Latha Prakash

“Her New And Improved Version” by Latha Prakash

Submitted to Contest #174

The wind howled. The floral drapes swayed waywardly like the unrestrained human emotions. The pearls lining the big-sized mirror shone under the dim yellow light. Debra entered the room and placed her plush bag that was encrusted with real coral and turquoise stones on the table. Seated on a chair, she stared at her reflection. Freeing her petite frame of the woolen preserver, she examined the wrinkles that bedecked her skin. The windows rattled and diverted her focus. She walked to the windows and closed them. She removed the French barrett...

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“The Game Of Ebb And Troughs” by Latha Prakash

Tiny droplets pristine like the dew drops gently trickled down the window pane before uniting with the sill. The branches swayed to the tunes of the breeze sprinkling water over the passers by. The birds nestled in their cozy and humble abode. They clung to their nestlings while peering at the clouds. A few hours later, the clouds parted giving way to the sun. The taintless, first ray of the sun brought with it a glint of hope. A hope that everything would soon fall in place. A hope that the trough would be followed by an ebb. In the corner ...

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“When Emotions Took Shape As Words” by Latha Prakash

Submitted to Contest #154

There was a hurricane of activity in the hallway. The atmosphere was exuberant. Ignoring all the frolic, Monika sat at her writing desk and stared at the speck of dust on the window pane, without diverting her gaze even for a second. That tiny speck seemed to take in the myriad eclectic emotions that churned in her heart and created a whirlpool. The paper that lay on the table fluttered in air and made a tapping noise each time in stroked the table. The clock ticked at its pace oblivious to the turmoil in her heart. Her mind was flooded with...

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“The Enigmatic Healer” by Latha Prakash

The clouds broke up and the sun made its way, spreading its warmth over every nook and cranny. I sat gazing at the birds flapping their wings as they took a tour of the empyrean realm. "Every day is a miracle," the words on a billboard caught my attention. 'How true were the words,' I thought. The teapot whistled and I made my way to the kitchen. There was nothing a hot, steaming cup of tea couldn't solve. I watched the vapor rise from the cup and vanish into thin air. Miracle - what was it? Was it magic? Or was it a surreal experience? My s...

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“Lost In A Maze” by Latha Prakash

"Please don't do this to me," Rosy let out a muffled scream. Her vocal cord didn't let her vent her angst. She felt like she was trapped in a box underneath the water. Shallow, fast breaths escaped her being. She felt a tight knot in her chest, and she twitched. Her face turned blue as she experienced labored breathing. Her legs felt weak. "Happy anniversary," the shrieks from the neighboring house shook her world. She trembled and sweat beads danced on her brow. The air conditioner wasn't of much help. The wall separating the houses was thi...

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“The Resurrection” by Latha Prakash

Submitted to Contest #150

In a dim lit room sat Professor Jonathan making a note of his observations. A gurgling sound made by the chemical in a test tube disrupted the stark silence. Pushing the hair that fell on his face, he limped to the table on which the apparatus was neatly aligned. Sitting in the same posture for days had made his muscles sore and he winced as he stood leaning against the wall. With his gloved hands, he carefully held the test tube and placed a few drops of the chemical on the chip with the help of a pipette. Green colored flames filled the la...

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“The End Didn't Justify The Means ” by Latha Prakash

The sky turned the color of an old bruise. Ignoring the dark and puffy clouds that were about to veil the sky, Elizabeth got off the car and walked into the motel. She stood shifting her weight from one foot to the other and tapped on the desk twice. Her diamond ring shone under the dim light as it stroked against the wood. The receptionist lifted her head that was buried in her palms and looked at Elizabeth. Her eyes were groggy, and Elizabeth assumed that she had just disrupted her powernap. Elizabeth spoke in a hushed tone and the recepti...

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“It Wasn't Meant To Be” by Latha Prakash

Submitted to Contest #148

The key fit snugly in the keyhole. Sean twisted the knob and opened the door. Holding Sierra's hand with his left hand he entered the house that he hoped would soon transform into their home. He had opted for a self-guided tour of the apartment hoping against hope that Sierra would like it and give her nod. It was a one-bedroom apartment surrounded by a canopy of trees. They entered the living room and freeing herself of his grasp, Sierra walked to the kitchen. She opened every cabinet making a mental note of the space available and trying t...

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“A Slice From Jessica's Life” by Latha Prakash

Submitted to Contest #147

The lid was lowered and with every passing second Tony's face became sparsely visible. The coffin was lowered into the ground as Jessica watched without batting an eyelid. The kohl that lined her lower eyelids remained perfectly winged. Tears coursed down her mother-in-law's face, and she leaned on Jessica and held her hand tightly as though she was the anchor who would prevent her from drowning in the sea of sorrow. Jessica's fingers curled around her mother-in-law's hand and formed an assuring envelope. The priest said a prayer and the cof...

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“The Zeal To Live” by Latha Prakash

The rattling noise vexed Mark as he crutched himself across the street. The sky transformed into gravel grey. Large pillows of clouds filled the sky and the sun hid behind them. Mark felt the first splatter of rain on his bespectacled countenance. The raindrops sounded like a musical chime. It felt lifting and magical. As Mark continued to walk while manoeuvring the puddles, the pitter-patter transcended into a loud whirring noise. The roofs of cars danced with spray. Umbrellas were opened and they formed a colourful canopy. Water ...

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“An Unvoiced Biography ” by Latha Prakash

Submitted to Contest #145

She hurled me into the truck. I thought that it was time for me to assume another duty but the decaying and putrid odour was an eye-opener. I looked around and saw that I was surrounded by rotten vegetables, discarded meat, diapers, plastic and whatnot. Reality struck me like a lightning and my misconception was gone with the wind. I was in a trash truck and was soon going to rot in a dump. One look at my stained and disfigured self and anyone would concur that the dump was the right place for me. But I wasn't always like this. I was born...

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“The Photograph That Had Her Past Engraved On It” by Latha Prakash

Submitted to Contest #144

Squabbling seagulls flew overhead. Rachel sat on the sand with waves crashing against her ankles. The waves of the sea produced an opera, that was soothing. The sea seemed like a beautiful woman dressed in a cerulean blue gown. At a distance, a little girl and her mother were playing in the water. The yacht rocked like a cradle and it felt as though the sea wanted to lul Rachel to sleep.She was physically miles away from the hullabaloo but her mind still lingered in the hospital. Pictures of the IV cannula, ice-cold stainless steel cot, the ...

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“Scores Settled - Don't Dig Deep” by Latha Prakash

Submitted to Contest #143

The autumn leaves crushed under Jennifer's feet as she walked in the woods. The breeze cooled her face. The open sweat pores that acted as a fountain were now shut. A calming kind of chill rolled down her neck, arms and hands. This rendezvous with nature was all she needed to calm her frayed nerves. Jennifer was a photographer who worked for a reputed publishing office in New York. Despite her flourishing career, she felt that something was amiss in her life. Upon a suggestion from her friend, she resorted to some soul searching. She...

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“A Tete-a-Tete With A Librarian” by Latha Prakash

Submitted to Contest #142

A series of hanging lights lit the library. The hall was otherwise silent, except for the occasional tapping of a keyboard or the whirring of a printer. A faint murmur could be heard. "Shhh," said the librarian and the silence was restored. A young man donning a cap that covered almost half of his face entered the library. He walked to the corner table and saw that it was occupied. With fumes emanating from his nose and ears, he walked to the librarian and demanded, "The corner table is occupied. It's mine. Ask that woman to leave." The...

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“The Art Of Criticism - Boon or Bane” by Latha Prakash

Submitted to Contest #141

The humming noise made by the ceiling fan broke the agonising silence. The lone light bulb placed in a corner of the room was shining in effulgence. The bed made a creaking noise as James tossed and turned on it. The nights tapped into his deepest fear, the fear of 'death'. Clasping a pillow tightly he closed his eyes in an attempt to sleep. A pattern full of dots and sparkles played before him. Swirls and waves of different coloured dots danced not letting him sleep. He lay on the bed and stared at the window wondering if he would ever b...

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