Uma Fenton – Co-author, Out of My Box

By WriteFluence on July 3, 2021

Uma Fenton grew up in Durgapur, a well-planned city in West Bengal. It is from this place that her interest in art and literature began and developed. She has always been able to express herself better through writing. She is a graduate in engineering and has a Master’s degree in Theological studies. Uma has a formal training in martial arts and believes in fitness.

She’s also the founder of Hearts and Hands Foundation: A Social Welfare Trust working towards the welfare of the underprivileged. She currently resides in the city of Hyderabad, with her husband and two children and works as a freelance writer. Apart from writing, she enjoys reading and watching football.

Here’s an excerpt from her winning story ‘Eighty Eight’ now published in Out of My Box

I always sat on a heavy, antique wooden bookshelf, wanting to be written on. I’ve had different pens accompanying me too, but no, she didn’t start writing with me. A frizzy haired girl had received me, a diary, as a gift on her birthday. I call her Friz. She hardly used me when she was young. She was often quiet and alone in her small room. I’d watch her all day.

She was ten years old when one day she came in sobbing. A man entered the room and comforted her, “Stop crying, dear.”

“I want mother,” she cried bitterly in his arms. “Why did she have to die, daddy?”

Both hugged each other and cried for a long time. Her siblings had also come and cried along with her.

What a tragedy. Perhaps she will write how she felt about her mother. I remained untouched for a while.

Friz would often sit and read. She read until late evening. Years went by.

One day she came into the room shouting at the top of her voice, “Why not!”

“You know why. Because we’re women.” said her sister.

“Women?! So what does gender have to do with us wanting to study in the university?”

“The law doesn’t allow it. We would be criminals, technically speaking, if we were to request to study there.”

“Ridiculous.”