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Ankita Srivastava

The Lion And The Lamb


She, I thought was a big lion

When I was told to escort her as a lamb

Her fun trip up the curves of the eastern sector was planned carefully

I sat quiet all through watching her from the corners of my eyes occasionally

She binged on the sandwiches that were kept as per her taste buds

Not offering me even once coz she assumed I didn’t have any taste buds !


She at 40 ,flirted with the Mirik lake waters dipping her feet ,

And she walked in a dancing tune amidst the pine trees


I at 25 stared at all the things

The tourists, The trees

The lake that was man made

And one BSF DIG’s cavalcade


She declared the dull water tired her feet

So we started to recede


But some hunters got the news of a lion in an office car

Boulders were lined up in the katcha road as well as on road of coal tar


She wailed and threw her lion’s skin aside turning into a lamb

I picked up her skin as I kicked out of me my own little lamb


I was out of the car

Frog leaping towards the BSF DIG’s car

My military I card shown

My courage unknown

“Allow my car to precede your weapon laden escort vehicle” I said

“at your own risk and peril as applicable “ he simply said .


Frog leaping back , I ordered the driver to act smart

DIG’s car and our car should look like a part

She howled that today she will be kidnapped for sure

I told her to keep quiet as I will save her for sure

She shouted - are you a power puff girl ?

I retorted - I am an Army officer not a girl !


The DIG’s vehicle came closer

and I directed the driver to manoeuvre

We were soon moving at highest speed possible

Each Gorkhali kept standing with his sharp weapon

While our car crossed the hells and reached the safe haven .




Bio -


Ankita Srivastava is Allahabad’s first girl joined Army in 1994 and was the first lady officer to be posted in Counter Insurgency area in 1996. She lent ordnance support in Kargil War and Op Parakarm and finally hung her boots after 14 years, She went on to walk beauty pageant ramps. She won Tanishq Big Memsaab 2008 and in Gladrags Mrs India 2009 won the “Most Vivacious” sub award. 


She has contributed in 18 anthologies, authored four e fictions on amazon kindle .

Her paperbacks are Pink Scarecrow and Ahsas . Upcoming books are Olive Green to Beauty Queen and No Woman’s Land



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