WINNER: FLASH FICTION WRITING CONTEST | Ravi Subramanian Presents

Flash Fiction Contest

Presenting the winning story from the Ravi Subramanian Presents series writing contest!

Based on the prompt from Mansi Babbar’s Evoked:  ‘So you think it is good that she died’, she asked, watching the microwave spin.’

This is The Stairs by Sushreeta Mohapatra:

THE STAIRS

by Sushreeta Mohapatra

The house still evoked memories of the last time he had been there. Sumit treaded slowly, attempting to retrace his steps as he played out the scenes in his head. He halted at the steps, which was where he had found Mrs. Sawant all splayed out, dried and congealed blood surrounding her battered head, almost like a bloody sun from one of the paintings she painted so earnestly. He remembered retching, then stumbling out. He had run into Meera on his way out, who had inquired after him, and he remembered breaking down. It was she who had taken charge then, taking a quick peek at the body still on the stairs, and then took him up to her apartment from where she called the police.

Much of what followed later was a blur to him now. The police declared that Mrs. Sawant had slipped and fallen to her death. It sparked a conversation with Meera several hours later. Which was to be the first of many over the course of the following days. It was then, encouraged by the warm tea, her little treats, and her subtle prompts, that he had told her about his dislike of Mrs. Sawant. How it annoyed him no end that she always left her door open when she had guests. How her cats always managed to find their way into the milk baskets of others and never her own. How she always cribbed about the sounds from his apartment.

‘So you think it is good that she died?” she asked, watching the microwave spin. She had made a choco lava cake that day which she told him would go just fine with the new blend of coffee she had purchased from ‘one of those online stores.’ Sumit was somewhat flustered, for he had never said that. ‘I didn’t say that,’ he said sheepishly, abashed that she had taken his complaints to imply more than he had actually meant.

‘But that is what you meant, didn’t you?’ she persisted. He shrank further into the sofa where he was sitting. ‘It isn’t that. I just meant that it would have been better if she had just gone away, just not this way,’ he said. Meera laughed. ‘Good riddance, anyway,’ she said. He had an eerie feeling just then. When he left that day, he couldn’t shake the feeling away. But Meera had never expressed any ill will towards Mrs. Sawant, not once. But Mrs. Sawant had slipped. But what reason could she have? But…

He hadn’t realized he was mumbling out loud. It was only when he felt the hand on his back, pushing him hard, that he realized perhaps he wasn’t wrong. And that he hadn’t been looking where he was going. As he missed the steps and slid down them, he had no time to turn and take a look at his assailant. The laughter ringing in his ears told him all he needed to know.