Crying out in Silence, Crying out in Shame

-

‘I opened the door and quietly sneaked in.’

I opened the door and quietly sneaked in.  The lock made a funny loud pop and the hinges; they creaked as I slowly opened the door. I feared by parents would be awake, but to my surprise everyone was asleep.

The fear swept over me as I faced the challenge of opening the front door. I came home feeling guilty, awkward and tongue-tied all at the same time. My stomach felt like it had been twisted into a tight knot.

The dark house made me nervous and I suddenly became alert of any possible and minute sound in the room as I slowly made my way to my bedroom.  I slowly found my way to my bedroom door and slid on my bed. I pulled my covers over me; maybe in fear or maybe in guilt. I could still remember the voices, the creaking sound of the broken wooden floor.

It was 4.45 am and I just couldn't get myself to fall asleep. I tossed and I turned but I had to block it all out. The voices, the sounds – from what I heard in the yard.

Was there someone really out there crying out in pain; crying out in silence, crying out in shame?


There used to be a time when sneaking out used to be an exiting thing to do; waking up in the middle of the night sneak out and streak; but this time it was different.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

South Mumbai Residents Threaten Legal Action Over Proposed VVIP Jetty Near Gateway of India

-
Image
Time is running out. At least, this is what the protestors who gathered at a public meeting at Real Party Hall at Colaba Arthur Bunder Road at 4 PM on Saturday, April 5 th , 2025, believe. The skyline of Colaba was built over time – stone by stone and voice by voice.   It is this very same skyline which is at threat owing to the danger of the construction of the newly proposed passenger jetty being constructed near Radio Club which will affect the flow of traffic, especially near the Radio Club stretch and the iconic view of the Gateway of India.   To voice their opposition, residents have launched an online petition against the project garnering over 3,000 signatures. A special WhatsApp group has also been formed to organise peaceful protests, which has already been joined by over 2,000 members.   The petition, known as ‘Save Colaba: Stop the Jetty Project’ proposes that the jetty project is a mammoth 2-acre structure that will be constructed in a space that has no room ...
Read more

4 Mindfully Spent Days At Woods At Sasan for a Writing Retreat with Bhavna Kher

-
Image
Writing has been my passion for over 18 years so when I heard about the Writing Retreat that screenwriter, brand consultant and former creative director of Ogilvy - Bhavna Kher was going to conduct I was immediately interested in attending the same.     Not only this but I also wanted to connect with other writers and also sharpen my writing skills as well. It was a perfect opportunity to find inspiration within a focused environment.  Moreover, the 4-day writing retreat, (September 14- September 18th) which was conducted at a luxury boutique resort provided the perfect break from city life, and mindfully focused on sharpening one’s writing skills.  Having our independent quarters, we were surrounded by thickets of trees, within a lush mango orchard on the fringes of the Sasan Gir forest. It was the perfect place to calmly create a story without any disturbances. Moreover, in between the writing exercises, we went for a safari, and eco-trail, and were given besp...
Read more

Habitat – My First Performance Venue

-
Image
In 2016, although I had written extensively, I had never actually performed open-mic poetry. Writing had always been my primary form of expression, with speaking coming second. So, when I decided to take the stage for my first performance at The Habitat in Khar, I was nervous, especially doing it alone. I wanted to build my confidence, and this seemed like the only way to do it. Coincidentally, 2016 was also the year The Habitat was founded. It became the place where I made my debut as an artist. The Habitat quickly became a safe space where I forged friendships with fellow poets and artists. I still remember the moment that turned my life around—stepping onto that dimly lit stage, microphone in hand. It felt like opening a door I had been too afraid to touch before.  Some of the people I shared space with over there are Zoheb Khan, Bikram Bumrah, Kunal Jhawar, Navaldeep Singh, Jackie Thakkar, Simar Singh, Aranya Johar, Rakesh Tiwari, Ramneek Singh, Hussain Haidry, Kartikey Sehgal,...
Read more