Srivalli Rekha

Alyssa tiptoed down the stairs. Her parents were asleep in the adjacent room. A dim light above the fireplace glowed

The magic of the Visupada* (autumnal equinox) was in the air. Trees danced in the breeze, birds chirped from their

The stink of death was unmistakable. It surrounded him, crawling through his nostrils to block his windpipe. As he got

The dark never bothered her; neither did the shrill wails, rattles, and shadows. Kiva spent most of her life living

“Patience is the key.” The wise man taught. We nodded, adjusting the stained piece of rough cloth across the hips.

A long sigh broke the silence of the night. Tears flowed as Elissa stared through the window. The full moon,

  Bare empty ruined I stood in the glaring hot orange ball’s heat not knowing how long the torture would