The pavement between two worlds
This story by Asfiya is one of the two winning entries of a writing contest conducted for Blogchatter’s Writers Group.
Radha stood on the pavement, her eyes scanning the oncoming traffic for a break so that she could dart over to the other side of the road.
A few minutes back, she had been safely ensconced in her parked car, listening to Mohammad Rafi crooning as the rivulets of water slid down the windshield. It was her harsh alarm that reminded her it was time for the school bus to come. The grey clouds were still rumbling ominously as she got out of the car.
The minute she stepped out, she was hit by the smell of wet earth mixed with the fragrance drifting from the small flower shop she was parked next to. The sizzle of a frying pan from the market behind her reminded her that Anirudh would want a snack the minute they got home.
Further down the road, some street urchins were playing with a puppy. Their laughter, mingled with the puppy’s yapping, carried over with the breeze.
She gripped her umbrella tightly as she stepped off the pavement, only to be drenched by a passing motorcyclist weaving through the gaps. A sudden cacophony of horns made her realise that the traffic light at the intersection was no longer working.
