Short Story: Where Lions Roam by Vineetha Mokkil

Vineetha Mokkil’s story with its powerful narrative is hauntingly beautiful as it leaves the readers with goosebumps with its surprising twists and turns.

The sky was splashed with rich pinks and reds and the clouds were tinged with gold, but the sun had sunk on the horizon. Lit by the day’s coda, the road in front of them glowed, but the soft light of evening and the caress of the breeze, and the glowing skyscape were wasted on Maya. She was too uneasy to lose herself in all this beauty, to let go and surrender to its spell. 

Sandeep hit the accelerator harder and their olive jeep zoomed down the road. He had a look of intense concentration on his face; his hands gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were ready to burst through his skin. Maya looked away and took a deep breath—the sharp scent of teak, the fragrance of green, the thrum of birdsong—the wind whispered to her that the forest was close. She sensed its presence in her bones. If only Sandeep would tell her where they were headed. Say the words. She was sick of this game of ‘keep Maya guessing.’