Tag Archives: Stories
Regretful Morning
Today was a day unlike any other. Everything seemed peculiarly odd. Humayra had been quietly wondering. She hadn’t heard the roosters crowing one after another. Nor had she perplexed and teared over the reverberating sound of adzan, the call to prayer, soon after. She woke up in stillness, of creeping dawn she thought to be none other […]
Toy Train for Hasan
Dear Diary, Never did I see Hasan’s eyes gleaming so brightly in excitement before. I had wished to capture those moments with a camera and show them to my parents. However, my mind has in fact been a hidden camera in its own unique way — translating encounters, images and sceneries into unwinding narration of […]
The Miraculous Power of Loving Green
Today, my dad and mum left me at a nearby community school. I wanted to show Ms. Rayhan pieces that I’d written since the day I passed her writing test. In her olive drab uniform and matching-coloured jilbab, her image constantly resounds in my mind whenever I completed a piece. Emanating love, wisdom, and strength, […]
Conflicting CHAOS, Part 2
Dear Diary, Many days after the church’s on fire, there were rumours on an anti-Christian group whose members had been accused of starting the selfish flame, and hence detained at a nearby police station for investigation. My dad told us that he had heard the news from the local tukang ojek — motorcycle taxi drivers […]
Conflicting CHAOS, Part 1
“Doom doom” Loud noises startled me awake. The creaking of my floorboard was no longer critical compared to the probable disaster my fantasizing mind could picture. “Was it furious thunder? Has the wrath of God descended upon our people?” I worried. I went over to my parents and shook them hard, “Aba, Ummi, wake up.” […]
A Day Off: Drying Mishap
Dear Diary, I am at home now, with my mum and Husain. We didn’t join my dad for our usual carton-collecting outing as we had to mend about a kilo of wet cartons and paper, leaving them outside, to dry in the sun. It was raining yesterday. Despite having covered our cart with a large […]
The Barefooted Workmen
Dear Diary, Today our return route brought us to a stretch of road work in progress. Half of the road has been patched with extra 10 cm of metal-framed cements, and the other half was undergoing similar extension. The traffic through this road was heavy; they had to take turn passing the available half of […]
The Blind Cracker Peddler and His Content Son
Dear Diary, At times when I feel that life on the streets is harsh, God would show me people who are even less fortunate. I would emphatise them instead and forget about my own share of trials. On our way home today, I nagged my dad to buy me an empty book which I could […]
Aba’s Name
“Bang bang,” I was startled by the loud noise. A hard object had to have hit my cart. So I turned around to see what had happened. A stern-looking middle-aged man in navy blue, civil service uniform was staring at me, inquiring explanation. His long, solid wooden stick was leaning on the top edge of […]
The HELP: On demand
Dear Diary, Today my mum and Husain are not roaming the streets with us. We dropped them earlier at one of the big houses at a housing complex we passed by. My mum has been asked to help the lady of the house, Ms Thurayya, washing and ironing their clothes. My mum has been doing […]
Watermelon
Dear Diary, I didn’t realise that a long, thin slice of watermelon could bring so much blessings to my family. It is extremely hot today, on the streets. Although I am used to it and not complaining, I can actually feel my blood boiling inside my veins. My mum and dad look similarly constraint — […]
I can write!
Dear Diary, My handwriting may be terrible, but my heart is pure: no relevance between the two but I could care no more. Today, I am officially declared literate — meaning I can read fluently and write readable text. It’s safe to say, I’m proud for this glaring achievement. My mum is not even hands-on […]
Stars from Heavens 