[Read previous chapters here] Gwen put away the stapler, pens, stenographer’s pad neatly into the top drawer of her desk. She opened the bottom drawer and pulled out the typewriter cover. She locked the drawer and put the key into her bag. She got up and walked over to the Superintendent’s office door.…
DUSK Note from Ajesh: In a singular lack of care, I have made a mistake. Uma's story was entitled Dusk. That was the filename I received. However, I'm a whole year older and thus failed to realize that simple fact. My deepest apologies for this grave and unseemly mistake! Mea Culpa! Very little…
This wonderfully satisfying short story comes from Shiva Kumar. His writing is quirky, funny, and eminently readable. It is a style I truly appreciate for its wordplay and its ability to bring out the sense of the action. For a truly delightful experience, head on over to https://thewiklyupdet.blogspot.com/ and read more from him…
This is the second time we've had the pleasure of getting one of Sarbari Sen's stories on SloWord. She is, if you recall, the brain behind "A Chandelier for Vidya". If you've read that you may have a vague sense of foreboding already. Here we go then! When they left a party, someone…
Indrani Ganguli is that rare personality; an interpreter of languages, a salon-keeper of resolute character and a friend to many. She's as adept at staring down recalcitrant witnesses in court while taking down their depositions as she is compassionate with those who clearly are devastated at being there at all. Her stories are…
Day 7 has come and I'm done my stint for the day. Not as much as I would have liked. But this fictional stuff is hard. It's not like the stream of unconsciousness crap I usually churn out on this blog. That comes from a unlatched brain. I can usually churn out 1500…
NOTE: This is a work of fiction. It comes from the mind of Sarbari Sen, a world famous chef in her family. She feeds one husband, one daughter, one son and their many friends as often as she can. When not making rosgullas she dabbles in homeopathy, tolerates her kids and concocts tales of murder and…
It was a dark and stormy night. The wind was high, he didn’t pay it any mind. He had his boots on and he walked on down the hallway. He came to a door and he stepped outside. It was a stormy Monday. He knew Tuesday would be just as bad. It was…
Ecks was lonely, they said. Ecks didn’t think so. He was always busy, doing something that most people thought was doing nothing. Jay Ecks was 42 and single and this made people click their tongue and make sympathetic noises. In their book, loneliness, or being alone, was not a desirable way to be.…
Read earlier chapters here “Where to, Chief? Back to HQ?” Goon grunted. Fatty slipped in the clutch and pulled out of his parking slot outside the tiny coffee shop. Goon wiggled to make himself comfortable in his seat. Fatty gave him a sidelong glance. “So what really happened, Chief?” “What?” “Inspector Jenks. You…