Wordsmith of the Month: Komal Chandwani

Komal is a second year BA student in Mumbai and an aspiring writer. “Writing is like my own personal drug,” she says. “Ideas just keep flowing into my mind all the time. I just require a pen and paper to work it all out.” Regarding her short story, she says, “It was night time and I just happened to write this. I was oblivious to what I had penned down. Later when I read, I was quite satisfied with my work.”

 

 

 

 

THE CREATURE

Lying on the floor she writhed in pain while her body gasped for air as her lungs began to collapse. Nothing really mattered much at the moment. The guilt in her eyes was clearly evident but it wouldn’t help save her from the creature that now crawled towards her from across the room.

It left behind a trace of its melted skin as it made its way towards her. The substance that forsaked his body was charred black and mushy with a smell so pungent that it made her sick to her stomach. It circled around the dying girl, looking at her with great intensity. She could almost feel the burning stare.

‘What is this creature?’ she thought to herself.

With every passing second hope seemed to be fading away. Nobody would come for her. She was just a pawn in the game. The dirt of politics had led her straight and deep into this chasm of despair. She had placed her faith in all the wrong people.

The girl tried to speak, but ended up spitting out blood instead. The creature hissed at her, its eyes fixed onto its target. Truth to be told, it wasn’t even close enough to a snake. At least she didn’t think it was.

It touched the girl’s wounds and surprisingly enough they started to heal. But before it could heal her completely, she had already slipped away into darkness and there was no way she was coming back.

The creature was left dumbfounded by the silence. The noises of heavy breathing and gasping for air had faded away into the void. The filthy creature licked the side of her face. Somehow it couldn’t stop doing it.

The girl stirred a little before whimpering in pain yet remaining unconscious. The creature’s intentions were unknown. One moment it would delight in the pleasure of killing people and the other, heal their wounds. What sort of a thing was it?

Its name remained unknown too. Never adapting a singular form, it would change its avatar with every new target. It dragged the girl across the basement and up the stairs without ever bothering to pick her up. The metal stairs poked at the side of the girl’s body leaving it bruised and worse for the wear.

Once near the foyer, it picked up the girl and carried her up to her room, laying her down gently on her queen sized bed with the crimson silk covers that she adored.

She looked at peace. Her breathing back to normal and she was snoring ever so softly.

‘By morning you should be fine,’ whispered the creature.

Hours passed by.

The rays from the rising sun illuminated the entire room as they streamed in from the balcony. The sleeping girl groaned as they fell directly on her face. She tried to cover her face with her hands, but her actions were a bit disoriented.

Her head was pounding badly. She groaned again as she tried to get up. After a few futile attempts she lied back down, resting her head on the pillow.

She had no idea how she had gotten home, neatly tucked into her bed. The doors squeaked a little as the guy came into her room.

‘Oh look, you are up!’ he exclaimed with joy.

‘What had happened last night?’ she asked.

He gently narrated to her the events of the night that had passed, about how she had one too many drinks at the party and how great a fight she put up when he was dragging her home. He chuckled as he told her how she was yelling at him about how filthy a creature he was.

‘You sure were feisty last night,’ he said with a smile.

And that was when it all came back and that was the moment she swore…

To never drink or do drugs again.