A story about loss and memory — Kathmandu Post

In Nepal, Kathmandu Post published the fiction story “A conversation by the flickering candle” about Ayan, who cannot come to terms with Tara’s death. The events unfold in a house during a power outage: the room is lit only by a candle, and beside the protagonist appears the image of a woman who is no longer alive.

A conversation by candlelight

In the story, Ayan and Tara sit in a dimly lit room without phones or other distractions. They talk about work stress, silence, and the unusual comfort created by the absence of bright light. The protagonist listens to Tara and notices details of her appearance in the flickering candlelight.

Ayan recalls Tara’s habits: how she drinks tea, laughs at clumsy jokes, feels awkward in unfamiliar places, hums while doing household chores, and pretends not to be angry when he teases her. He realizes that during their year of life together, he did not fully appreciate her beauty and their ordinary shared moments.

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A confrontation with reality

A sudden bright light interrupts the scene. Ayan sees Tara’s empty chair and, on the opposite wall, her photograph with a flower garland. The protagonist recalls that he attended the funeral and saw her being buried, but for a month he could not accept the loss. He clung to the hope that Tara was somewhere nearby.

At the end of the story, Ayan again hears in his memories her voice calling him to dinner. He sees Tara not only in the portrait with a mourning garland, but as he remembers her in life: warm, smiling, and close.