खुद की तलाश

कुछ वक्त गुमनामी ही सही, भूल जा ज़माना ,औऱ खुद की तलाश कर।

भटकता रहा जो दर-बदर शोरगुल के पीछे, 

थोड़ा रुक और खुद की खामोशी से बात कर।

नज़रो ने देखे हैं तेरी , हैवानियत के किस्से,

आंखों से धूल हटा, और इंसानियत का आगाज़ कर।

चंद लम्हे जुटा ले खुशियों के तू,

भीड़ का खिलौना ना बन, मुस्कुराहट की बौछार कर।

इल्म बहुत है ना , तुझे तेरे वजूद का,

अंधेरो को उनका रास्ता दिखा, रौशनी को ना नाराज़ कर।

कितना जिएगा अब औऱ, झूठी शान में,

ये ज़मी तेरी अपनी है, इसे और तो ना ख़ाक कर।

बाहों में भर ले इंसानियत को, बेड़ियाँ लगा दे हैवानियत पर,

दोज़ख़ बनी ज़मी, अब तो ज़न्नत कर।

सरहदे ज़रूर बनाई है हमने, फिर भी मोहब्बत फैला दुनिया मे,

हिफाज़त का ताबीज़ बन कर।

Poetess:: Roma Kashyap

E-mail:    romapathak01@gmail.com

 

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And then they met

She looked around, it was dark and everyone was sleeping. She moved and her body creaked. She coughed lightly, making sure nobody gets disturbed.

“No one should wake up.” She thought

She wanted to get out of the house in the empty street and cry her heart out but she knew this was not possible. No one would let her go outside even in day time, night was out of discussion. After all, it’s only two days since she lost the dearest of her life in a tragic road accident.

The pain was so unbearable. Her spirit was broken down and bleeding. The anguish and sense of loss has taken over every single emotion.

Rishab and Jyotsana met in the college 4 years back. If one could define the term love at first sight their story would have been the best example for it, but just like any regular Bollywood masala there was the right amount of family drama. Their family opposed their relationship in every possible way. Lectures about caste, society and family values everything was tried but they never

backed out. Eventually, after one whole year of ups and down their family agreed. They won the war of love.

When they got engaged, they knew they were almost there to their final destination. Living the rest of their life as a husband and wife and spending every single day looking and holding each other.

Destiny always has a plan of its own.

A week after their engagement she got to know that Rishab was no more. All her dreams of togetherness were shattered in a car accident. Now she was left with memories and sorrow. A promise of always and forever was broken.

She slowly walked towards the door making sure no one would guess and somehow she managed to get out of the house without being noticed. The road was dark and empty. She kept walking and slowly tears escaped her eyes. With every step she took, the tears were more violent. And there she was screaming and crying her heart out. Her tears didn’t stop until she was hit by a car and she bleeds till her last breath.

There were flowers all over and the sky was gloomy. She looked around, she was all alone. Soon, she realized that someone was standing behind her. She turned and there he was standing in white shirt and blue denim.

“You must walk more carefully next time you are on the road.” Rishab said.

She looked at him and stated,” You must drive more carefully next time you are on the road.”

In a fraction of second their lips were locked and their eyes were flowing.

                

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Love....and the calculations

A love stuck, that’s what I am. However, the girl I am fighting for is no longer in a relationship with me. If life is funny then love is certainly a clown. Deep down, we knew this will have no future and soon we started to believe it.

Fools! Aren’t we.

I am sure she loves me and I am also sure that she knew that I love her but we were getting vulnerable every day because somewhere we knew this will never work. We even counted various reasons why this will not work. Two calculative assholes!

We met, we cried and we said goodbye.

Months started passing by. The time was tough and unbearable. I tried to convince myself and every time my heart said,” Just fuck off! I really know what you want.” And I always end up with a poker face.

A few months after that I found her in the metro. She was sitting in front of me.  Our eyes met and then they were wet. In no time we were crying in eachother's arm, hugging each other tightly.

Yeah, No body hooted or clapped which made the entire situation awkward.  But now we know we were thinking way too much. You don’t think when you love, you just love. There are no calculations and there are no logics.

Yes, you don't give up on love and deep down I always knew I was not fighting for a dead cause.

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Rose...The untold story

I will tell you my story right from the moment I was born as a bud.

Small but not vulnerable because nobody picks a bud, a full grown flower with a beautiful smell and lush colors were the obvious choice for the people. But don't be mistaken, though I am calling it a vulnerable stage but actually that is one of the most prestigious moments for us to be picked for a great event.

There is one thing I want to confess. We, the roses are one of the most overrated things in the universe. We blossom, look beautiful, smell good and make people happy but then we are gone, back to the soil from where we were born. Sometimes I express joy with a witty, thought of mine and I am holding a Liberty here to apportion it with you. If we were humans, we would have been Prostitutes. We would get to our clients looking beautiful. Our vendor aka pimp would receive immediate payment. Clients would smell us adore us and utilities us and then they would walk out.

Anyways, I am always in awe of my elders aura, colour and smell. They are important for people. People love us. For them, we symbolize love and passion. Even I want to reach at their level and I wanted to be adored and loved. I wanted people to appreciate me for my colour and aura.  Sadly, I knew the difficulties I would face. I happen to be on the wrong side. I was not getting that exact amount of sunlight. I was afraid but thankfully I was fortunate to get water.

Slowly, Yes! Slowly I started blossoming. I even remember people stating that I will be among the most beautiful rose. My fragrance was slowly traveling places and people were getting drawn towards me.  Since I was growing slowly, the full grown were being picked for different auspicious purposes. I was being adored and blessed. The lovers were relating their growing relationship with the beauty of my growth. Oh! What a dream I was walking through. Meanwhile, other roses kept growing faster and being nibbled. I never understood that I was left entirely.

Then I realized that I was so contented which the attention I am getting and people praising me that I actually stopped my will to grow more. Goddamn! What kind of a fool am I? I remained passive and disheartened. Slowly losing my hope and then that storm came. The time was there for me to say goodbye without being grown to the full. My story will soon be washed away. My beauty and smell will soon be forgotten. Then I was consumed.

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! Next day and I am still here. May be there are more to suffer for me. My God was not done punishing me. My flower pot was misplaced and a bit broken. The sky was black and it may rain heavily again and then I will keep telling my sad story and how I was finally dead and you will feel sad for me. May be you would shed tears for me as well but soon even you will forget me. I will be lost eternally.

The day slowly starts passing by rain was still hanging somewhere in the clouds and taking its time to kill me. Slowly the day ends and next morning I was born again.

Yes! I was born again. The sun was shining and thanks to the misplacement of my pot I was now getting sufficient sunlight and my soil is having good amount of water too.  I know I will grow again and this time faster. Much faster than I ever expected!  As they say, Life is a funny thing just when I thought it's all over, I got a new life. This is what I really wanted.

Today when I look back, I feel so ashamed that I was so pessimistic. Trust me and I am saying this from experience. When everything goes wrong and nothing works out, don't get disheartened. There is someone out there who will make everything right and all you have to do is to have faith.

Hence, just hold on to your problems they may get resolved tomorrow and never lose your hope again. 

By Mayank Kashyap

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Be With Me .....It's back!!

You know the most stupid thing one can do is to leave behind the things which made them, you can simply call refer them as “Jerks”. Here I’m bringing out one of the greatest jerk of all time… Ladies and Gentleman put your hand together for ME.

I have been really outspoken about my aspiration and desires for writing in almost every interview of mine. My journey as a child who was afraid to share his work in a concern of being judged to a writer who was a rated among the Top 50 bloggers in India and subsequently moved on to pen down a book was like a dream. I just never expected it to happen so fast. I may not be talented enough but surely I was very fortunate. Jai mata di.

I don’t need to tell you how good it felt because you know it but then I never realized when everything slipped away from my hands. It’s a happy day for me as SNAPPY THOUGHTS is finally going live again so I will not write what actually occurred and why I wasn’t writing. Let bygones be bygones forever.

With a hope that my readers still remember me, I promise you that this time I’m back and I am not going anywhere. In case some of you have forgotten my work then I will make sure that my work will again make a place in your life and will stay there as long as the entire human race survives.  (Ok, the last part was a bit dramatic.)

I will not alter the look of my website because we will begin from the position where we exactly left each other and this time it will be a never ending journey. I don’t leave you and hope you will stay with me.

I need your support and for that I need to win back your heart. After that we will find out if my name can again be named among the top bloggers in India. Even if it doesn’t happen again but please be with me.

#snappythoughts #bewithme 

By Mayank Kashyap

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And then they met By Syeda Faiza Rasheed

Deepak’s life was an adventure. Losing virginity, a bet. All was unplanned so he decided to go where he could select someone, like picking a drink.

Jyothi had to face the world she’d been pushed into. Five months ago, she had come. Today, she was ready to take the step.

Deepak entered the building. Women, red lips, provocatively dressed, scented bodies.

His eyes scanned the place, hers fluttered. Choice was made.

Inside the room, he saw a cot with a clothes bundle. He looked at her. Young. Beautiful. Heavy make-up. Innocent eyes. Yet, out of place.

He sat on the bed, facing her.

Your name? he asked.

Jyothi, she replied.

Tell about yourself.

Nothing worth.

He asked. She answered.

Finally, he asked, Why here?

Emotionlessly, she said, Poverty. Sold in marriage. Kept till content. Then sold here.

His heart wrenched.

When?

Five months back.

So……already?

No…..you’re first.

Suddenly a shrill cry echoed. She rushed towards the cot, lifting a wriggling body.

She saved me till now, but don’t want this for her, she said teary-eyed.

For him, life was a luxury, for her a curse.

And then they met. Three lives changed.

Like the story? Connect with Syeda : https://www.facebook.com/syeda.f.rasheed?__nodl

This story is among one of the winners of the contest :AND THEN THEY MET".

#andthentheymet #theforbiddenline #shortstory #winner

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And then they met by Pakki Chaithanya

Everything around her looks white.

Calm and serene.

Everyone vacated the room leaving her peacefully bearing the instructions of that tall doctor. Although it seems peaceful there lies a thin line of disturbance between her and her sleep, an abyss that smiles at her welcoming face asking her to jump into it to have the darkness engulf her to satiate her unending quench to the dissatisfaction of not meeting her husband, all these seventy years, separated by a war of hundreds of miles. She seems to find him here and there at the brink of her uneven breath that threatens to leave her soon. Strangely she smiles at the abyss which by now tells her that her better half was waiting for years there. She has a daughter who married and blessed with a boy.

Now, she has nothing else to fulfill except to fall and be rise again to be as one with her other half. Perhaps he died in that war otherwise he would search for her the universe, she thought in her last moments."And then they met."At last. 

Beyond that abyss was a person sat smiling shining in white light and sharp blue eyes.     

Like the story connect with Pakki : https://m.facebook.com/pakki.chythu?ref=bookmarks

This story is among one of the winning entries of the contest "AND THEN THEY MET".

#andthentheymet #theforbiddenline #shortstory #winner

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Decision

For every decision you take,
There is a cost you pay.

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And then they met

Write a short story on "AND THEN THEY MET" and stand a chance to win free signed copies of The Forbidden Line and also get featured onwww.mayankkashyapblog.in

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Let's connect

You know, there was a phase when I was having a lot of free time and I believe that I'm not the only one.

But time changes. Sometime for good reason and sometime for a bad one.

Apart from being an author, I'm also a professional now. :-)

But ironically because of my schedule, which include my office hours and other commitment, I'm usually not having spare time due to which I'm not very active here.

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to connect with me on Instagram also. So that we can stay in touch in a much better way.

Let's connect here:
@author_mayank. Install the app to follow my photos and videos. http://instagram.com/download/?r=2296913958

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CREATORS: Like Really?

Impact of this title is quite obvious. The instant reaction which you may give after reading the title would be: “Is this guy talking about the Gods?” Well, No I’m not.

Though, I accept that the Gods are the ultimate creators of every single this thing existing and that ever existed in the universe. He/she is the one with ultimate authority to create anything and it’s they who decide how long will their creation will live on this planet and in which form except few scientists who are now focusing on hybrid species, i.e. Pomeranian mixed up with  Labrador; tiger mixed up with a cat or elephant mixed up with the rat.

So, coming back to the point, apart from God and few extraordinary scientists with extra-terrestrial mind, there is a group of people who creates and their creation never go away. They dwell among us in our intellect, in our essence and even Gods can’t take them aside from this planet. They are THE WRITERS.

The writers create characters which stays between us even if the writer is not among us anymore. We imagine about them, we sing around them and we live with them. They are with us, always. For God, it may be an easy job. May be with one wave of the hand they create and another wave, they destroy. But we, the writers, stay awake day and night, run through all the details and the nitty gritty to create one character. We have to make sure that people will fall in love with them and always keep them in their mind.

I can name few characters, which are constantly in the backrest of my head. Mr. and Mrs. Grey from Fifty shades of grey, Deb from Durjoy’s novels, Amir and Hassan from Kite runner, Shiva from Shiva trilogy , Amy from Gone girl and many more.

And I just hope Virat from The Forbidden Line (my creation) will also persist with the readers as long as they exist.

On the spur of the moment, it’s lightning and raining. A voice came from the sky.

God: So, you want to state that you are the ultimate creators. Is it so?

Shit! It’s The God.

Me: No, I mean…ahhhh.. I mean we can also create.

I answered with hesitation.

God: And my creation can be destroyed but yours can’t. You also claim that. Again, you are indirectly saying that you guys are masters.

Me: No, No, God, sir. It’s not like that, but our creations are fictional and you can’t destroy anything which practically never existed. So, moral of the story: Nobody can destroy what writer’s created.

Silence…

God: Well, you are my creation and I can destroy you. Hahahaha….. Now, beat that baby.

I choose to stay in silence and make a puppy face.

God is God…. Ufffff!!!!

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

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Life looks like a beautiful dream.

Few Lines from my debut novel THE FORBIDDEN LINE.

Hope you like it.

Do buy your copy from Amazon, Pustakmandi, Kindle or just whats-app your order at 9920865150

Mayank Kashyap

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The Forbidden Line- Book Trailer 2

Promotion is a never ending process. 

Even though the book is released and doing well.
Even though good reviews are flowing in.
Even though the readers are sending their pictures with the book.
Even though the trailer is out.

Promotion is important.

And taking another step forward, here I present the 2nd book trailer of my debut novel The Forbidden Line
   

                                     

Hope you enjoy the video as well as the book.

Love,

Mayank Kashyap

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What is it really all about?

The day when I disclosed that my debut novel – “TheForbidden Line” is going to get published there were only two questions that were being asked by almost everyone.

Ques. 1 – Congrats and when is it releasing?

Ques. 2- What is it all about?

I answered the first question then and there to everybody but intentionally avoided answering the second question. I guess it was too early.

But now since the book is out and peoples are buying it and also as the good reviews are flowing in, now I think is the right time to tell you what this book is all about.

So, The forbidden Line comprises of a sweet love story with a twist, a friendship tale with a twist and what that twist, it’s Blood.

It involves redemption but then it is also not a revenge story. So, entirely it is not a love story neither friendship tale nor a story of redemption.

The Forbidden Line is entirely about one question, “How far you can go of the thing you believe in, for the thing you believe is right?”

It is right to perish against the person you love and your family for the thing which “you believe” is powerful.

Is it right to put everything you are left with on the line just because you think it’s worthful.

The Forbidden Line is not a story of love, friendship or redemption. It’s a story of life.

No matter what you do, no matter what you believe in and no matter which side you are on, there is only one truth “A loss can never be reversed.”

Written by Mayank Kashyap

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The drunken man's quest

This is a work of pure fiction and in case if this article hurts someone’s sentiment (which I’m sure, it will) then trust me, it’s completely unintentional and anyway I don’t know on which side you are.

This is only intended for light hearted comedy.

                                                                              ****

8^th November 2015,

I was happy to be at my hometown after such a long time. I terribly missed my home, my family and more than that I missed my mom’s made food.  I must accept it was a great change, a change I badly needed after months of ruthless schedule. Oh! I just wish I could have extended my stay, but then my organization will not pay me to sit on my room’s maroon colored couch. This forced a pop-up window inside my mind with a message written in Bold: TRY WORK FROM HOME but before this idea could completely corrupt my mind, I realized my job pays me more. Matter over then and there.

This special day is really vivacious. Most of the masses are happy though there are likewise a good number of people, who are groaning.  Reason: Nitish Kumar is once again our CM. I knew this would happen and it’s not that I’m dancing but then I’ve no qualms about it. After all, you just cannot write off a person, who has given you, your present. A man who has picked you up from dirt and has made you a citizen of a state which is officially one of the fastest rising in India deserves one more chance.

So, the point was not election, it was: a vibrant day and making the day more wonderful is the climate. Winter is knocking at the doorway and the cool winds and the dancing trees are receiving it from their open heart.

I needed to digest the foods which were forced inside me and what’s better than a walk. I put on my shoes and went outside and cool wind welcomed me. Winters are definitely knocking at the door or as a hopeless Game of throne fan, I should better say, “Winter is coming” and even Jon snow would know this.

Fifteen minutes of walking led me to a dark isolated street. Apart from me I could see only two people. One looks like some poor worker class man and the other one is drunk. I opt to dismiss both of them, but suddenly the drunken man falls down. The worker class man and I rushed towards him to help in to stand and so we got along.

“Please be careful and watch your steps.” I said to the drunken man.

“Even this was also his fault.” He answered.

“Whose fault?” The worker asked.

“The same man who led us to our defeat against Mahagatbandhan.”

His statement clearly meant that he was a BJP worker.

“Who? Nitish Kumar? “ I inquired.

“No, no not him, I’m talking about that agent”

“Agent Vinod?” The worker inquired.

“No that Pakistani agaent.”

“Katrina from ek tha tiger?” The worker applied his mind again and I burst into laughter.

“No, you moron I’m talking about that Pakistani agent, Shahrukh Khan.” He said in irritation.

“You mean to say Shahrukh khan is behind your loss in elections?” I inquired in confusion.

“Ya, indeed he is. Pakistani agents like him are influencing local mass to stand against the Indian government. Some tola-rance thing. He is putting us in tola-rance. I don’t know what’s exactly that but it’s something wrong and against our nation. This has been confirmed by our MLA.”

“Tola-rance” The worker repeated in amazement.

I shook my head in disgust and said, “You mean tolerance and intolerance.”

“Ya ya, ya ya.”

“So you think he is the reason behind your loss I mean don’t you think that your party failed to fulfil the promises they made. I mean before coming to the central you promised us that Modi will give Bihar the status of Special state, it’s been a year now.”

Why in the earth I was even talking to that senseless drunken man and I felt like going.

“Modi and Amit Shah is a brand.”

“But who was your face for Bihar?”

Silence…

“We’ve given you Jan Dhan. Zero balance account for all low class people.” He stated with a proud grin on his face and then sneezed.

“Even I was told to open that zero balance account and I did it but what’s the benefit. I make 100 bucks daily. I buy food for my family, we eat and sleep. Where is The money to put it in our account? Nobody pays us that much.” The worker responded.

“Ok, you don’t have money, but you hold a bank account.”

“So?” The worker asked

He looked at the labour and I looked at him. The worker and drunken man looked at each other and then the drunken man looked at me and I was already looking at him.

Silence…

The worker looked at me and I looked back at him and we knew it’s time to go ahead with our work and we moved in our respective directions.

Silence….

I resumed my walk and I heard that drunken man shout something. He said, “Beef is turning people into sinners and they were not able to decide good and bad. We are good and they choose the bad ones.”

I just smiled and went ahead with my digest-the-food mission.

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Blurb(s)

Here I present 2 blurbs from my upcoming debut novel The Forbidden Line.
I hope (just hope) you'll like it.

Blurb 1:

Blurb 2:

#theforbiddenline #debutnovel #blurb #love #friendship #redemption #blood #winter #death #life #mayankkashyap

With Love,

Mayank <3

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Pre-Order - The Forbidden Line

I thank all my readers for their support through out this journey and now this journey of mine is taking a complete new turn, a turn which I always desired for.

I urge to all my readers to show their support for me in this new endevour.

Do Pre-Order your copy and get an author's signed copy.

http://www.pustakmandi.com/the-forbidden-line

Another way:

Ordering a book was never so simple.
Order now from whatsapp and get an author's signed copy of The Forbidden Line ‪#‎theforbiddenline‬ ‪#‎preorder‬ ‪#‎authorsigned‬

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Full Cover & Back Cover Synopsis

Virat is completely different from what his Dad wants him to be. With Pulkit and Saurav, who are like brothers to him and his girlfriend Manya, his life is perfect, until one fateful day when his world falls apart. Now, he has only one aim in his mind… Redemption.

In order to arrange the broken pieces of his life he crosses all the forbidden lines only to end up destroying everything he had and then he faces the cruel reality behind his agony.

Why was Radhika waiting for Virat?

Will Virat’s story ends with a happy note?

A loss can never be reversed.

Hope guys like the cover and the synopsis. 

Thank You.

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The Forbidden Line

This is a very special day/news which I want to share with all my dear readers.

With immense pleasure and happiness, I want to inform all the readers that I have signed contract for my debut book "THE FORBIDDEN LINE". ( I'm doing moon walk right now)

Yes, after my two anthologies i.e. Love Bytes and Melody of life, it's the time for my debut novel and I have no qualms in accepting that I'm on cloud no. 9. (Hell Yeah!)

And it's not over here, in this post I'm also going to share the Book Cover (Big grin on my face.)

So drum rolls....
Cheers...
Clapping.....

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The Baffling Strike- Final Part (III)

“Your turn, best of luck.” Aditya said and he realized the expression on her face.

“What’s wrong?” Aditya asked in horror.

Ankita stands up and ran away from the office, crying. She ran, ran and continued running till her legs refused to cooperate and from there she took an auto rickshaw and went straight back to her office but stayed outside.

“Ankita got scared. She was not good enough.” This line was on the lips of almost very employee. Though there were people who thought, something was wrong and still respected her.

….

“Why did you do this? Ankita shot her question as soon as Sana left the office compound.

“Are you that dumb? I did it for promotion.” Sana replied rudely.

“But we were friends.”

“But I’m an individual first. I have to secure my future.” Sana shouted.

“We both are females. I trusted you only because you are a female. We need to stay together and united so that no one can harm us. How can you backstab me, a woman?” Ankita countered.

“What the fuck are you talking about? Are you insane? I don’t give a damn if you are a male or a female. I needed a promotion at any cost and I got one.

What did that fucking manager say that day do you remember? He said I was working under you. NO! I was not and I’ll never work under you, you’ll work under me from now onwards. Only if you are shameless enough to come to this place ever again.” Sana yelled and grabbed her shoulders and continued,

“I was sick of you. Everyone was so busy in praising you that nobody saw my work.”

“Why didn’t you do it on your own then? Was it important to steal my presentation? Why didn’t you work hard?” Ankita said in sarcasm.

“Oh! You know what I worked really hard on Roshan’s bed to please him. I turned into a sex slave for him that night because he promised me a promotion. I allowed him to fuck me like a whore but you spoiled everything. It’s because of you he was fired.”

Ankita was shocked and felt disgusted. Sana slept with a man who was harassing her friend, just for promotion. On her reply Ankita just slapped her hard and walked away. Sana watched her walking away as a drop of blood escaped her mouth.

Nobody saw what happened outside the office except the security guard.

Back to her home, Ankita stayed glued to her bed, crying and hugging her knees. She was devastated. She didn’t have the courage to face her colleagues.

Her past started haunting her again. Everything was exhibiting once again in front of her eyes. His drunken husband and his friends, they were pulling her saree and one of his friends was trying to tear away her blouse. Her husband gripped her hand and said,” Behave well in front of my friends. Don’t you dare to embarrass me.” She then grabbed a steel vase which was lying over her bedside table and smashed on two of his friend’s head and pushed away his husband and ran away. Then the image of Sana giving her presentation came in front of her eyes. She remembered how she ran away from the office. That was embarrassing. Her life was embarrassing.

“They would laugh at me. I’m not going back there atleast for a few days. How would I face them?” She thought.

The only reason why she came close to Sana was because she was a female. She hated men. Ankita never thought a woman will back stab a woman for success.

Women are rascals! But does it mean that even she was a rascal and if not then why did she think that every man is a rascal? Just because she knew two men who were rascals.

Soon she realized that it was not men or women who were rascals, it’s the lust. Lust for sex, money and success. No matter where you are, you will find people who are driven by their lust and workplace is the most likely place. They may say that they are working for passion but that’s a lie, they work for lust, lust for money and social position.

“No you can’t back out. This is not how an official behaves.” Her mind said.

“Yes, I have to be strong. I’m a professional, a self dependent working woman. No matter what I have to be strong. I can’t afford to be vulnerable.”

Next day she woke up at her usual time groomed herself for the office, took an auto rickshaw and reached her office on time. Standing in front of her office she took a deep breath and said to herself that her work was her ultimate identity and it was her work which defines her life.

As she enters the office security guard saluted her and said, “Good morning madam. It’s good to see you again.”

Ankita looked at him for a while and thought, “Atleast someone still respects me and working here is now simpler.”

Inside the office, she received a mixed response and it encouraged her. Though the majority of the employee saw her with appalling expression and few even refused to recognize her. For them she was a looser. She was a woman who was not good enough, a woman who got scared.

But now it didn’t bother her. She was there to work not to give clarification. Her sole objective from now onwards was to work though she maintained a healthy relation with her colleagues but nothing more that that. It was now her turn to be lusty and her lust was her work. The results would come one day and she knew this. She started doing the thing which she always did best, hard work. Her life was a lot simpler now and soon she found her mental peace. Every day she worked hard in the office and after that she worked hard on the treadmill. She let her work speak on her behalf and again the praises were flowing on her way. She never clashed with Sana and even Sana never traumatized her because her objective was fulfilled. Four months later, she won the employee of the year award and with that she received a promotion letter too.

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THE BAFFLING STRIKE- Part II

Aditya announced the name of four employees, including Ankita and Sana, who were being considered for promotion. He informed them that the candidate would have to give a presentation and whoever’s presentation would be the best, that candidate would get the promotion.

This was the moment Ankita was waiting for, a chance to define herself as a successful working woman with a prestigious post.

She started working day and night behind her presentation. Everyone was in awe of her hard work. For new joiners, she was an inspiration and for successful old horses, she was a mirror.

Her mind was so occupied that her past stopped troubling her. The sleepless tormenting nights were changed to sleepless hard working night. She heard praises about her every now and then. By the time the official started comparing her with the icons of the company because comparing her with any other would have been a disrespect for her talent.

“Hey, where are you going?” Ankita asked Sana.

“Coffee”

“Bring a cup of coffee for me too, will you?” Ankita requested. Sana looked at her for a while.

“What?” Ankita inquired.

Sana shook her head, smiled and said, “Don’t you think you are torturing your mind and body. You need to relax.”

“This is important for me.”

“Wow, as if it’s a game for the rest of us.” Sana said, mocking at Ankita and giggled.

“In the meantime, I’m going to washroom.”

In the washroom she washed her face. She was tired because she had been working continuously for the past two weeks without many breaks. She deserved a good cup of coffee. She looked at herself, she looked old. Her skin looked dull and her eyes were encircled by prominent dark black rings. She looked at the eixtra layers of fat on her waist and thighs. In short, she was looking terrible. Her continuous hard work was taking a toll on her body.

“Just a matter of few days, soon my pretty face would be back.”

She was happy with the way her presentation was progressing. Her presentation was going to be the best and she was sure. She was not over confident but she had actually worked really hard for it.

She looked at her image in the mirror and said,

“I’m going to be a successful woman, a successful working woman.”

When she returned to her table, her eyes were filled with terror and she was aghast. All the papers of her presentation were missing. She looked all around her table but she found nothing. She started looking all around in panic like a lunatic.

“Shit, what’s wrong with you?” Sana asked in panic and hurriedly put the cup of coffee over the table and ran towards Ankita. She told her everything. They started looking at every possible place all around the office but it was a futile try. Finally, Ankita broke down. She leaned on Sana as she hugged her.

Suddenly her eyes fell on Roshan, there was a smile on his face.

You are making a mistake. Roshan’s line roomed inside her head and she knew who was behind the missing papers.

Just one more day was left for the presentation and she had to do it. Thankfully, she had raw data saved on her laptop. She worked furiously whole night, a cup of coffee after a cup of coffee and so on. She turned into a machine which was working continuously and consuming coffee like its fuel. Till the morning almost eighty percent of her work was done. She was ecstatic, all over again.

“I still have the whole day.” She released a breath of relief. Suddenly her mind set changed and her eyes were filled with rage.

“That rascal will pay for it.” She thought.

In the office she went near the coffee machine and as she expected Roshan emerged with a crooked smile on his face. With a fraction of second Ankita threw her dupatta away and loosen her hair and started screaming on her loudest voice. She pulled Roshan towards herself and shouted,

“Help! Help! Move away you bastard.” 

Roshan was shell shocked and was unable to react. He was numb. Entire staff assembled within seconds. Seeing their condition no one asked anything they simply grabbed Roshan and started dragging him towards the manager’s room. Female staffs slapped him and males abused him. He was fired on the spot.

Though there was a guilt inside Ankita for her misdeed but she knew that this man needed to be stopped. He always tried to harass her and now he was trying to restrict her from the promotion.

Later in the evening Ankita cheerfully informed Sana that her presentation was completely done and she was ready to rock. Finally, after so many days she was not indulging herself into work instead she was standing in front of mirror grooming herself for the big day. The charm was back on her face though the extra fats needed time to go away. She googled local gyms for women so that she could enroll herself, work out and shed some fats.

The day of presentation,

Ankita practiced her presentation in front of the mirror and she was splendid. Her confidence was high. She applied mascara which complimented her green eyes. Her pink lips were decorated with magenta colour lipstick. She deliberately wore a push up bra to make her breast look more firm and attractive. Though she had put on some extra fats but still that was not looking bad. Her fair and flawless waist looked delicate when she wore a low waist saree. She looked majestic and sexy. She knew today every man was going to get hard inside their pant after seeing her and those rascals would also piss in their pant after seeing her presentation.

The four candidates were sitting on their respective chairs. Ankita was given the third slot whereas Sana got the fourth one. Sana looked terrified.

“What’s wrong? Don’t get so nervous you’ll be great.” Ankita assured Sana.

“Actually, there is a reason why I’m scared.” Sana said and Ankita raised her eyebrows.

“You know number four is very, very unlucky for me. This number has always troubled me. Can we exchange our slot? Please.”

Ankita smiled and said,

“That’s it. You are worrying for no reasons.  Let me talk to Aditya sir once. I have no problem.”

Ankita knew she was prepared and her slot is not going to matter anything.

“You still behave like a small girl.” Ankita teased Sana.

“By the way you are looking hot today.” Sana said and winked.

“Does your boyfriend know that your sexual preferences are swinging?” Ankita said, narrowing her eyes and they giggled.

Ankita asked the manager to change her slot with Sana.

“Are you sure?” Aditya quizzed.

“Yes, sir”

“Ok then if you don’t have any problem then why should I have any?” Aditya said with a smile on his face.

Sana was ecstatic, excited and most importantly, she looked different as if she was possessed. Her eyes sparked and looked completely different. Ankita was confused after seeing a sudden change in Sana but she decided to concentrate on her presentation.

The presentation of the second candidate got over and it was Sana’s turn. Ankita wished her luck and she smirked. Ankita was taken aback by her behavior. As soon as Sana started her presentation Ankita was frozen and shocked. Ankita kept looking at her with her numb eyes. Sana was giving the same presentation which was stolen from her.  She felt stabbed and felt a jolt inside her as if someone has punched her hard. She felt helpless and slowly tears started flowing from her eyes.

Sana’s presentation was over and no wonder everyone was impressed. Everyone was clapping for her and the same claps felt like a slap in the face to Ankita. 

To be continued....

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