Adam

By: Ariel Schrag

Four Belgian Malinois puppies raised by an ex-serviceman, N. K. Kuruppu, who end up in four different life situations; an old man and a younger man who play a game made out of death notices cut out from newspapers; two men who argue about the inexplicable change of character of an old-time rowdy with fatal consequences; a nurse and her boyfriend who travel to Kerala with the body of her father who died in Bangalore; a man who exploits his friend's disability to satisfy his own bestial needs; a man who finds himself stranded in a supernatural space between life and death; a government employee who is intoxicated by the taste of wild meat and sinks deeper and deeper into the toxic world of hunting; two buffaloes who break away from their butcher and an entire village that chases after them; an old man who rejoices in the death of a sworn enemy who was once his friend.

S. Hareesh's Adam presents nine unusual stories about ordinary people, their passions and their diverse destinies in a world where humans, animals and nature collide and conflict, but also console each other. The stories explore the more difficult of human emotions-lust, anger, jealousy, vengeance, greed-in a non-judgemental yet detached manner. Hareesh's unique style of storytelling that mixes astute social observation with an irreverent and sarcastic tone makes these stories invigorating, and pushes the craft of the short story to new and refreshing realms.