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The Mistake – Short Story For #StorytellersBloghop
He emerged through the blue abode, stabbing the fairies in the white robe, sprinkling their blood for the world to see, and wake up to the beauty of pain. However, oblivious of the wounded souls, they captured the breathtaking vista for the virtual eyes and moved on to begin a new day. Pari watched the scene unfold before her but she didn’t feel the urge to stop him like every day. She didn’t want to denounce the injustice for this is her day. The wind whispered the secret to the stars when clouds sprinkled tiny beads of love for their favorite child is celebrating. Today all her wishes will be granted. It is her day, she will rule…
The lucky charm
Pari, as the name suggests, is a fairy in a world of happiness. Her birth was a celebration as she is the first fairy girl of the generation. The pampered little girl was always guarded and spoiled rotten by the fairies. Nonetheless, Pari could not beam in the unrelenting deluge of affection. She wanted to see the world, grant wishes, and be with humans. “Why am I denied the joy of what I am destined for?” she would ask her mother but never got a reply. As she grew, Pari’s desire to see the human world grew with her. Her yearning didn’t go unnoticed.
As always, Pari was looking at the earth through the wounds of the fairies where the sun punched the hole to mesmerize the humans and spread light in their world. She could never fathom the relevance of spilling blood for spreading luminescence. While she was immersed in her muse, her mother’s gentle touch brought her back. “He has agreed to meet you”, she said. Pari was rooted to the spot, unable to utter a word. Years of waiting, uncountable requests, and unrelenting tears later, finally, He acquiesced. She is going to meet the ultimate power. The Creator himself.
With trembling steps she went to Him. Pari was dumbstruck at what she saw. Amidst the fairies who were being stabbed in the morning, he was sitting with his legs crossed, no! he was floating. She could see the wind play with them, the fire pampered them and the earth remained dark. “Your wish will be granted today,” He said. Pari was shaken out of her reverie. “You can ask anything you would like and start granting wishes to humans from today. But on one condition,” he added. Pari looked at him with narrowed eyes. ‘Now what tricky condition is he going to put forward’ she thought.
“You have to go to earth and the moment you land, you must meet the people whom you see there. Talk to each one of them and come back,” he said. Pari was ecstatic. Isn’t that her wish too? Immediately she agreed to the condition and set out to the earth. She could see the Sun sharpen his scimitar but she had no time to wait. Journey to the earth seemed longer than she imagined. But somehow she had to do it for this is her destiny. When she landed on the earth, she saw flowers everywhere, wearing the garlands of mist and waiting for the sun to emerge.
He emerged through the blue abode, stabbing the fairies in the white robe, sprinkling their blood for the world to see, and waking up to the beauty of pain. However, Oblivious of the wounded souls, they captured the breathtaking vista for the virtual eyes and moved on to begin a new day. Pari watched the scene unfold before her but she didn’t feel the urge to stop him like every day. She didn’t want to denounce the injustice for this is her day. The wind whispered the secret to the stars when clouds sprinkled tiny beads of love for their favorite child is celebrating. Today all her wishes will be granted. It is her day, she will rule…
The mistake
She looked around for humans but there was only a handful. ‘Oh! this seems so easy. I have to meet only 4 people and can go back. I will finish it in a minute’, a smile escaped through her parted lips. Looking around, she saw a woman sitting in a corner, crying. She went to her and asked, “What happened? Why are you crying?.” The woman looked at her with lifeless eyes and said, ” I made a mistake.”
“Mistake? What mistake,” Pari asked. “I gave birth to a girl,” the woman said. Pari was shocked. “Giving birth to a girl is a mistake? What are you saying? I have heard that when I was born, every universe was celebrating.” The woman smiled but life has churned the soul out of her and her smile couldn’t reach her eyes. Pari wanted to ask more but she had a task to complete and get back to her world so that she could get what she asks for. She patted the woman on her shoulders and took leave.
She saw a girl in her teenage sitting with a knife in her hand. Pari ran to her and took the knife. “The knife is so sharp. My mother has told me that we should not play with sharp objects lest it will hurt us.” The girl turned to Pari with anger, surprise, and apprehension pasted on her face. “What happened to you? Did you give birth to a girl too?” Pari asked.
“No, I didn’t give birth to a girl but I too made a mistake.” The girl said. Pari looked at her in askance. “My mistake is that I wore short clothes,” the girl said.
“What are you saying? Is that even a mistake?” Pari asked. “Yes, it is. By wearing short clothes, I provoked them. If I hadn’t worn them, they would not have done this to me.” she said. Pari could not understand the cryptic verses nor did she want to because she had to reach somewhere. Hence she moved to the next person.
By now, she knew the drill and asked. “Did you make a mistake too?” The lady whom she talked to was a nun. She said,” Yes, I too did a mistake. I didn’t give birth to a girl or wear short clothes but despite being a nun, I wanted to sing and dance,” she said. Pari could not take it any longer. She looked up and asked her Creator, “What kind of world have you made? One cannot give birth to a girl, or wear short clothes and even worse sing or dance.” When she looked down, she saw a woman wearing a black robe. She went to her and asked ” You are not wearing short clothes, nor can you give birth or dance at this age. What is your mistake?”
“I went out in the night,” saying this, she looked away. Pari felt like the whole world was crumbling down on her. On one hand, she thought the sun has been cruel and the creator has been unfair to let the fairies get stabbed. On the other hand, the world that she yearned to own is full of unfathomable rules.
“WHAT IS MY MISTAKE?” everyone was shocked. They looked at each other to see the origin of the oracle. “Why are you looking at each other? Look down,” it continued. They looked down and could not get their head around what they saw. A chill ran down Pari’s spine.
The voice went on ” What is my mistake? I cannot sing, I cannot dance, I cannot go out alone, I cannot give birth to a girl. Much less, I have just come out of my mother’s womb about less than a year back. What is my mistake? That I was wearing just a diaper?” The words reverberated in the garden, sending the ripples through the air, creating a storm of ear-shattering screams.
About the story
I myself don’t know when this story took birth. It was all along in me. Maybe it did when my classmate molested me and I had no idea about what was happening. (I was just nine and had no worldly knowledge like kids of this age. Maybe it did when years later, he relived the fun he had, with his own fictional adaption, and reproduced them to his friends as a nine-year-old girl’s sexual drive. Funnily I had no memory of the incident). Maybe it did when powered by these stories, the men and boys started hitting on me and asking me for my rate for a day. Maybe it did when I regained my courage, years later.
Or maybe it did when I had my daughter and as a post-delivery shock or some magic or some scientific reason fathomable to only mental health experts, the blocked memory resurfaced and I started reliving the moments. Maybe it did when this memory that emerged changed my relationship for good. Or, maybe it did when I turned out to be a hysteric overprotective mother. Maybe it did when I embraced Holistic Wellness to heal myself. I have never shared this on any public platform yet though I have never shied away from opening up to friends. When I read the theme “Volatile Life”, I could not think of anything else to write. Thanks a lot, Sonal, Meena, and Ujjwal for this initiative.
For the uninitiated, this post is written for StorytellersBlogHop FEB 2021 by Ujjwal (https://mywordsmywisdom.com) & MeenalSonal (www.auraofthoughts.com).
Comments
41 responses to “The Mistake – Short Story For #StorytellersBloghop”
Oh my! What a twist at the end! From the beginning, I wanted to interpret what was going on with little Pari. For one moment, I thought it was a fairly tale. But as the story approached, I came to know that it was not at all a fairly tale of a pampered girl. Rather, the story encompasses a big picture of life. And the climax! Oh, it was breathtaking and saddening at the same point. I must confess your story is so brilliantly written. It has so many layers and you have written it very beautifully. Kudos to your efforts Rakhi.
Thanks dear. Coming from you it means a lot. And I am awestruck to see how beautifully you have analysed the story
In the beginning i thought it to be fairy tale like my fav cindrella story
Very well written!!
Your story shook me to the core! I am sure it must have been as painful to write as it was to read. But then, truth often is painful!
Yes, truth is indeed painful
A brutal but true story..
Loved the way you began the story, btw.Thanks dear
I am very sad to read that you had to go through all that you did, Rakhi. Yes, shock and grief are known to numb memories, and I would say that is what happened to you.
Your story is beautiful and painful. It speaks for all the silent voices of women that go unheard.
More power to you for writing this. I wish you peace, healing, and happiness.
Thanks love. I am happy that you could relate to what I wanted to convey
Story started with fairies and all good things but torn out to be sad, truth of life. I am really shocked to hear your story, you have gone through so much.
What a painful account weaved so beautifully in words. I was curious to know the answer the creator would have, maybe you could continue the story. Reading your ordeal was equally painful. Power and hugs to you.
Actually the real version had the creators reply too. But I was too emotionally exhausted.
Your words haunt. Thank you for sharing your story as well as the story you have narrated. We have been taught too long to be careful. It is about time to tell the world that we have a right to live – just the same.
True. Only time will tell
Mistake is what women are made to realise in their life by society by family. When we think above all this we see the real life. Rakhi, Very sad to know that you had to go through this. Life with contenment and happiness is what we wish for everyone.
Thanks for urging me to write this. I was literally going to tell you that i won’t be able to participate. That’s when your message came. Then i thought well I will do it anyway
What seemed like a fairy tale turned out to be heartbreaking! Really sorry to hear about what you went through in your childhood! Hoping that healing will come through. 🙏🏼
Rakhi, what should I say? Kudos to you girl for pouring out your heart. This write-up touched my soul at a different level. Being a girl and now a mother to a daughter, I can feel it the pain, the hurricane of emotions which those fairies experience. Don’t know when all this will change but just keeping fingers crossed.
I hope atleast our next generation would come out of it
First I have to say you are a brave woman, who have bravely share what you have gone through at a tender age of 9. it is really a sad and bitter reality of our system where women go through these kind of hard situations. hope things change for better in future.
Thanks Surbhi. It was tough. I was planning to cancel this at the last moment and then something clicked in me.
So sorry for your experience Rakhi. It takes great deal of courage to write about our experiences and you’ve done that powerfully.
The story beautifully binds all the issues women face. The ending left a great impact on us readers and hope every person reading it learns something out of it.
It demands huge amount of courage to speak about our own bitter experience only a brave soul can leads a brave path and you are one among those Rakhi.I feel so proud that I know you through blogging, you are an inspiration for many! And about tale I must say This heart wrenching story of different girl left me teary eyes.
It takes an immensely courageous person to pour herself out. The story is true, painful and yet empowering. Yu are a true inspiration to all women out there.
I am feeling short of words to express what I am feeling for you now. Having read your story after watching A Thursday movie I feel numb and afraid. The human mind is what I fear as we don’t know what goes on behind the innocent faces we take as friends or families. The story that touched me.
You’ve brought out all issues where women are made the reason for the mistake. Sorry for what happened and I know it was traumatic to write about it too. You are an inspiration
Like you, many girls have gone through such experiences and at certain age when they don’t even remember or know what is happening to them. You have also written a very beautiful story and I was so amazed and shocked at the same time.
Sorry for all what girls have to go through – can’t sing or dance or wear short skirts & even those in diapers are punished for being girls. Valid points. Sincerely shared.
We shall overcome. Prayers for a better world. May angels be treated well.
Be well. More power to you. Wishing you inner peace and joy.I am so sorry for what you had to go through personally. The story shook me to the core! It must have been tough for you to write but Kudos to you for braving this! More power to you and your pen.
I can’t figure out my emotions after reading this piece of yours. I am sorry for what happened to you and salute you for how you spoke about it. This is actually the story of many girls out there. I am glad you talked about this.
I would like to call it a fairy tale without fantasy and that reality is what makes the writing impeccable. Well written.
One of the best I read. Such layered narration. It started simply and tackled such comes issues in such a short scope. Kudos
It’s very courageous of you to come out and lighten your heart with friends, Rakhi. You have weaved it into fiction so nicely where the message is sent out to the world for the world to change one day.
My maternal grandmother used to hate being a woman and I used to always ask her why is she so negative being a woman herself? She would reply that it’s not easy for a woman to survive in this world of vultures all around and mark a space for herself.
More power to you!It reminded me of the short story devi. There is just so much pain that a human inflicts on the other that I am surprised we even consider ourselves superior than other beings. I wish you strength and hope you channel hope, strength, a sense of justice and determination in your daughter.
I have no words. I’ll just say I know how you feel. Take care.
I’m sorry you had to go through that experience. Back then we weren’t informed enough to know what’s happening with us. Hope this fictional piece helped you give it a closure. We made no mistake, ever. Long time we stopped blaming ourselves for others’ behaviour. Beautifully written story!
I am.totally in love with your writing style. And this is one such beautifully written post.
Yes, it was a hard on heart readRakhi that was very brave of you. As women, we have all borne the brunt of misogyny in one way or another. Fortunately, as writers we have an outlet to express that outrage – and here you have expressed it well.
It is sad but this is the reality of this world, an unsafe world, where nobody is safe, nowhere, girl, boy, baby, young, old. Nobody is safe.
Sorry read about the molestation, I can understand what you might have gone through, I just want to add- #Metoo
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