythm in the early morning hours, and Rick found it hard to bear the peak performance of the symphony. He had conveyed this problem to his wife, Marie, the performer and conductor, many times before. However, Rick let go of all his effort and threw the pillow away, realizing that it took away all possibilities for a sile...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Observing the Horizon” by HBR Patel

Two friends were returning from their weekend trip to the mountains. Tom turned on the radio with a voice command while AI was driving the car. They heard the public announcement made by the White House.  Did you listen to the announcement? 'Yes, Tom, I might miss one eye, but not my listening capabilities. ' Oh, Jack. I didn't mean it that way. I was just saying that those words blasted from the speakers are hard to fathom. ' 'I warned them. I wrote letters to them. On top of that, I tweeted daily. I DM'd all the influencers. But ...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Humans” by HBR Patel

‘Are you there?’ asked a whisper to a silhouette hiding in a box beneath the wooden floor. The light failed to enter the box. The only thing that entered the box was oxygen. That silhouette hiding inside the box survived on that oxygen.  ‘Yes, where else I would go from here? There is not even an inch to move. Luca, are they near?’ asked that hidden figure.  ‘Yes, stay low. They are coming right here. Do not make any noise or they would take you back,' said Luca.  'Hey, you. Did you saw anyone running away from here?'...

1 like 2 comments 2

Read story

“Crowded Cafe” by HBR Patel

'Are you all right?' 'No, do not ask me about it. Leave me alone,' snubbed Maggie. 'But what I have done, Mag. Just tell me, and I will rectify that mistake,' assured Tim, Maggie's Husband. 'Just keep quiet and complete that Mocha.' ordered Maggie. Tim and Maggie were inside a busy cafe. People were waiting for their turn to sit and sip the delicious coffee.  'But what have I done?' asked Tim in a somewhat high-pitch but anxious tone. Maggie looked around and caught nine pairs of eyes looking at their table. 'Can't you keep your cute mo...

1 like 0 comments 0

Read story

“The Prison Camp” by HBR Patel

Submitted to Contest #105

'Keep up the pace, my love,' said Tim to his wife, Eva. 'I am trying. The pain is holding me back,' said Eva. Tim looked down to Eva's right thigh, where a bullet went through. The only good thing about that bullet wound was that it stopped bleeding. Tim attended to the bullet wound instantly, and that helped stop the bleeding. But the Diclofenac failed to make its impact.  'I am feeling dizzy,' said Eva holding her hand and running simultaneously.  Tim stopped and looked at her. They were escaping the prison compound. The alien sp...

10 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“The Meditation” by HBR Patel

Submitted to Contest #104

Tim was all alone this night. It was not a stroke of sheer luck but a well-planned move. Tim's flat was a bachelor pad. His friends would make a point to stay till midnight every day after an intense day at work. Someone would even leave the bachelor pad in the morning.  One day, Tim decided to take a sabbatical from the routine and enjoy some alone time. He was longing to spend some alone time after reading a book on Meditation. That book, which he picked up accidentally at the dental clinic, ignited a burning desire to experiment with...

9 likes 1 comment 1

Read story

“Photograph” by HBR Patel

Submitted to Contest #103

'What is in the box?' asked Tim with caution. Slight more decibel from Tim's mouth, and the sensor would turn on to intimidate the security guard and the local PD. Tim was inside the vault with Sam to take back what belonged to them.  'There is only one envelope. Otherwise the box is full of benjamins,' said Sam. 'Open the envelope,' ordered Tim while holding a rope that helped Sam stay above the vault floor to stay safe from the pressure sensor. A slight change in the weight and the guards and police officers will arrive in the vault w...

12 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Hunk in a Humvee” by HBR Patel

Submitted to Contest #102

A Black Humvee roared its way into a neighbourhood of mom-wagons and Prius. The Humvee stopped near house 43-A located on the seventh street locality of the town.  This neighbourhood was like any other neighbourhood of the town. Nothing so special about this locality. Everything that you can observe in the regular American community. In this locality, everyone knew everyone. The neighbours were intrigued with the noise of the Humvee that killed the silence in the vicinity. The door opened, and a 6.3 ft figure exited from the driver's se...

7 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Reflection” by HBR Patel

Submitted to Contest #101

Write a story that involves a reflection in a mirror. Sam entered the room and counted his steps to locate his favourite mirror. The darkness made it hard to find it with eyes. He took the predefined number of steps and came across the mirror. He saw his reflection, somewhat different from him. The sound and eyes were the only things that connected Sam with the reflection. The physical feature would be difficult to match without sound and colour of eyes.  'I think I look hidious...' Sam said to the reflection. 'No, Sam. You ar...

11 likes 1 comment 1

Read story

“Burned Food” by HBR Patel

Submitted to Contest #100

'Nothing can come near the taste of your food.' 'Don't butter me up, darling. I am trying to prepare it from a recipe.' 'Waiting eagerly to taste the delicacies.' 'Yeah. Don't worry, this time I won't alter sugar with salt.' saying this, Bella started smiling. Tim, her husband, was on the other side of the phone. He couldn't see her wife smiling. Tim could only imagine how Bella was smiling. That was all he wanted for her: a smiling face without any worry. 'Yeah, Please don't do that. Last time, I failed to gulp even one morsel. Please, this...

10 likes 1 comment 1

Read story

“The Doctor” by HBR Patel

Submitted to Contest #99

'Why?' Nina asked. 'Daughter, there are things that are best left unexplained.' 'The world will not end if I have a glimpse of the day?'  'Yes, my love, the world will not end, but my world will end for sure if something happens to you.’ replied Tim. ‘But daddy, I will use a dark cloth.’ Tim thought for a while about the risk involved. He then said, ‘Okay, we will go outside, as you wish.’   They took a black blanket and covered themselves.  ‘Do not wake up mom, or she will cancel this outing of yours.' Nina agreed, ‘Okay...

7 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Head of The Snake” by HBR Patel

Submitted to Contest #98

  TW: bombing 'Dad, please throw the ball.' 'No, complete this sandwich.' 'Dad, please.'  'No, Albert. Complete this.' said Tim handing over the sandwich to his son Albert. They were playing on a lush green field in the centre of the town. It was Sunday, the only day of the week when working parents can spend some quality family time. Albert finished the sandwich in six bites and ran after the ball. Their pet dog chased Albert but ran back barking. The silence in the garden faded out with the continuous barks of Tommy. Tim stood fr...

9 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“The Prankster” by HBR Patel

Submitted to Contest #97

'Pappa, how many generations lived on Enceladus?' 'We are the fourth one, Tim,' said nine-year-old Tim's dad, who was also the captain of the spaceship en route to the Enceladus. People moved over Mars as the people moved over the red planet. 'So, why are we chosen to live there. Pappa?' asked Tim. 'Do you know our stay in Antarctica? We completed the five year stay over there. It was just like the environment on Enceladus.' 'What was the term for it? I think stimulation.' 'That's my boy. Intelligent and ready to inhabit the planet.' said Ol...

11 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“The Hitchhiker” by HBR Patel

Submitted to Contest #96

The sun called it a day and went to brighten up the other part of the globe. The farmers were in the bar for the night. One stranger walked inside the bar.  'Hey, you are not supposed to be there?' 'Oh! I didn't know that. I am sorry.' said the stranger to the overcautious villager. That village faced the problem of hitchhikers intruding on the safety of their village. They came up with a solution to identify and remove the hitchhikers from the village if the villagers found them to be drunk. The solution was simple. They placed a doo...

11 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“The LifeBoat” by HBR Patel

Submitted to Contest #95

The wind was not in favor of the ship. The waves were dancing to the tunes of the wind. 'Captain, what you want to do?' 'Continue on the course. We will reach with some delay but we will make there, that is for sure.' 'The winds do not want us to reach there, Captain.' 'Yes, Tom. They do not want that. But, we must continue the quest because nothing valuable is not attained easy.' 'Captain, so you speak.' said Tim and conveyed the message to the crew on the ship. The ship was on the course to the treasure island. The captain of the ship, Mar...

8 likes 0 comments 0

Read story