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33| The New Challenges and Opportunities
Last Updated:
2024-08-17 02:20:58
Masood There come and ups and downs in life and one goes on facing them boldly. It's our courage and sense of curiosity that leads us to find the ground realities of time, but it always takes time one learn very late in life. Thanks for your reading, support and your valued feedback.
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Striding Spirits 34| The Dark Side of Innocence
Vicky's sudden promotion to his new job, mere months after completing his internship, was still sinking in. Sitting beside Mrs Brown, a woman in her thirties, while he was still in his twenties, made the moment even more surreal.Mrs. Brown was arge woman, embodied a confident and adventurous spirit, defying her age with radiant youthful energy and playful charm.Her eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint, betraying a deep-seated desire for excitement and passion. She was irresistibly drawn to the idea of exploring physical connections with someone younger, like Vicky, perhaps seeking a sense of rejuvenation, a fresh perspective, or a fleeting escape from the weight of her years.Her attraction to Vicky was likely driven by a great longing for a carefree and spontaneous experience, unshackled by the constraints of age or societal expectations. Mrs. Brool was bold, flirtatious, and unapologetic in her pursuit of pleasure and connection, never hesitating to express her emotions, which of
Last Updated : 2024-08-18Striding Spirits 35| Escape from Darkness into the Unknown
Vicky's unease grew as he tried to make sense of his situation and uncover the truth about Mrs. Higgins' connection to Mrs. Brown. But the more he thought, the more he felt trapped. Mrs Higgins' voice sent a chill down his spine as she warned,"Don't even think about escaping this idyllic place. The surrounding woods teem with predators, ready to strike and devour their prey." Her slow, heavy footsteps seemed to emphasise the futility of escape, especially since they were fifty miles from civilisation. As Mrs. Higgins spoke, a heady aroma of wild forest, freshly cut wood, and mint enveloped Vicky, making his senses reel. "Something's off," Vicky closed his eyes and thought, his mind racing to make sense of the situation.But the more he thought about escaping, the more his anxiety spiralled out of control. He again tried to connect his memory with the last moments he had. The way Mrs. Higgins was talking did not make any sense to Vicky. Vicky's unease grew as he tried to make sen
Last Updated : 2024-08-20Striding Spirits 36| Shadows in the Fog
"Who they are? Why I am here?"As the guests reveled in the festivities, their laughter and chatter filling the air, Vicky remained lost in a sea of confusion. Champagne flutes clinked, and passing fake smiles and exchanged, accompanied by air-kisses that seemed to hold a thousand unspoken secrets.Amidst the whirlwind of pretentious socializing, Vicky stood out, his dazed expression a stark contrast to the jovial atmosphere. His mind raced, struggling to keep pace with the enigmatic events unfolding around him.After having a sumptuous meal, Vicky was lead to a room attached to another in that way Vicky could see and hear what's was going on there. Two burly men strode in voilently, rope in hand, and swiftly bound Vicky's wrists, suspending his arms from the hooks embedded in the ceiling. His shirt was torn to shreds, leaving him exposed as he stood on the table, his hands stretched upward in a helpless gesture.Minutes ticked by before Sandra, his classmate, entered with two more im
Last Updated : 2024-08-20Striding Spirits 37| Sandra's Union with Stephen
The dawn paved new avenue in Vicky's and Sandra's life. As Vicky pedaled, the road unwound before him, plunging deeper into the heart of the rich mountains. With each stroke, the air grew crisper, its coolness invigorating his senses. The yellow birds twittered along the groves of birches The landscape shifted, becoming increasingly rugged and unforgiving, like a reflection of Vicky's own tumultuous journey. The trees seemed to close in, casting long, ominous shadows on the ground below. As the sun shone its bright rays through the fog laden horizon, Vicky and Sandra made their way to the nearest police station, where they filed a report and set the wheels of justice in motion to apprehend their captors. Just then, Sandra's uncle, who had been living in Australia, arrived on the scene. He persuaded Sandra to accompany him to Sydney, and after consulting with Vicky, she made the difficult but a good decision to leave. With a mix of emotions, Sandra bid farewell to Vicky an
Last Updated : 2024-08-21Striding Spirits 38| Torn Between Love and Dreams: Flying High, Falling Hard
Henry's eyes sparkled with amusement as Rebecca's cheeks turned a deep, embarrassed red. He couldn't hold his eyes on her mesmerising beauty. He struggled to stifle a laugh, nearly choking on his own saliva as he tried to contain his mirth at Rebecca's expense. Henry usually sat at the far end of the desk in the classroom, just behind Rebecca's seat. They had been classmates in Geography and Philosophy for last six months, and Henry had spent many memorable hours studying alongside her at the same library table. Yet, despite their proximity and shared academic pursuits, Henry had never mustered the courage to ask Rebecca out on a date though he wished to have. He had never spoken his heart before her. Vicky stood beside the board, lecturing to favourite class, when he noticed that Rebecca and Henry were acting strangely. Both of them were not mentally present in the class. Their unusual behaviour caught his attention, and he found himself distracted repeatedly by Henry's nonchal
Last Updated : 2024-08-22Striding Spirits 39| Dangerous Thrills of Love
"Don't worry, it's just a matter of time," Vicky consoled Henry in a very simple manner.When Vicky saw Henry's distress, he knew he had to act quickly to help him regain his focus. He sympathetically thought for a moment and then shared a genuine and heartfelt reason to put him at ease:"Henry, I know you're hurting right now, but remember why you started flying in the first place? It was your passion, your dream! Don't let a setback with Rebecca dim the fire that drives you. You have so much potential, and I believe in you. Your dreams are worth fighting for, and I'll be here to support you every step of the way."Vicky's geniune words were sincere and empathetic, aiming to remind Henry of his core motivations and encourage. Vicky cleverly used Henry's own study habits to offer him a valuable life lesson. He reminded him of his approach to focusing on one chapter at a time in his studies and applied it to his current situation:"Henry, remember how you focus on one chapter at a tim
Last Updated : 2024-08-23Striding Spirits 40| Navigating Love and Skies
"Tell me everything," Vicky urged, their eyes locking in a warm and loving, encouraging gaze. Henry took a deep breath, and his words tumbled out in a rush, like a dam breaking free that he had never experienced before. He shared the thrill of the initial spark, the giddy highs of blossoming love, and the crushing lows of uncertainty. Vicky listened intently, their expression a empathetic mirror, reflecting Henry's emotions with understanding and compassion. Henry's voice cracked as he revealed his truth: "My passion my sentiments, once fiercely devoted to Rebecca, are finally healing, but I fear Delia won't comprehend this transformation. His heart felt heavy, weighed down by the vulnerability of his admission. "I can't bear the thought of losing Delia now," he continued, his words laced with desperation. "She resides in the deepest recesses of my heart, a place I've yet to reveal to her, a place I've kept hidden, even from myself." Delia's aunt, a force to be reckoned with,
Last Updated : 2024-08-23Striding Spirits 41|Positivity Leads the Valiant To Survive
"Or would my ove become a liability in my pursuit of success?" Henry was lost in his thoughts but Vicky was there to bring out some solutions. Henry was unable to decide his destiny and he knocked at Vicky at the hour of choices. He opened his heart and Vicky guided him to accept Rebecca's offer without any delay. She would be fairly happy in the companionship of Vicky, and Vicky would not disappoint her. Though Henry was reluctant to this match, his old love sprung out and talked to Rebecca. Rebecca accepted her blunder and suffered. Now they made a commitment to face all weathers. Vicky's gentle voice broke through Henry's reverie. "Hey, what's going on? You've been staring into space for minutes." Henry sighed, rubbing his temples. "Just thinking about Rebecca's return. I don't know if I can trust her again.." "How can I cope the situation,?" Vicky nodded empathetically. "You're worried about getting hurt, but also about how it might affect your career?" Henry nodded, feel
Last Updated : 2024-08-23
Latest chapter
Striding Spirits 59| Vicky's advice saved Serena
Logan Murphy called Serena. Serena always started her day with his hello, but today she didn't pick up his call. Serena's thoughts drifted to Johnson again, the man she never expected in her life, but loved him so much.Logan was planning to marry in just a few weeks. He was a perfect match for Serena and she also loved his style and way of thinking. He was a bit more mature and older than Johnson. He loved her and was ready to get everything she wanted to settle their lives.Now, Johnson's sudden reappearance had disrupted their plans, sending numerous reservations into their minds. He disturbed their tranquil lives. Logan was repine about his recent missing chance of winning. Serena phoned Vicky and requested him to see her at the cafe. Vicky was sitting in the staff room of his campus during a break, going through the paper. He was interested in applying somewhere. He came across a passage that he decided to translate into simpler English for his next class. It was related to stu
Striding Spirits 58| Serena's Lost Love
Serana's phone buzzed and she received an unknown call. She didn't attend and scrolled off. Again, she received the call from the same unknown number and she handed over the cell phone to Vicky to attend it. Both Serena and Vicky were relishing the hot coffee under the shade of an open-air cafe. "Who's there?" Vicky asked in a low and quizzical manner. "Me Johnson's here." the voice replied. "Johnson?" Serena spoke wide-eyed. "Hi, What's up? " Serena took the mobile and replied to Johnson. "I'm here in your city, and want to see you," Johnson said. Johnson was the boy whom Serena loved so much and her entire life revolved around him. They wanted to get married and planned together. But his parents wanted to marry Johnson to Harper. So the match was rejected by Johnson's parents and Serena was disheartened. Later, she started her new job and shifted to the city where he met with Vicky. Here Serena met Logan Murphy and they were planning to get married soon. He was working in an i
Striding Spirits 57| When Hopes Remains Intact
Joe was already sitting in the Vice Principal's office, waiting for Vicky and seek some help. He was accompanied by his eighteen-year-old elder daughter. She was studying for a BS program.She needed some money for some dues to pay. Vicky did not know about the situation. When Vicky arrived, she sat down beside them on the office sofa. Vicky glanced around the room, expecting the person who wanted to see him to arrive. But Joe was already seated, waiting for him. At first Vicky did not know about the purpose of his visit, and after some pleminary compliments both talked about some other matters.There was pause and after a few minutes of silence, Joe broke the ice and Vicky was surprised to hear his narration. "Sir, do you remember our previous meeting?" Joe asked Vicky.Vicky's expression turned quizzical, unsure of the meeting's purpose still. But as Joe's words sparked his memory, a smile spread across Vicky's face. Vicky was sure that now it would be a matter of some 'money'."A
Striding Spirits 56| Vicky's made Jake laugh
Jake opened his bag and pulled out a bottle of perfume he had recently bought with his pocket money. Meanwhile, Vicky due to his meeting with Serena last, was running late, struggling to wrap up his last evening lecture. He was still thinking about the loss that he had made in contact with fraudulant Stephen Moor.The students were waiting for Vicky, Jake entertained his classmates with cups of coffee and proudly displayed his new perfume, jokingly spraying it around and teasing himself. His classmates were hurling and kidding him. Emma and Harper surrounded him, laughing and boasting to him.As Jake entered the classroom, he did not realize he had left his perfume bottle in the corridor. Emma pointed to him, "Oh no!" He muttered to himself, frustrated at his carelessness. Vicky was in the classroom, holding some worksheets, passing instructions. "Today, we're going to do an activity related to our previous lecture. Come on, hurry up!" Jake considered going back for his perfume, bu
Striding Spirits 55| Serena's instinct saved Vicky's debacle
Vicky's phone buzzed and he ignored the call because it was from an unknow contact. He just viewed and and dropped his cell phone in his pocketbook and moved on. Again it buzzed and Vicky scrolled and didn't speak any words.The voice informed him, "I'm from the 'writers community' functional by the Medium, and want to talk to you." Vicky asked, "Who's there and why you're calling me again and again?" "I'm an established writer and want to help you to grow as an established writer, too." she explianed with conviction.Vicky asked,"How?" After some conversation, the person requsted to shift to the Telegram for further negotiation. He also shared the Id of Stephen Moor on the W******p and Vicky switched to Telegram.After some exchange the Stephen Moor started his work to trap Vicky. He aptly offered Vickey to get registered in the community writers that belonged to the Medium, assuring him to earn $100 weekly.The offere seemed to be very attractive as writing was Vicky's passion and h
Striding Spirits 54| A Seren Enviornment
"Don't speak negatively about yourself." These words always haunted Vicky, and he always tried to find some reasons to justify his quitting the institute. During his one-month notice, he appeared in an interview and got the opportunity to teach. He read these valuable words spoken by Bruce Lee on social media, He started pondering over the statement about how one could speak negatively about oneself. "A man has a physical body that needs energy to keep fit, and his brain needs thoughts to keep it sharp. Vicky thought, "Just as our bodies require nourishment to function optimally, our minds crave mental stimulation to stay active and healthy." He had very good company with his colleagues and chatted well on all issues, yet he still felt himself a lone wolf. He talked to his colleague Jennifer, "But what fuels our minds? Simply thinking is not enough." Jennifer said, "Thinking is a continuous process, but how do we train our brains to think constructively and positively, to cultiva
Striding Spirits 53| An Innocent Culprit
Vicky stood calmed outside Oakwood Vocational Institute's grand entrance, his pulse quickening with expectancy and reservation. Having made the bold decision to leave Newokland Institute behind, he was ready to embrace new challenges and opportunities for personal growth.As he stepped onto the campus, a surge of excitement coursed through him. Renowned for its pioneering approach to education and skill development, Oakwood Vocational Institute promised an unparalleled experience.Principal Thompson's warm smile welcomed Vicky, "We're thrilled to have you on board!" The cutting-edge facilities and vibrant student life left Vicky awestruck. His new colleagues greeted him with interest and warmth. Mrs. Jeans was very happy and over-excited.During his inaugural week, Vicky studied headfirst into the institute's distinctive culture, impressed by its emphasis on:1. Interdisciplinary learning2. Project-based skill acquisition3. Community servicesPrincipal Thompson summoned Vicky to his
Striding Spirits 52| Betrayal of Trust and Demand of Justice
Vicky finished his lecture and browsed W******p, where a post from the head office caught his attention. The message announced a new policy, which he quickly shared in his group chat. Leaving the institution, he headed home, unaware of the stir his share would cause.Later, while checking his phone, Vicky saw a news report shared by his worthy colleagues: a disturbing rape case in the city where the head office was located. Intrigued, he opened W******p to find his group chat flooded with passionate debates and shocking views on the policy post he had shared just hours ago.Vicky's eyes scanned the messages in his inbox, a growing sense of unease settling in. He quickly reopened the post shared by the head office and re-read it carefully. Alarm bells rang in his mind as he realized the discrepancy between the post's content and the video attached."Without hesitation, Vicky rushed to his W******p status, located the offending post, and deleted it. The video had conveyed a completely di
Striding Spirits 50 | Seeking a New Challenge
"You look so gorgeous, sweetheart!", Vicky commented as he looked at Ashely. She looked back at him because she was walking to the corridor to meet her client. She had been working for a pharmaceutical company for three months. She was trying to complete her last semester at secondary high school."Hi, Vicky, where have you been?" Ashely asked Vicky. "I have been to a walk-in interview. I have recently applied for the job," Vicky replied eagerly. "Oh, I see," she did not comment. She looked back at her reflection in the tinted window pane and studied her facial looks that would warrant such an amazing comment that Vicky had just passed on her. She was beautiful, true, but Vicky was not interested in her. It was Ashely only who was making attempts to impress him with her cajolery before meeting with Jermy. Her manager, seeing the hesitation on her face, tried to know about her today's visits. He tried to coax her and made her speak. Ashely replied cautiously, "Only one client today,
