About the Book
Nargis & Other stories by Hermit Pen is a collection of 8 short stories, each unique and different from other, covering various facets of life, inspired by real life characters and incidents.
The stories address the contemporary social issues like loneliness, binge dating, domestic abuse, social media addiction, celebrity worship and also contemporary environmental issues like pollution, dwindling water resources, declining fertility rate, chemical warfare, etc.
The stories also attempt to illustrate the pain and wounds of contemporary political issues like lynching, conflicts, refugees, etc
All the characters seem very familiar and we can easily relate to them.
Book Excerpt
In the beginning, it was industrial pollution that rendered most of the water beyond human usage and then the water wars that followed resulted in the extensive use of chemical and biological weapons, which further left the remaining water sources toxic.
In less than 10 years, water had become the currency and owners of non-toxic water sources the new age kings, with their own militias, protecting their wells and supply chain.
Water trading was the most lucrative business now.
Namita had stopped thinking about resistance or confrontation long back. Domestic abuse and sometimes physical abuse had become part of life for her. She had accepted it. It was no secret either.
Lynched
He couldn't make up his mind as to what will give him the closure he needed.
Neha
He had plans of getting married next year. An arranged marriage.His parents in Hyderabad had already selected the bride for him. He knew nothing about the girl, and was not interested to know either. He believed that arranged marriage will ensure that his parents will be taken care of in their old age, which was his prime responsibility, being the only son, as has been repeatedly hammered into his head, by the society, since childhood.
The night was beautiful, a bit cold though to be sitting in the balcony in only a t-shirt, this had been her ritual, night after night.
The silence at this time of the night is addictive. It calms the volatile souls and tames the inner demons.
Oh Syria!
This was the home of his ancestors. Their graves were here. His father used to tell him that for centuries his family had lived in this town.
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