Hi All
I started this fiction blog on an impulse. I was not sure where I was going with it. But I consider myself fortunate that readers like you read the first story and came back again to read the next and the next. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts through your comments! I think it has helped me evolve as a writer.
I have read some of your blogs and I like what you write.
So I thought I would make an attempt at what I call “Collective Creativity”. I have written a few lines about a story that is still germinating in my mind. I am presenting it to you. Please do continue with it by adding your words and thoughts . You can post them in the comments section.
Let us see where it goes…
PS “Guiding Star” is a working title. Once the plot develops let us take a call and see if we might need to change it .
The city was bathed red in the light of the setting sun. Even the sea appeared to be a glowing red as the sun stood poised to dip into the water and do the disappearing act.
Bhavna stood at her balcony watching the play of light. It was her favorite time of the day. She loved the feeling of being enveloped by her dreams! She liked to think of them as a series of concentric circles revolving together at the back of her head and converging at a central point.
She could not remember how many years it was since she had started dreaming. The circles had grown and reduced but the central core remained intact.
However, today it seemed different. The vividness with which those images usually glowed in her mind appeared to be tempered by something dull.
What had happened she wondered…. Did dreams have a shelf life?
Kaleidoscope 
Oct 17, 2014 @ 19:29:20
As she watched the sun set, she thought about her dreams, some of which had just not been fulfilled. Things were different when she had been younger. She had had so many plans when she left college, feeling totally ready to conquer the world. Although she had never been sure of the logistics; at that point, everything had seemed possible.
What had gone wrong? Had her priorities changed? Or had she not utilized opportunities that came her way well enough? Was she happy with what she had achieved in life so far? Immediately, she shook her head, hoping to clear her mind off these pessimistic thoughts. She hated these questions that kept nagging her and made her question her self-esteem.
Not all her old dreams had materialized. But she wasn’t a complete failure. Each day, the sun rose and presented a fresh opportunity before her to dream of new dreams and work towards transforming them into reality. She was not a quitter.
Oct 17, 2014 @ 20:46:44
She reflected, the dreams were they hers? Did she have any dreams of her own? Was she fulfilling the dreams of those around her? Of course she wasn’t a failure, the dreams for her had materialised. Why was she questioning now? What changed? Why couldn’t she be just happy?
Oct 18, 2014 @ 11:44:12
The doubt in Bhavna’s mind about the short shelf life of dream proved wrong that very night itself.
She felt relaxed and peaceful as she fell asleep. Somewhere in the sleepy hours after midnight, she had the usual hazy dreams but it was vivid and clear this time. She could miss no detail.
She was transported to her school days in Kolkata. She must have been in class nine. It was a co-ed school. She travelled by public bus or mini bus whichever came earlier and the bus stop near the school was at the corner of Lansdowne road. Bola as she knew him was in a higher class but somehow they had become friends. She did not remember when and where they first met but what she was sure is that he accompanied her daily from the school to the bus stop, waited till she boarded her bus. She did not forget how with a mischievous intent she skipped many buses telling they were crowded. He would be found waiting at the same stop in the mornings till she arrived.
Bola was tall and she distinctly remembered his curly hair and twinkle in his eyes. He was intelligent and cleared many of her doubts in the bus stop. It was not love between them but they felt drawn towards each other. He was well behaved and gentle in talk. If she missed him one day, she felt that day wasted.
At the end of the year her father got transferred to Hyderabad. It was the last day. She was crying the whole day. Both of them sat under a tree holding each other’s hands in silence.
“Where do you live? I know you are in South Kolkata” she asked
I am in Southern Avenue in a housing complex called Popular house. I live in second floor on right side. Do not ask for Bola. That is my pet name. Ask for Soumen Mukhopadhyay.Would you be dropping in?” he asked with a smile
“No, no way. I know the area. I have joined some sports in a stadium there. Who knows one day we may meet” she said with a wry smile.
The dream continued as Bhavna relived the past with fondness and a yearning to meet Bola till the cawing of the crow at her window sill disrupted her dream. She had a spring in her walk that morning wondering what Bola did these days and whether he would remember her.
There was another big surprise during breakfast that day. He father was telling her mom that he had some work at Kolkata for three days and whether she would be interested in joining him.
Bhavna jumped in joy and said “I am certainly coming whether mom comes or not” It was agreed that all would go.
On the day of arrival which happened to be a Sunday at the guest house, she told her mom ”I wish to meet Aditi my school friend. I will be back in two hours. I know her place. We can then move around wherever you wish to go”
She took a taxi and said “Go to Popular house in Southern Avenue”
In 15 minutes she stood opposite the building. Her heart thumped fast and she was not sure whether what she was doing was right. She went up to second floor by stairs and turned right. There were many flats. She was confused when an elderly man walked towards her.
“Are you aware of one Soumen Mukhopadhyay who used to live here?”
“Are you looking for Bola the IAS officer? You are standing outside his flat. Ring the bell. He must be at home” he said but did not stir from his place
With high expectancy and butterflies in her stomach, she pressed the bell
The door was opened by a very handsome man in curly hair and twinkle in the eyes.
“Hey, is it Bhavna? What a big surprise?” He shouted as he pulled her inside the house calling “Ma, Baba, come here immediately.I have a surprise visitor”