Painting smiles.

Painting smiles.

By Ashutosh Gursale18 Comments
"You've a cute smile, hope you have a great day." He told the bald girl who sat next to him on the bus & walked away. Kind words were all he said, but inside her they ignited a higher sense of pride about winning the battle against cancer. PS- This is something I witnessed on a bus, last year. She told him about her battle against cancer and he congratulated her. Once the man got down, the girl kept smiling to herself for a long time.  Thought it's worth sharing! ©The Honest Fabler ©Cover credits- Ashutosh Gursale...
Read More
Today I bleed, again.

Today I bleed, again.

By Ashutosh Gursale27 Comments
​I know I've been hurt before. Running after ma, as a toddler, and bruising my knees against the solid ground. Or fighting dada over the smallest things, but he showed he cares when my tooth fell off. It didn't always hurt to bleed, though. Like when I donated blood on turning 18! I still have the yellow smiley brooch they gave me. Numerous times I've cut my poor finger. I had a tough time to learn cooking, Daddy's princess turned a queen, you see. The best of all? It was when I bled to give birth. It seemed like aeons lying on the table, pushing harder by the minute. But oh, her little cry still rings in my mind like a sweet jingle. Every time it was worth the pain. What about now, you wonder? Now when I bleed, it isn't blood that transpires. It's my emotions. Emblazoned in bold on my wrinkled skin. They shine at the brightest now, after being concealed for so many years. They are forgiving, I must say, for I've let them out for my own selfish...
Read More
Occult of Strigoikirk(The Third)

Occult of Strigoikirk(The Third)

By Ashutosh Gursale24 Comments
Complete parts: Occult of Strigoikirk(The first) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Second) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Third) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Fourth) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Fifth) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Sixth) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Seventh) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Eight) Occult of Strigoikirk (The Ninth) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Tenth) Occult of Strigoikirk(Grand Finale) "Somebody help!" The voice is closer, Lonzo sounds breathless. Aaron knows for sure he's running from something. Audra on the other hand is accompanying him with no idea of what's happening. "Aren't we running into trouble?" She asks, but Aaron doesn't hear or at least pretends so. Aaron's mind is occupied by the screams. He's trying to figure out the direction of their origin. Straight. I've to go straight. A distracted mind is all a bad opportunity calls in for. Aaron smashes against a tree and lands hard on his shoulder. For a second his ears go deaf and then there's a wild screech. Initially, he believes it to be because of the dash but even Audra...
Read More
Occult of Strigoikirk(The Second)

Occult of Strigoikirk(The Second)

By Ashutosh Gursale13 Comments
Complete parts: Occult of Strigoikirk(The first) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Second) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Third) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Fourth) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Fifth) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Sixth) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Seventh) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Eight) Occult of Strigoikirk (The Ninth) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Tenth) Occult of Strigoikirk(Grand Finale) Ticktock, TickTock, Ticktock. Aaron‘s mind is restless. Each little sound is a sign of the undead. Waiting for him to sleep, to drag him under. In the middle of the earth where the demon, Strigoi- as Ioan said, live. Their realm. But why me? After an hour of restless tossing & turning it’s the first time a right question has come to his mind. Why would any Strigoi want to hurt him? Who is he anyway, just another 16 year old betwixt the bunch of students visiting the creepy village for the first time. I’m stupid. He starts laughing, covering his face with hands to block out the noise. The laugh gets hysterical, his adrenaline meter is on top...
Read More
“Just married.”

“Just married.”

By Ashutosh Gursale15 Comments
"Should we call the doctor?" Albert, hidden behind the crowd asked. "Out, you naïve kids! Only the elders will wait." Uncle Boban started blocking the vision of the unwanted spectators in the back, heading them out of the room. There came a point when only I was the one present from the fourth generation of the Williams. "Oh come on! I'm going to turn an adult in all sense, now. Let me stay." "Of course, Lilly darling. But there are stuff you need time to handle and learn. Let us have some space, please." Aunt Donna, the sweetest aunt, winked at me and escorted me out of the room but didn't quite close the door completely. My fellow cousins stared at me with a blank face and I gestured them to peep. In the room inside, my parents along with Uncle Boban & aunt Donna (Albert's parents), Aunt Katie (Moira and Rodney's mum) and Mr. & Mrs. Taylor (Rupert, Emily and Sydney's parents) were...
Read More
Occult of Strigoikirk(The First)

Occult of Strigoikirk(The First)

By Ashutosh Gursale25 Comments
  Complete parts: Occult of Strigoikirk(The first) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Second) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Third) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Fourth) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Fifth) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Sixth) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Seventh) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Eight) Occult of Strigoikirk (The Ninth) Occult of Strigoikirk(The Tenth) Occult of Strigoikirk(Grand Finale) The jerk of the stopping bus pushes everyone back to their seat. In the last seat, Aaron is the first to look out of his window, his vision is blinded by the high rising trees and the darkness of the night. 'It's alright! Please sit down, everyone.' Mrs. Martinez's sweet voice doesn't scare anyone, she stands up and heads out. 'It's going to take a while. The engine's blown. I'll talk with the driver on the other bus.' He tells Mrs. Martinez as she flashes her torch at him. The one-way road is empty on both directions, only light they can see is of a village they left behind a couple of minutes ago & the...
Read More
Guilty as Charged. (The Final Part)

Guilty as Charged. (The Final Part)

By Ashutosh Gursale28 Comments
Don't know what's happening? Read these: Guilty as charged. (Part 1) Guilty as charged.(Part 2) Guilty as charged.(Part 3) Zelia is leaning on her seat. Heinz has stopped pacing the room, his friend has become the point of their attention. 'What is the lead, Anne?' He blurts impatiently. Roxanne Ariosto, a dignified officer, has a lump in her throat for the first time. She knew this had to be done one day, and the day has already gone. It's time for everyone to read the evidence, Heinz has to be the first, though. In her official tone she says, 'I found this evidence. It was in my mailbox. I'm going to disclose it & close the case once and for all. But I know you've the right to know.' She produces the letter neatly folded in her handbag covered in the EVIDENCE bag and hands it over to Heinz. 'Now I need to go on an assignment. See you soon, Diablo. I'll be back to take the evidence.' She gives Heinz...
Read More
Guilty as charged. (Part 3)

Guilty as charged. (Part 3)

By Ashutosh Gursale20 Comments
Don't know what's happening in this part? Read these: Guilty as charged. (Part 1) Guilty as charged.(Part 2) Guilty as charged.(Part 3) Guilty as charged.(The Final Part) There is silence. Dr. Zelia Zhang is stupefied, but not completely. She's analyzing Heinz Schofield, a man who's been in solitude for quite a long time. A psychopath, she thinks. But he's right, he cannot be able to do it on his own. No, Zel, no! If he's a murderer of three then you know better than believing him.  She's inclining on sentencing him as a psycho and leave, that's not going to be an easy task, she knows. Why did I tell her about hacking in police database. She won't believe me, never. That's what I always do, push people away who try to help me. There's her secret with me, though. Of course, I can't tell Dr. Zhang who's giving me, a civilian, inside information. Heinz is blankly staring Zelia, her cat-like sharp eyes are penetrating him. Peeping...
Read More