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Mirage - #ATOZCHALLENGE – M (2026)

  “You won’t be using this extra iron will you? Then I will keep it.” Kavita claimed ownership of the iron even before Anita could reply. Anita and her husband Shyam were cleaning their home for Diwali. A lot of unnecessary and unused utensils that were stashed away were removed. And Kavita, their neighbour always developed a need for anything they didn’t want. Later, over a cup of chai , they talked. “She’s grown up in a frugal home, Anita.” “Who?” “Kavita, of course. Didn’t you find her acting strange?” Anita raised her brows and nodded quickly in assent. “Yes, it did look a little over-the-top and unnecessary. She’s doing a job and getting a good salary. Then why this financial insecurity?” “Like I said, her frugal life. Her mind is trained to fear scarcity. I am sure she must hoard a lot of unwanted things in her home out of the sheer fear of losing them.” “That’s not a happy place, Shyam,” Anita concluded. “One should always express gratitude for what they have...
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Luck By Chance - #ATOZCHALLENGE – L (2026)

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  “I think I’ll switch jobs yet again.” Brinda thought to herself. Her backstage work as a designer’s apprentice was quite thankless. She kept getting pushed around by models who thought they were Aphrodite herself. And the designer tantrums were another story. “This industry is so fake. I thought I would create a revolution with my designer choices, but I’ve become just a flunky to all these entitled twats. I’m soon losing my own identity. Cannot do this for long.” “No problem. Just this last show and we’ll see what else we can do. You just hang in there till then.” Ajay placated her after listening to her tirade. They had been the best of friends for five years and had recently taken their friendship to the next level by becoming 3AM buddies. He was her go-to person when she needed to take a decision that would lead to a big change. Brinda headed back to the workshop and looked at the delicately woven dresses. Mrs. Rita Khanna, the designer would throw a fit even if a stran...
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Karma - #ATOZCHALLENGE – K (2026)

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  The grand mirror in their walk-in closet saw them standing side by side—he was checking the fit of his Armani blazer one last time, before leaving, and she touching up her lipstick again trying to match it closer to her cocktail dress. They drew each other closer, not so much out of fondness but to see how they looked together, as a couple. They had to make a lasting impression, and an impeccable one . Milan Kothari, a successful businessman, was to attend a Diwali party at the mansion of another big-wig. The who’s who of the city would be there. Any misstep would deliver a huge blow to his carefully curated image. His wife, Amisha Kothari, dutifully allied with him through the optics.   “I believe in results. Excuses are for losers.” His chest puffed with pride upon getting yet another audience in the party, where he could talk about his achievements. He talked about fast-tracking his way into success by his sheer intelligence and out-of-the-box thinking.” Alina, another co...
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Jubilee Jaleel - A Life Well Lived #ATOZCHALLENGE – J (2026)

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"People tell me I was born laughing and haven't stopped till date. Hehehe!"  "Really Mr. Kazrai?" asked Dr. Waria "So that's what keeps you going so strong even at 90." "Yes. I plan to do a full century. Keep a good stock of funny jokes. Your last one's gave me a blocked artery." Maarega kya (planning to kill me or what)?  " Marey apke dushman (May your enemies die) ." All of five feet tall, he trudged out of the clinic, his frail knees struggling to support his protruding belly. India had been his home since he knew what a home was. His ancestry was rooted somewhere in Iran, a memory blurred with the passage of time. Back to three generations, his family lived in a modest home in Surat, the only family he was aware of. Early days were not easy. the bent man was once a lively youth seeking to make his mark in the world. Born in poverty, his home would frequently be darkened by power cuts, water cuts and a breakage here and t...
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Idiot- #ATOZCHALLENGE – I (2026)

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  “You’re all here today because you are IDIOTS!” “I.D.I.O.T – Intellectually Driven Individuals of Talent” The dean clarified before he continued with the rest of his speech. Our slightly bruised egos were reinstated, and it triggered a brief chuckle from us all. “But you are here for serious business. You will need to set history right. You may think why the past would have such a bearing on the present. But it does. Our past shapes who we have become today, how things affect us, what norms we form, how we relate with other people, what are our goals and ambitions, what do we fear, how do we garner the strength to fight back, and overall, how we think. So, a little retrospective change has the potential to start a revolution.” We all agreed! We did have a task ahead of us and we couldn’t afford to fail. A whole generation depended on it. We the students of history and political science in the University were called upon to revisit the ideology of this political figure calle...
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  Haunting- #ATOZCHALLENGE – H (2026) Anisha darted into the thick forest, her heart pounding louder with each sprint. They were close— too close . The angry thudding sound of their footsteps cut through the silence. If she stopped, they would catch up soon, and then the worst would happen. She planned to hide behind the overgrown bushes, but her laboured breathing would be a sure shot giveaway. No, no, no. God, this isn’t even happening. She thought to herself frantic with worry till she spotted an old mansion. A faint light was flickering from the window of the ground floor. She heaved a quick sigh of relief. She may get help soon. Or at least she could try. Looking hither nor dither, she ran for her life, making it to the compound of the mansion. The rogues spotted her running through the foliage. “Look, there she is,” snarled one of them to his fellows. Anisha had managed to reach the main gate and began pounding the rusty and weathered iron ring loudly. Sheer terror h...
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Gift or Gamble? A Tale of Guilty Hearts - #ATOZCHALLENGE – G (2026)

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  Right Before the Big Leap of Faith... “My dad says, love or arranged marriage , anyways a couple gets embroiled in quarrels and conflicts. So, it boils down to the same thing.” “So, Nishu, are you saying you want to call off our wedding?” “No, silly. You always misread my words, Prash.” “So, what did you mean?” Nisha looked flustered, piqued by her own recollection and mindless articulation of the same. Prashant looked on, an urgency building up inside him to get clarification from her. Was he prepared to hear anything in the negative? “Ummm Okay! So, it means you and I won’t always be in la-la land. There will be difficult times and tough decisions to make." “Yes, sure. But then I’ll take care of it. You won’t regret choosing me as your forever person.” He said he would take care of it. Alone. A slight disappointment flitted past Nisha’s face. But then a look into those innocent, puppy-dog eyes and all was forgotten. This was her destiny. Two Months Ago Nisha...
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