Short Story: Life in Death by Jyoti Kiran Pisipati

Jyoti Kiran Pisipati’s short story with a tender narrative is a story that engulfs a reader and holds one captive throughout.

He bent over her face to dab a little more foundation. His fingers glided over her eyebrows, moving nimbly past her eyes down her left temple, adjusting the shade to the hue of her skin. He applied the powder over it, brushing away the extra dust. The formaldehyde has done its work, giving ‘life’ to her sallow face. A little bit of lip colour, and she is ready for the viewing in the afternoon. He stopped for a moment to assess his handiwork and contented, he let out a long sigh. Dressing the body requires patience and a lot of respect for the person in front of him. The body is not soulless but one which is in eternal sleep, ready to awaken in the nether world.

Anthony finally stood up and stretched his legs after two hours of solitary work. Whatever the accident has caused to her face could hardly be seen now. The skin on the side of her face turned dark almost instantly after the mishap. Cleo will be heartbroken to see her like this. He has to conceal the skin as well as he can.