I.

Lost

are waves like God?

as they take away things

with them

away

forever

never returning them

I stand here,

contemplating whether the human heart is as crystal clear as the ocean

I now see in front of my eyes.

I turned away from my fears

sullen eyes rolling down tears

lost at sea, desperate to reach the bay

by Ayra Areeba Abid 

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‘Record’: Sehri Tales selections, Day 23

II.

Song title: Count on me

You made me listen to this song by force. It was such a favourite of yours. I loved it immediately. Do you remember how you said you can count on me like 123 and I'll be there and how I can count on you like 432 and you'll be there? Then what changed? Why did you distance yourself from me? Every minute, every second, I keep thinking about it. I don't know what my fault was. But if you decide to be friends again, know that you can count on me like 123. You'll always have my shoulders when you cry, I'll never let go, never say goodbye. Peace

by Yashna Zarine

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‘Delete’: Sehri Tales selections, Day 8

III.

He jumped. I've only ever heard about things like this. But with my own eyes I witness what I never hoped to have witnessed in my life. Five stories high, he jumped, and no one knows why. He never looked back. I guess that's how life works, I guess sometimes, you jump, and you never look back.

And then he landed on a tree next to the balcony. Ah, yes. I know why now. It was his friend, the little sparrow with its half-built nest. I know now, all Loki wanted was to fly like the sparrow, to be free, to be floating. Loki, like any other cat, always enjoyed watching birds. He'd look at birds flying and imitate chirping noises he heard from them. It was the cutest thing.

I don't think he understood what they said. Do cats try to? Do they have an imagination? The sparrow had three little hatchlings. I think one of them died. Maybe the chirping made Loki think of his mother calling to him. Maybe he was curious. He thought his friend was trying to tell him something, like the location of the fried chicken I hid from him last night. Everyone likes fairy godmothers, someone who takes care of you despite it all, saves you from your misery. Or maybe, to him it was just a song. A song he would repeat and try to sing as we do. A song without a title, or maybe one he gave in his head?

by Syed Shahriar