Author: Mallika Badwal
-
The Earth unbound
The wild returns where once their cries were banished, And ivy climbs where steel once claimed the day. The Earth their throne, by ancient right replenished, While rivers carve the paths, we tried…
-
The Oddity
Oddly victorious Julia stood at the front, clipboard in hand, while the team gathered around trying to pull their outfits together. Theo’s tie was already loosened and Jamie wore a leather jacket over a button-up.…
-
Sex on trial
Countless victims. Unthinkable crimes. And society is still grappling with how one man eluded justice. You probably heard the name Jeffrey Epstein, but do you really know who he was? A financier, a socialite and a man at the centre of…
-
The 11:43 stop
They were strangers, perhaps it should’ve stayed that way. The 11:43 stop became his refuge from insomnia and hers from something she wouldn’t say. The last train was always empty except for…
-
The Oddity
The shadowing “She’s leaving. She’s definitely leaving.” Daniel stood in the doorway of The Oddity newsroom, arms crossed watching Julia aggressively jab at the printer. “She’s not leaving,” Lena whispered, nervously biting her nails. “Look…
-
The Oddity: For the Love of Candygrams
Julia stood at the front of the room, clipboard in hand. “Alright, team, this year The Oddity is running a Valentine’s candygram fundraiser. I need y’all to help with deliveries and orders. Any volunteers?” …
-
The Cupid chronicles return
Dear diary, It’s me, Cupid, unfortunately. Listen, I already hate my job, but today is the day I want to hang up the bow and arrow for good. But the bills need to…
-
You again?
I’ve been in human resources for almost eight years at the company, and I’ve handled everything from embezzlement, workplace affairs and wrongful terminations. But nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared…
-
Most hated race
Society continues to uphold and normalize imperialistic ideologies in the 21st century Every day, anti-Indian racism in Ontario seems more normalized and virulent. According to Statistics Canada, in 2023, South Asians were…
-
The Oddity
Order in The Oddity Theo – Layouts Julia sat across from Theo with a clipboard. It was time for performance reviews. “So, Theo, let’s talk about the March issue layout.” “Ah, yes,…
-
Back to you
I had come home for Thanksgiving, and my mom told me to finally had to clean out my old junk from high school. While digging through an old drawer I found a binder…
-
The Oddity
A very oddity Christmas! It was only a few weeks away from Christmas, and the newsroom smelled faintly of cinnamon and a mix of printer ink. Christmas was coming, but so was…
-
Don’t cry for me, I’ll be waiting by the fire
I think I’m getting tired, not the kind of tired after eating a big meal, but the kind that makes my legs ache for days and my breath take longer. I used to run…
-
The Oddity
Riddle me this Daniel flipped through the latest issue of The Oddity when a small box in the corner of the page caught his eye. “Wait … we have a Riddle of the Week?” …
-
Mercy’s thirst
It is always watching They say you spend one-third of your life sleeping, but no one really knows what happens in those dark hours of the night when your mind and body…
-
The Oddity
The boy who cried edits The office was decked out in its full Halloween glory, down to the orange and purple string lights around the walls, the fake cobwebs and even…
-
The Oddity
Fight for the Feature PHOTO CAPTION: TOP ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT): OLLIE, DANIEL, LENA BOTTOM ROW (LEFT TO RIGH)T: JAMIE, JULIA, THEO Mallika Badwal – What’s better than a beautiful Tuesday morning…
-
The Day the Stars Forgot
Mallika Badwal – In the vast sky above, not a single star held its home, leaving behind nothing but darkness; had nowhere to go. Inside, Tom sat next to Clara’s bed, singing…
