Aarushi Shetty was born and brought up in India and now resides in the United Kingdkom. She is a graduate with a Master of Arts in Professional Creative Writing. Her poems have been displayed as part of an Exhibition held by Positive Images Festival in Coventry. Another one has been a part of an exhibition to spread awareness about domestic abuse , which is due to be auctioned for charity. She is published in Popshot magazine and will also appear in the print edition of CovWords Magazine 2020-21, Coventry University’s creative magazine.
Alfred Burton jolts and sits upright at eight in the morning. His back is itching as the wet fabric of his pyjama shirt clings to it. He wipes his damp forehead and shivers. He can still feel the cold blade of an axe on his leg from his unpleasant dream. Opal, his cat, climbs onto the bed. Her pale eyes draw him in, her pupils dilate as she purrs sitting next to him.
He can hear a constant reverberation of airships as if a leviathan is flying across the sky. Although Alfred lives further from the city, a much quieter part of London, the clanging metals, hustling of steam engines and cars as well as the airships resonate in the manor. He closes his eyes for a moment thinking about his schedule for the day then looks at a letter on his desk, next to the bed.
To Mister Alfred Burton, Your request for a permanent, aluminium augmented leg has been approved. Doctor Stephen Byron can confirm an appointment with yourself for 14 April 1873. Please be at The Royal Society of Bio-Mechanical Augmentation by noon. Sincerely, Doctor Stephen Byron (M.D.)
The embers in the fireplace, opposite his bed have a low flame. A meek boy, about nine or ten years old, enters the room and pokes the wood with a poker. He stares at the bookshelf next to the fireplace and runs his fingers on the spines of some books.
“Good morning,” says Alfred.
The boy jumps, the poker slipping from his hand crashes on the wooden floor as he turns around. Opal opens her eyes wide and stares at the boy, she stops purring, her tail swishes as she is annoyed by the disruption in the room.