The Voice of SK

  Chapter 24 The dark skies loomed over the well-lit Bangalore city. Our train back to Chennai was leaving in two hours. The railway station was bustling with people, each with their own story and destination. The weather did not seem to affect the people there at all. We carried our bags onto the first platform to catch a train that was not expected until after two hours. Diya pulled me back before I could enter the platform. She took me to a food store at the front and bought both of us a cheese macaroni pizza. "What’s the event?" I asked her while still munching on my slice of pizza. "My mom and dad are coming to pick me up now." "What!?" I choked on the last of my pizza slices. She hit my head hard and gave me water to drink. “You've got to stop giving me surprises when I am eating!" I gulped down half a bottle of water. "Is that why you were worried and nervous all these times?" I asked her. She nodded after a while. ...

  Chapter 23 It was almost midnight. I was sound asleep, wrapped under a blanket and tightly hugging a pillow. I was busy saving an amusement park from supervillains. Just when I was about to deliver the final blow and save the damsel in distress, I was hit hard in my stomach, hard enough to make my world fall apart. "Ouch!" I woke up to see my friends circle around me with pillows in their hands. "What the…" Before I could complete, I received a plethora of blows, and I dug deeper into my blanket, hoping to fend off these attacks. The attacks subsided after a while. I slowly came out of the blanket, facing them. I saw Diya in front of me, armoured with two pillows. She came at me, delivering the finishing blow – Double pillow smash! I was KOed. I could feel stars circling above my head. The whole room erupted – "Happy birthday, idiot!" This should not be how you wish your loved ones a happy birthday. I sighed. People made way for Diya, she was c...

The Lost Diary of Love The sun started dropping down the horizon and darkness was engulfing us quickly. We had set up a tent and campfire on the leeward side of the blue mountains of Kodaikanal, protected by the natural outcroppings of the rocks. The moon was shy that day and hid behind the clouds. I took a flashlight, some provisions and started on a stroll. I wandered long to reach a dead end covered by creepers and leaves. As I was about to turn back, I heard a rustling sound from behind. I shone the torch in the direction of the sound, illuminating a giant rat. The rat suddenly disappeared into nowhere. I went closer and leaned on the wall to check and I fell in front. There was no end, it was a cave’s mouth cleverly hidden. The cave seemed untouched for years as moss and vines were invading it. I tread cautiously through the floor covered by dried leaves. I stepped upon something within the leaves. Clearing up the leaves, I found a book underneath it. There were traces of candle w...

  Chapter 22   The cold breeze woke me up. I looked at my watch to find that it was 2 in the morning. Diya was sleeping on my shoulder with her hands tightly around my left arm. I realized that her jacket was draped over me. I carefully removed the jacket and draped her with it. She moved, holding my arm even tighter. Her serene face was lit by the rays of moonlight plummeting through the window. The wind blew through the window as strands of her silky hair kissed her face. She looked like a sleeping beauty who would be awakened from a charmed sleep by the kiss of a charming prince. The moon soon hid behind the clouds in shame. I smiled inadvertently. I spent the rest of the night watching her sleep. Diya woke me up saying that we had arrived at the Mysuru Palace. I had fallen asleep on her shoulders. She had her hair tied neatly into a pony tail. I was half asleep till the time she pulled my cheeks. We got off the bus and I yawned. By then, the sun had shown up but th...

  The Ichiraku Raman is open and here's a delicious serving of Miso Pork Ramen to enjoy while you are here. I was introduced to the world of Konohagakure by a friend of mine and grew an instant liking for it. As far as it goes, I grew with it. The tale of the number 1 hyperactive knucklehead ninja is the one you wouldn’t want to miss. Here are a few moments from the series that I loved! The Chunin Exams: The chunin exams arc is the story of many people. Naruto overpowered Neji of the Hyuga clan - a born genius who was supposed to win the fight without breaking a sweat. It was then, the people of Konoha began to acknowledge him. “Stop trying to tell me you can’t change what you are. You can do it, too. ‘Cause after all, unlike me, you’re not a failure.” This brings upon a change within Neji and later bring Hiashi Hyuga and the Hyuga clan to think about the ill treatment of the Hyuga's side branch. There were other breath-taking brawls during the exams – Rock Lee taking on...

The Evil Spirits of the Paddy Field I was meeting up with some good old friends after a long time on a Sunday night. The party hall was well lit but the air conditioning was making me feel a bit colder. I was looking at the menu unable to decide for a long time that one of them just took the menu from me and ordered a random dish for me. A dish named “Makhni Paneer Biriyani” came to my table. I carefully examined it which apparently looked much like normal biriyani with paneer pieces put into it. I glared at my friend as he picked up a few mouthfuls from my plate, grinning. We then started chatting and having our dinner. We discussed about old times and new times. Then we moved to random topics. “Has someone encountered a ghost?” Raj asked with the noodles he was eating dangling from his mouth. “I have been living with one for two years” Deepak joked. We all chuckled. “Supernatural presence is real, indeed!” Dev cut in, speaking for the first time since we arrived. There was ...

83 - A Journey Retold "Dhoni finishes it off in style, a magnificent strike into the crowd, India lift the World Cup after 28 years, the party starts in the dressing room, and it is an Indian captain who has been absolutely magnificent on the night of the finals." These lines of Ravi Shastri still resonate inside the hearts of millions of Indian cricket fans post India’s famous 2011 CWC victory. Rewind to June 25 th , 1983. India vs West Indies, Final 1983 WC: Mohinder Amarnath running up to bowl the last ball of the 52 nd over. Michael Holding tried to defend the delivery but it stayed low hitting him on the pads. The crowd erupted along with the Indian team appealing for the leg before. Holding watched the umpire with dread as he raises his finger. That moment was when history was made, a legacy created. 83 was able to capture the essence of India’s famous first ever world cup. Personally, I would label India’s 1983 WC win a little higher than its 2011 victory. Winni...