The English period began. As they entered the classroom, Indu warned Rani, "Rani, I strongly advise you not to play any tricks on me, or you will regret it."
Once inside, everyone greeted Mrs. Parvesh, the English teacher. She commenced the lesson by explaining the new chapter, "Pigeons at Daybreak."
This chapter is taken from a collection of stories titled "Games at Twilight and Other Stories" (1978). The story depicts the unhurried life of an elderly couple residing in Darya Ganj, Delhi. The old man, plagued by his illness, is easily irritated, but his wife shows patience and understanding towards his idiosyncrasies. Basu, the protagonist, suffers from asthma. One night, a power outage leaves him unable to sleep without the cooling breeze of the electric fan. Consequently, they move their beds to the rooftop. However, Basu struggles to find sleep throughout the night and eventually passes away as the weather turns cooler in the morning.
It was a poignant story. From Indu's perspective, she appreciated the portrayal of the deep affection between the couple.
The school day came to an end, and students prepared to go home. Before leaving, Indu went to the washroom. Unbeknownst to her, Rani followed and waited with a bucket of water. As Indu emerged, Rani poured the water on her, gleefully laughing at her misfortune. Indu's fury was ignited. For those unfamiliar, people from Haryana are known for their unfiltered behavior, disregarding consequences. Indu grabbed Rani by her hair and pulled her head backward, sternly reminding her, "Who do you think you are? Didn't I warn you not to do anything?" Indu continued to strike Rani's face until she lost consciousness. Upon returning home, Indu contemplated whether Rani would report her actions.
Fortunately, there were no witnesses or cameras present. Indu decided to let the matter go and proceeded to the store room to retrieve a blanket, as the weather had become slightly colder than the previous day. While taking the blanket down from the shelf, an old wooden box fell to the ground. It had been given to her by her mother, who instructed her to open it on her 18th birthday. However, the previous inhabitant of Indu's body had been under significant stress and had forgotten about it. Curiosity overcame her, and as Indu opened the box, a sudden ray of light pierced her heart, causing her to lose consciousness.
Upon regaining consciousness, Indu found her mind inundated with memories of harnessing extraordinary powers through blue veins. From birth, she possessed formidable supernatural abilities, though her frail and delicate body struggled to withstand such power. Indu's mother had sealed away her abilities, entrusting her with a box and instructing her to open it only upon reaching adulthood.
Inside the box remained a letter, a silver ring adorned with a circular blue ruby, and a key to an unknown door. Indu unfolded the letter and began to read its contents.
Beloved Daughter,
If you are reading this letter, then I am no longer by your side, and you have discovered the gifts I left for you....