After a while, the smell of simple, home-cooked food drifted into her room. Her stomach growled in response. Moments later, her brother walked in with a tray of breakfast—nothing extravagant, just warm, comforting food.
For the first time in a long while, it tasted like a small blessing.
As she ate, her thoughts wandered to her family. Her father and brother had been struggling with their vegetarian hotel business, and the financial losses kept piling up. The pressure of their loans weighed heavily on them, and though a new business loan was expected soon, nothing was certain.
Bani knew she needed her brother's expertise to sell farm products from her magical space. But how could she ask for his help without revealing too much?
He meant well, but she wasn't sure he would understand—or approve—of her secret escape. For now, all she could do was rest and plan the next steps of her journey.
The empty plot stretched before her, dark, rich soil waiting to be filled with life.
This wasn't just land. It was a miracle. A fresh start.
"If this place can grow anything I want," she murmured, "then I have to begin somewhere."
Vegetables and rice—practical choices. She would need seeds.
Sitting cross-legged on her bed, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through online stores, comparing varieties, reading reviews, checking delivery times.
Click. Confirm.
Tomatoes, carrots, spinach, cauliflower, beans. Then, she added basmati rice and dal seeds to her cart.
"Arriving soon."
Bani exhaled, feeling a sense of surreal anticipation. A few days ago, she had nothing. Now, she had land, a plan, and, for the first time in a long while, hope.
The day passed in a blur of small chores and quiet conversations. As evening fell, a knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts.
She hurried to open it, finding a young delivery boy holding a brown package.
"For Bani?" he asked, confirming her name before handing it over.
She thanked him and quickly stepped inside. As she passed through the living room, her mother glanced up from the TV.
"What's that?" she asked casually, expecting an evening snack.
"Just something I ordered," Bani replied with a small smile, walking past before any further questions could follow.
Back in her room, she placed the package on her desk and took a steadying breath. Her fingers trembled slightly as she tore open the cardboard box, revealing neatly arranged seed packets.
Tomatoes. Carrots. Spinach. Cauliflower. Beans. Basmati rice. Dal.
Running her fingers over the crisp labels, she imagined lush green fields, golden grains swaying under the sun, baskets overflowing with fresh vegetables. The possibilities stretched before her like an unwritten story.
These weren't just seeds.
They were hope. A promise of self-reliance. A step closer to the life she envisioned.
She would plant them in the magical space.
Bani held the small pouch of seeds in her hands, her mind racing with questions.
How was she supposed to send them inside?
She had read countless fantasy novels where a simple touch and focused thought were enough to store objects in magical spaces.