The Sinner -- Kakoli Mukherjee

PublishedNovember 14, 2022

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Dysfunctional families, abuses, hurt and loss, venturing into the dark corners of human psychology.

Here’s an excerpt from the story:?

Have you ever tried to tame a live catfish? It jumps about, even out of the vessel it is in, and tries to sting you with its barbels. It loses its steam a bit when you sprinkle salt on it, only to jump out again with renewed vigour. The only way to silence the bothersome rascal is a tough blow on its head with a pestle. If it does not do the job, you hit again and all you will have is a dead catfish.

I wish I had a pestle to hush up my brain (or is it my heart?). I want it to stay at one place. I do not want it to wander to the bleak corridors of the past, or make me worry about the phantom future.

Because all life’s energy inside me is taken up to deal with the dread of my present – the dread of my dysfunctional family. Yeah, I picked up that word from a psychology book in our library. No, not our school library, but district library. Our school does not have a library and I live in a very small town. Nothing fancy.

About the author : Kakoli Mukherjee works as a copy editor for a daily. She’s a foodie and likes to write in her free time.

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This story is part of our latest book?- Jukebox?: A collection of stellar short stories by budding writers of India. An outcome of ?Melonade – A nationwide writing competition by writersmelon.?

Excerpts of all shortlisted stories are available?here.?

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