Prakash wiped the sweat from his forehead. The auto-rickshaw was stifling, but he couldn’t afford to rest. His son was burning with fever, and Prakash needed to make enough money to see a doctor. “Sion station,” said the passenger as he climbed into the seat. Half an hour later, Prakash pulled up at the station. “Fifty rupees,” he said. The man handed over the money and hurried away, lost in the crowd. As Prakash reached for his water bottle, his eyes caught sight of a wallet on the back seat. It was thick, heavy with currency notes. His heart raced. He jumped out, scanning the bustling station for the man, but he was nowhere to be found. Prakash’s gaze returned to the wad of cash. He thought of his son, pale and weak at home. After a long pause, he made a decision and sped home. “Token fifteen,” called the… Money to see a doctor

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