Home by Harlan Coben

"A decade ago, kidnappers grabbed two boys from wealthy families and demanded ransom, then went silent. No trace of the boys ever surfaced. For ten years their families have been left with nothing but painful memories and a quiet desperation for the day that has finally, miraculously arrived: Myron Bolitar and his friend Win believe they have located one of the boys, now a teenager. Where has he been for ten years, and what does he know about the day, more than half a life ago, when he was taken? And most critically: What can he tell Myron and Win about the fate of his missing friend?"

This gripping thriller manages to deal with the cold case of  missing boys with sensitivity. Win is back, with his lethal charm. The witty repertoire between our resident hero, Myron Bolitar and Win, does not disappoint. Mickey, Esperenza and Big Cyndi all make an appearance. With assistance from all quarters, he finally figures out what happened 10 years ago but true to Harlen Coben style, there is a twist in this tale - and it's a whopper!

Excellent read!

Grief by Kashna Dass

All sanity has disappeared now that hysteria has taken over,
Frothing and bubbling as it pulls me into its mire,
Pain is my only tangible thread to life,
The irony doesn’t escape me.

Memories of laughter and happiness bring endless pain
The gaping wound gets wider with every breath,
Bleeding slowly, its ragged edges raw.
My agony knows no bounds.
 
Will this loss echo further than me?
The death of the future,
An enquiring mind that will no longer question,
Will only I notice? 

Thoughts of missed milestones break me,
I’m shattered into a million pieces,
Pieces that will never fit as a whole again,
Now I am the one questioning.

Fear and despair have united like the old friends they are,
Sorrow has clenched this fragile heart,
My need to embrace the warmth of life lost,
This futility, is my undoing.

Helpless and hopeless the light inside me has perished
My time, measured only by my heartbeats.
The days and nights ahead are already lost into oblivion
Now I ache to be swallowed by blackness.

Best “New” African Poets 2016 Anthology Entry

When Time Collides by Kashna Dass

Sometimes,
Just sometimes,
I wish I could step back.
Not for long, not to be seen or heard,
Just to feel.

These memories

Time does not heal,
These memories
Full of innocence and wisdom,
These memories
Are most beautiful and tragic.
These memories
Have molded me.

I see you walking amongst angels,

For now my mind keeps me company
But one day
The past, present and future will collide
Then we’ll meet again.

Kashna Dass