Denzil's Stories

Temptation Growing Pains of a teenage boy Denzil Jayasinghe 3 min read·Feb 28 I tried to ignore my feelings but eventually got bored of reading and thinking, so I leaned against my bed and created space between me and the cupboard. I crept under the bed and pulled a centrefold hidden under the mattress. The centrefold had become creased from being folded and squished under the weight of the mattress. The naked model in the picture was lying down and seemed really into something. I rubbed my eyes to relax and couldn’t stop staring at her seductive image. Every day after school, I lay on my bed and stared at her. It felt like we had a personal connection and felt super intimate. I pulled down my pants. I could see myself in the mirror. I grabbed mine firmly and moved my hand back and forth fast until I came on my hand and the ground. I quickly wiped everything with my sarong that lay near me. I did that quickly before anyone could see what I was up to. Even though the tension was gone, I...

  The Sunday paper A boy reads a Sunday paper with his father. Denzil Jayasinghe 3 min read·Feb 26 On that quiet Sunday morning, the six of us went to mass — my father, mother, younger sister, brother,  Kadayamma , my grandmother, and I. The service ended at 9 am, and we returned home, ready for a day of relaxation and unwinding. As soon as we entered our home, my father, free from work obligations, turned on the radio and began scanning the medium-wave channels. My siblings and I joined him at the dining table for breakfast while my mother and Kadayamma prepared the food in the kitchen. We savoured each bite without complaint, letting the local songs and advertisements from the Telefunken radio fill the air. Father lounged on the veranda, basking in the warmth of the morning sun. Then, with his favourite Sunday newspaper, Lankadeepa, he eased into his armchair and began reading. He deftly folded it in half to make it more manageable, shielding his face with it while I followe...

  Stone throw Denzil Jayasinghe 3 min read·Feb 24 That day, my mother was hurt. It is an afternoon on a school day. I am in the front yard when I hear a noise. I run towards the area the sound is coming from. I see my mother holding her forehead, blood oozing. She is standing near the steps and crying. I am shocked and afraid. I have never seen my mother in despair like that. My world comes crashing down. My siblings are inside the house, unaware of what is happening in the backyard. My father is away in his outpost for his job. He would not be back until the weekend. I am the only one closely representing an adult in the family. What am I to do? I take stock of the situation. Achchie, my mentally sick grandmother, has just hit my mother with a stone. Achchie has been playing up, causing all types of mayhem in our household lately. She always picks on her daughter, my mother, the one that cares for her. I feel helpless and hopeless. Also, angry. I feel so mad that I could explode. ...