Shanth Sam D'Cruz

Images Shanth Sam D'Cruz

A boy, weighed down by his past, torn between love and righteousness, seeks redemption, from his past, from events that spiralled out of his control. 'Images' tells the story of 'Jonah Daniel', through his own eyes. Though he is a normal teenager, he is one with a 'not so normal' past. The novel begins with a cherished memory of Jonah, a football match he played at school, which turns out to be the last memory he ever had with his Mom, Helen. The loner that he already was, the loss of his Mom, pushes Jonah further into deep corners of introversion. Feeling that, a change in surroundings would help him, he joins another school, and this is where the next part of the tale begins. He meets some very special characters. Badrinath, the intimidating but sympathetic badass, who becomes Jonah's friend. Vaiga Ranganathan, the girl about whom Jonah once wonders, the number of traits she has in common with Helen. Kritika, the senior girl, who always turns Jonah on. Jannat, a 3-year-old beauty, whom Jonah later calls, 'the light of my life'. Though Jonah never realises it, whatever had happened in his past, has always been a part of him. The way he thinks, the manner he feels, the demeanour with which he treats people, the kind of folks he is attracted to. The past has been leading and guiding Jonah for a long time, even without him knowing about it. The eventuality of an incident which Jonah could not prevent, finally brings his past onstage, which had been controlling him from behind the curtains for ever. How he deals with his past? The answer to this question, forms the crux of the story.