On 5th January 2019, I, along with Ila Varma started something which we enjoy doing. It is called #TweetFables. #TweetFables are nothing but the short stories webbed spontaneously on Twitter by different storytellers in the given time frame.
On 5th January, the first episode of #TweetFables was conducted with the lines below and from that episode, two beautiful stories came out. And here they are:
Tweet Fable 1
One by one, the lights went out and echoing footsteps died away in the distance. I was scared but preferred to go in the direction of echo. There was no other way out in that haunted house. I was hoping that these footsteps will give me an inmate in that house.
Chills ran down my spine, sweat down my face and my hands trembled. An unknown force was asking me to walk towards the ending footsteps. Some kind of force was driving me.
I kept on moving as if it wasn’t me at all. Never minding the everlasting darkness, screaming foxes, wind gushing and the snow falling. The darkness attracted me as it was the other part of me that was unveiled till now.
My mind knew to stop…But a voice in me kept telling me to move forward. It kept assuring and luring me ahead.
The shadow was eerie, cold and unfamiliar. It was something I have never seen before. It seemed like a person but not from the mortal world…I just stood holding my breath.
With utter fear on my mind, I gathered the courage to turn my head wearing my heart over my sleeves. Soon I turned and the shadow disappeared.
I was perplexed. How a nightmare could turn into a dream, or was this a beautiful reality? Had I dreamt up what I thought I had experienced? Was I dreaming now?
I turned and it meowed. Chill ran down again and what I saw in front of me? I got a lump in my throat. My wee little kitten was wagging its tail behind her. It gave a nice meow sound as if teasing me saying “I am successful in scaring the shit out of you!”
I picked up, ran and ran. I could no more hear any footsteps. No more wind gushing and snow falling. It was a no moon day and I could hardly see anything.
I kept moving thinking whether it is a dream or a nightmare. As I went ahead, I saw a light. “Finally a ray of hope” I rushed towards it without thinking much.
A little trembling I stood up and realized that it was all the nightmare ……Happily, I enjoyed the festivities with my family, vouching not to watch a horror movie at night. That night I slept but the echo of the footsteps never left…
Tweet Fable 2
One by one, the lights went out and echoing footsteps died away in the distance.
The echo of the footsteps died down and it was dense dark. I could not see anything further. But this did not deter me from moving towards an unknown destination…I felt as if someone was calling me from a distance.
I could not understand how a fearful creature like me had suddenly developed so much of confidence. With full conviction, I was moving forward like a lone wanderer in a desert.
I stumbled but someone held me which helped me to stand straight…Sigh…
“Who is there?” “Who is there?” No reply came forth. A screeching shrill disturbed the eerie silence of the night and a faint bulb glowed at the other end.
I lost all the courage and started running without thinking about in which direction I am heading. When I stopped, I saw a shadow on the wall in front of me.
For a moment I thought, is it a real shadow or just a mental imagination? I wasn’t sure if I was in the real state of mind. Fear had a strong grip.
Was it shadow or was I hallucinating? I shrieked with fear n fainted then n there. When I opened my eyes, I was in my living room surrounded by my friend’s n family. One by one the lights turned on…and I was amazed to see the decoration of lights n flowers done.
A loud clap thundered the living room and others joined in and my Father played my favorite song on the piano congratulating me for my promotion which wasn’t disclosed by me.
“Is this the way to congratulate me?” I asked them.
“I was utterly scared you all are taking as fun, not fair.”
I was scared, surprised, and happy all at the same time. While giving my father a hug I was wondering who told him about my promotion. Then I saw my friend Rishika behind him. Then I understood that Rishika planned that whole thing.
Rishika was watching me with squinted eyes.
“Hey, you…how can you be so stubborn….wait for your turn” I whispered.
“Just as you acted, you kept such information as confidential from me & Uncle. Your boss told me & we planned.
You say, “I am brave” We tested.
“You failed” Rishika teased me.
My reaction was mixed. I hugged my father and his blessings comforted me & tears of happiness welled up.
“Beta, we are there with you, celebrating with family means a lot. We did it to amuse you & drift you from the pressure of work, Look at the flowers, they smile Even if they know that they will perish tomorrow.” A wide smile sailed on her face and she forgot all the mess.
And the storytellers who have webbed these stories are:
Ila Varma
Mayuri
Sweta
Tina Acharya
Ammy
