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First Light

It was night and the lights were flashing, long streaks of them, white and bright. The air was still but not heavy. There were people around, curious and concerned. They were standing in groups, their collective whispers a pleasant background hum, faces lit up like old paintings in the intermittent light. Dull yellow tape marked off the inner from the outer. Bored faces on the inside going through the formalities. Their actions familiar yet unfeeling. Their clipboards and pens glinting under the flashing bulbs, the chalk lines flowing together to form an unknown constellation of connected paraphernalia.

In the center, the body of the woman, oblivious to all the sudden entropy. Her arms splayed wide open on either side, pointing to some lost direction. Her eyes open to the stars, taking in the empty splendor of the wheeling heavens above.

(first part in a trilogy of short pieces loosely based on the themes of light and death)

10 responses to “First Light”

  1. transience says:

    wow. that leaves a lot to the imagination. more!

  2. gulnaz says:

    that was so dark!!
    like peeping into a dungeon but yea it leaves a lot to the imagination….good!

  3. Mermaid says:

    In the darkness, she can still stand, and see the light as tiny holes in the canopy of darkness. I saw the light in her eyes, and I loved what I saw…

  4. Geetanjali says:

    I swear I left a comment this morng – but it’s not to be seen anymore! :-O

    When I first read the title I expected a rather romantic piece, so what came next took me by surprise! However, having said that, I must say that the story unwinds itself slowly and the gruesome nature doesn’t hit you in the solar plexus, but comes out gently much like the first rays of the light chasing away the darkness – the title is very apt!

    Btw you’ve been book tagged!

  5. lorena says:

    “faces lit up like old paintings in the intermittent light”
    nice imagery here 🙂

  6. anil says:

    transience: thank you…and I hope you like the rest too..

    gulnaz: thank you…

    Mermiad: You say it much better than I can…I always love and respect the insights your comments give into what I write…

    Geetanjali: *smiles* thank you for your feedback…it was illuminating to know how you reacted to this…this trilogy is very close to my heart….

    …as for the book tag…hmm…let me see I’ll try and post something soon…

    lorena: thank you….

  7. stella says:

    i’m impressed by your ability to write about such a deep topic. – looking forward to reading the final series.

  8. anil says:

    stella: thank you…I hope you like the last one too..

  9. finnegan says:

    anil, this is wonderful stuff here; so evocative and subtlely allusive. There’s such a delicate muscularity to your prose that is so satisfying. Can’t wait to go up to Second Light!

  10. anil says:

    finnegan: ohh..thank you so much…I’m happy that you like it…among the three I personally like this the most…

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