Darkness

I have had a penchant for short stories right from the days of reading "Chicken soup for the soul".I personally feel it's difficult to touch people through writings that end in a few pages.

I also was looking for horror stories .That's when I came across this book as a part of Harper Collins sale in Amazon. A translation of Marathi work by the author Ratnakar Matkari.

This book took me to the depths of eeriness. It's a collection of short stories that revolve around the themes of guilt,loss,love,abuse,rage, woven in a style that's intricate. Some are exceptional, some are predictable.

"It was midnight.There was complete silence outside. The calendar on the wall flapped once a breeze found its way". Simple details like this is creepy.

Stories centered on seemingly simple plots that leave you in search of truth even after the end. The author has crafted stories in a beguiling manner because they make you look back,thinking if the person was real or was it somebody from the grave talking to you.

My favourite story is "The swing". I found stories based on dream experiences interesting. Repeatedly visiting the same places and people in dream sounds amazing in stories when it would beat the shit out of you ,if it happens for real. I have heard people experiencing the presence of a dead person in a gentle breeze. May be not all of us observe or feel enough to understand. Also human beings are skeptical and we don't believe such things until it happens to us. Not that I wish for that to happen to you or me. Just meant to say it wouldn't be as thrilling as a reading experience. And that is why I love such books.

I was about to finish the book around 8:30pm when I heard an unusual loud thud on my door. My heart skipped a beat as I got on my toes to peep through the hole to check if I really heard that. It was my neighbors kid who came around to give his birthday cake. After I finished the book ,I thought I should eat that cake.But I couldn't find it anywhere. So was all that a figment of my imagination?. Am I hallucinating?

On that note, I'm winding up and I recommend this book for people who love to explore the theme of mystery/horror.