Ink & Quill
Collective

QuillMark

Issue 2

In the lush valleys of Arunachal Pradesh, there once lived a young girl named Yami. She loved to adorn herself with bright beads and shining ornaments, treasures that made her feel as radiant as the morning sun. Her brother often longed for these adornments, but Yami never gave them to him, no matter how much he asked.

One day, the siblings went to the forest to forage for food. As they wandered along the riverbank, the brother noticed a long creeper dangling from a tall tree that leaned out over the rushing waters. With mischief in his heart, he suggested, “Sister, let me swing you on this vine. It will be fun.”

Trusting him, Yami climbed on, laughing as she swung back and forth. The air rushed past her, and her beads glimmered in the sunlight. But suddenly, her brother gave a powerful push. Yami’s hands slipped from the vine, and she fell into the river below.

The waters closed over her, carrying her deep into their hidden world. There, Yami was transformed into a fish—choosing never again to return to the land of humans.

Even today, the people of Arunachal Pradesh say Yami still lives in their rivers. Out of reverence, neither they nor their neighbors in Assam will eat this fish. For it was once a girl—our Yami—whose story the waters continue to remember.

To be part of a community of writers is to enter into a strange, luminous pact. Strangers meet across screens and pages, and slowly, almost imperceptibly, they begin to weave bonds—through verses exchanged, stories shared, ideas debated. With it comes not only companionship but also responsibility. We hold each other to our words, to our deadlines. We remind each other that writing is both play and discipline, a challenge best met together.

Within the pages of QuillMark Issue 2, you will find surreal and speculative pieces that stretch the boundaries of the imaginable, but also writing that returns you to the raw, unflinching realities of life. There are glimpses of futures that may already be pressing upon us, futures that demand we pause and listen. To write—whether as poet or storyteller—is to risk such truth-telling, to open a window into what might otherwise remain unseen.

We are delighted to present a new segment dedicated to translations which is our way of allowing more tongues and textures into our shared conversation of a multilingual world.

A word of gratitude goes to our editors, senior editors, publication manager, and the artists whose efforts shape this magazine. The cover piece, Yami, created by Ogin Nayam, is itself a story—one we are proud to carry forward.

May these pages remind us that we do not create alone. We create with and for each other.

Arijit Nandi | Editor In Chief

IQC's strength lies in its core - the daily sprints and weekly reviews - and that is what channels the zeal to pursue endeavours like QuillMark. As we worked on our second issue of QuillMark, we moved from strength to strength. This issue saw more engagement in terms of both participation and taking ownership of the project. Our accomplished team of volunteers, be it authors, poets, beta readers, or the editorial panel, have all given their best. The second issue features stories and poems across various genres. We ventured into the realm of translations for the first time, and it has contributed immensely to our learning process. With the consistent effort from our team and increasing engagement from the community, I can say that QuillMark is here to stay, and we will continue to learn and grow on this exciting journey together. As we offer the latest QuillMark issue, I wish you a happy reading experience!

Madhavi Girish Kunte | Publication Manager

THE ARTISTS