The Last Message ( Short Story)
It was three in the morning when the phone rang. It read Thammi – her paternal grandmother. Thammi at this hour! She panicked. Was she sick? Clicking on the green key, she heard a faint hello. ‘Thammi…?' 'Riti...!' ' Are you okay? Why are you up so late?' 'First, tell me why YOU are up?’ 'Oh Thammi, I have the assignment to submit tomorrow.' 'How long will it take? You need to sleep, child. You also have to report to work tomorrow.' 'I know. I am almost done. Just a few more slides.' 'Then I shouldn’t keep you away.' ‘No, No Thammi. I have been working since afternoon. My mind is a haze now. Can you hold on? Let me grab a cup of coffee.’ ‘Go get it, my child! And listen. Only half a cup. Else, it will rob you of your sleep.’ Riti rushed off to get herself a cup of coffee. Five minutes later, she pulled out a chair, rested her legs on the table, and held the mug in one another and the phone in the other.