Syed Mohammad Zahid

“Mistakes are not barren.” by Syed Mohammad Zahid

Submitted to Contest #260

The High Queen was expecting a child. Throughout the pregnancy, she had felt extraordinarily abnormal situations and unusual challenges. The large tummy bulge may have been the sign of a good-sized baby, which was a matter of deep concern for her. With each movement of the baby, psychogenic conflicts pained and disquieted her mind.During the previous pregnancies and deliveries, she had never been so anxious. Her children were swiftly delivered, and she would always be back on her royal duties the same day. She was not a weak or mentally frai...

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“Emojis and sexting.” by Syed Mohammad Zahid

Military forces worldwide commend their soldiers for their courage, often proclaiming them as the strongest in the world. Our military emphasizes the exceptional physical strength and attractiveness of its soldiers, asserting that this is where our men truly thrive.However, for a military doctor, they boast about their intelligence and tact, claiming to be the best in those aspects as well. Our retired colonel doctor was known for his sharp wit and skills. He takes great pride in his abilities.The beauty he possessed was truly remarkable. Mo...

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“Blood stained tides of Herat.” by Syed Mohammad Zahid

The goddess of the night was asleep, taking in her lap the high mountains, exanimate stones, and scattered pebbles. The distant mountain peaks looked dim. The absolute calmness of the goddess had taken over the prowess of the entire universe. There was such awe hidden in the sapphire dust of darkness that everything seemed frightened. The tides of the Herat were trying to hit the rocks to interrupt the absolute calmness.The moon, dressed in a silver costume, emerged from the horizon to circumambulate Mother Earth. The goddess started wrappin...

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“Metamorphosis” by Syed Mohammad Zahid

Submitted to Contest #205

Foggy clouds had blocked out the sun for many days. Fast falling, eventide was chilly and the brisk ocean winds howling on the streets had shivered the bodies. The ensuing darkness engulfed the entire universe as if centuries had passed and the sun had never appeared. Rounded bright lamps, hanging on poles, just like the boobs of chaste women, were shimmering in the gloaming. Those were trying to defeat the endless darkness of the night. On the hilltop, in the corner of a flower meadow, was the Temple, dedicated to the goddess Venus. Through...

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“Love: The wicked game.” by Syed Mohammad Zahid

Submitted to Contest #181

Thirty years have passed, how can those days, those nights, when we first went to Lalazar, drift away from our memory? It still dwells in the deepest subconscious, like a fantasy. That vast meadow, with some fine hotels on the top of a mountain, was the center of delight for visitors. It was frequented by travelers in summer and invalided in winter. That was the end of February, so all hotels were deserted. We were the only guests ‌staying in a small cabin adjacent to the main building of a locked hotel.  There had been some movement of...

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“Sheila Bagh” by Syed Mohammad Zahid

Submitted to Contest #168

Khushiya boarded the Jaffar Express from Lahore. Usually, six people would easily fit in a compartment, but these days only four were allowed, because of the pandemic. The family of six had a split. His adolescent children and wife took over one compartment, while he settled in another with his companions; the luggage.It was his habit to scrutinize everything closely. He had been keeping in touch with the events happening in Balochistan, the notorious habitat of Quetta Shura of the Taliban. Because of cross-border infiltration from Afghanist...

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“Fire of malicious love.” by Syed Mohammad Zahid

Submitted to Contest #157

Escorted by three boys, he was brought limping in severe pain. Nazakat was a very cute boy with chiseled features and a feminine look; face blushing adolescent, bearing bigger and more dramatic eyes in which God had applied kohl with His own hands. Hair had just started sprouting on his upper lip, chin, and sideburns had appeared, which he plucked with tweezers instead of shaving. He even had a tattoo on his chin. The brightly colored silk Kaftan smelt of his intense, musky perfume. The silk trousers were soaked with blood, oozing from a lon...

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“ We don’t take sugar” by Syed Mohammad Zahid

She not only told innocent fibs like anyone else, but she was also a pathological liar. Her claims of love were false. If I insisted, she would say, “I love you, and you love me too. It's our love that makes you suspicious about me.” I used to look down and listen to her jabbering. Whenever I tried to look at her luminous face adorned on the lovely neck, she seemed polite, dignified, and sincere like a sad and heartbroken angel. When I looked into her shining eyes, her black pupils would become darker and by drowning in their abysmal de...

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