Writing prompts are wonderful little beasts. I loved them years ago as a writing newbie when they prodded me to scribble, and I adore them now that I have novels under my belt. They give me that break my soul craves: writing for fun, not deadlines.
Novel drafts make for an absorbing but exhausting experience. I’m deep within the first round of edits for my next novel acquired by Thomas & Mercer, The Blue Bar. Writing a short riff based on writing prompts from WEP-organized by my writer friends Denise Covey and Yolanda Renée, was just the writing palate cleanser I needed.
Check out their excellent site, and join in, if you like.
The character voice below is based within The Blue Bar universe, but I don’t intend to publish it anywhere other than right here.
WEP WRITING PROMPTS TAGLINE: On occasion, a scream lasts long, and makes no sound.
Right now, she’s a statistic, more or less. Not worth the bother.
No one wants to hear about a woman tossed out of a car easy as a cigarette butt, burned, sucked out, no use to anyone, just a pile of trash on Mumbai roads. The usual bruises, crying, blood. Nothing protects you, not being rich, (though that helps), not education, because it only makes you feel safe.
You walk into a room you should not, get spotted by someone you should stay away from, hail a cab that is not a cab at all, and poof, you’re gone. Just like that. There’s your body, a thing, an annoyance, a locha to be taken care of, dumped, buried out of sight because no one should see it, because if they do, it might turn back into a woman, a person with ideas, opinions, the urge to birth and mother children, all that sort of other human nonsense.
When it happened to her, it felt like the end of the world but now that she’s away from it all, she feels nothing, not pain nor hunger, because you need a body for those, and she has none. There were bits of bone under the mossy bridge where they dropped her, but after a few years these got picked up and squirreled away in a ziploc bag, an evidence drawer. That’s not her. It is a freeing thing, not having a body, but you don’t escape all the traps. That’s what feelings are: traps, each sodden one. Grief doesn’t go away. Nor guilt, or longing, or anger. Lots of anger.
Not much she can do with the anger, but she has other things. Time and space. With a body, there’s never enough of either, not for a woman. Take the body away, you have too much of both–you can go anywhere, any time, keep talking, unheard maybe, but also uninterrupted.
Talk about a raped, murdered woman–you will hear yawns.
A woman’s bones with the skull, the hands and the feet missing? More women found, flesh and blood this time, missing their heads and limbs? Ah, now you have eyeballs, eager for news bytes on prime time.
That’s what happened to her, on a Diwali evening long ago. Now she’s bones, a smothered scream.
On the evening of lights, she entered darkness. In the pages of this story, she wants to reach for lights. It has taken her years, a lot of people. Their stories. Because no story sits alone. It moves back and forth in time, hand in hand with those of others. She’s here to tell those, with the hope that you’re listening, reading these words, and will help her make sense of it all.
At long last, someone has taken notice.
WORD COUNT: 472, FCA
If you’d like to challenge me with more Wrriting Prompts for my new One-Shot Gazette where I’ll be sending out flash fiction, CLICK HERE. You can also subscribe to the other gazettes (I send out one with writing resources, another with reading hacks and recommendations, or the latest with short fiction) using the links below.
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What recent short stories or novels have you read? Do you write or read fiction based on writing prompts? Have you read any of the other WEP stories?
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HUGE CONGRATULATIONS for your WEP award.
Your words are chilling… They held me, line after line… And I felt the parts that were personally familiar…
What a riveting story, Damyanti — and your next book. How exciting!! I cannot wait to read it, and if this is any indication of the story….wow!! If you need a beta reader/editor, you know whom to call 😀
Thank you for sharing a wonderful story and thoughts!!.. technology and wonderful writers like yourself are bringing to light the tragic violence of today’s world societies, especially against women, that have remained hiding for generations!!… kudos to YOU and YOU go girl!!… 🙂
Until we meet again….
May flowers always line your path
and sunshine light your way,
May songbirds serenade your
every step along the way,
May a rainbow run beside you
in a sky that’s always blue,
And may happiness fill your heart
each day your whole life through.
(Irish Saying)
This was a chilling read Damyanti and well done. These lines, “You walk into a room you should not, get spotted by someone you should stay away from, hail a cab that is not a cab at all, and poof, you’re gone. Just like that,” sum up how easily it can happen to any one of us. Great piece of writing.
A crushing tale too frequent. Great job, Damyanti.
A ghostly story of a murdered victim. That’s a scary thought. Well done.
Nancy
It is sad how the frequency of tragedy makes it seem less tragic. Your work makes the reader pause. Well done.
I struggle to understand how so many are eager to inflict such violence. Your words are powerful, and you’ve told a truly haunting tale. It’s that much more frightening because these things happen in real life all the time.
What an intense and emotional story. I had to read it twice so I could take time to absorb everything. The imagery is so graphic. How horrible to be thought of as nothing more than a statistic. I think the line that hit me the hardest is: “Talk about a raped, murdered woman…you will hear yawns.” A sad truth. I pray things will change. Thank you for this story.
You’re a marvellous writer, Damyanti. Although I sometimes wonder what goes on in your head when you’re not writing 😀
Hi Damyanti,
What can I say. Violence to women is inconceivable. Your way with words opens our eyes and reveals to us the horrors of so many societies, probably all. So much is swept under the bureaucratic red tape, silenced for eternity. But, these silent screams are real. They must be heard by our politicians and must be taken seriously, not just to fade away into the darkness.
Beautifully written Damyanti. Especially like the second person narrative approach. All the best for your upcoming publication.
Your writing is always compelling. Violence done to women – still a long way to go, but at least there are some speaking up. Perfect for this prompt. Thank you.
That was chilling and very sad.
The crimes against women are finally being brought into the light. Such atrocities have happened since the beginning of time. Now we just have to see the changes made that will make it happen less and less. Here in the states, a man who commits domestic abuse still has access to a gun. The same gun he will eventually use to kill the woman, and who knows how many others. Your writing is bringing much more to light, please continue to do so!!!!!
It’s sad how many of us end up nothing more than a number. Thought and emotion provoking piece!
I absolutely adore mystery stories way more and if there are any crime elements no way of turning back. Now am curious by your writings.
Crimes on women have increased. It is scary. There was a time when the streets were safe. I like that you brought out the fact that it is a silent scream of women. Voices that are not heard.
Excellent.
Shalom aleichem
Hi Damyanti – written with your exacting language, appropriate to the storyline – which in due time we will see and have more thoughts to consider on the treatment of women in some of our more patriarchal societies; this has a ‘delicious’ twist to what comes in the future. I congratulate you … I too will be back to re-read. All the best – Hilary
I LOVED this, Damyanti! I have read it twice, and I think I will read it a few times more 😁
Damyanti, a tale once told, not easily forgotten. Perfect for The Scream prompt. That silent scream. That silent scourge. Where is the solution to a situation where ‘No one wants to hear about a woman tossed out of a car easy as a cigarette butt, burned, sucked out, no use to anyone, just a pile of trash on Mumbai roads.’ OMG. Horrific imagery. I’m glad someone cares, someone shares. Thank you for opening our eyes to such dark deeds.
Such a anguish-filled story. Its helplessness bothers me, but I don’t know what could help those poor women in the reality of our lives.
That is a powerful commentary on our society today where only self matters and the rest are for exploitation. Fortunately there are still some who are appalled by this philosophy and make an attempt to police those who act that way removing them from being a danger to us all.
Of all the things to aspire to, becoming a statistic is low on that list.
This is a wonderful snippet. Heart rending and truth for so many. The screams of the statistics and their families are too often unheard…
And yes, I am working my way through the WEP stories and, as usual, blown away…
Your way of making people care so much for these victims is a wonderful talent, Damyanti. And, congratulations on your new book deal! 🎉
Lovely snippet–and I am so excited for you with your next book. Thomas and Mercer–I’ve enjoyed many of their books. I can’t wait!
Your words always evoke such images and feelings! The brutality of life for so many – reduced to a statistic. Great entry!