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A New Leaf

Kumar stretched his back, savoring the first breath of freedom in six long months. The sun felt warm on his face, a welcome change from the dim light that filtered through his cell window. He was finally out of jail, ready to turn over a new leaf. “Six months for a petty crime,” he muttered, shaking his head. “All for a purse with just five hundred rupees.” The memory stunga single moment of desperation had cost him half a year of his life. Inside the prison walls, Kumar had found solace in unexpected places. He had spent his days practicing yoga, reading from holy scriptures, and visiting the small temple tucked away in a corner of the jail. Those months had reshaped him; or so he believed. He had emerged with a promise to himself: he would be a better man. The jailer handed him his release papers, giving Kumar… A New Leaf

Survival

Survival was brutal, and living on scraps was worse. A slice of stale bread landed near him, tossed carelessly by a passing stranger. Humans were strange like thatwhat was trash to one was a lifeline to another. He sniffed it, cautious but grateful, before taking a tentative bite. Slowly, he crept toward the edge of the road. The midday traffic was a frenzied blur of cars, bikes, and honking horns, each vehicle a potential threat. One wrong move, and he’d be another forgotten smear on the asphalt. He spotted a brief lull in the chaos and bolted across the street, his paws pounding the pavement. But just as he reached the other side, he frozechildren were heading his way. He knew their type. Some were kind, but others found cruel games in chasing or kicking strays like him. His heart pounded as he darted behind a rusted dumpster, pressing himself… Survival

A New Beginning

He stared at the floor indicator, watching the numbers blink down one agonizing level at a time. He was desperate to escape, to start anew, but the elevator’s slow descent only fueled his frustration. “Damn it!” he muttered under his breath. Eight floors felt like an eternity. Not that there was anyone or anything waiting for him at the bottomjust the weight of a pink slip and a folder carrying his latest resume, a reminder of his uncertain future. Finally, the doors slid open, releasing a waft of perfume that carried him back to the jasmine bushes of his childhood. He looked up and noticed hera stranger with eyes the shade of warm honey, newly familiar and yet striking in this sterile building. She had recently moved in. He mustered a weak smile, expecting nothing. To his surprise, she smiled back, a quiet gesture that warmed the stale air between… A New Beginning