THE GIFT

After the loss of her husband at honor killing, Sundari ran away with a child in her.

When Kayal came out of the belly, Sundari had a different identity in a new place, where they cant find her.

Every day she had the same dream, of her family following her here,  killing her and the child who came from him.

Even in the new place, she still has that fear of other people finding her. So she used to underplay or feel insecure about all the people.

At work in the tea factory, she would never be involved in any sort of conversation with people or participate in any of the public gatherings.

She followed a time sheet. Get up, eat, drop her daughter at school in the cycle, work, have tea, work, eat lunch, work, drink tea, pick up her daughter at school, come back, eat dinner. sleep. then get up the next morning.

She also tells her daughter, not to talk to strangers, to wait for mom after school, to call mom when there is an emergency and can speak about anything to mom.

One Friday, it starts to rain in the afternoon. The news broadcast says, there is a storm coming.

In the evening, when everyone was drinking tea, the wind started to blow heavy, trees fell, and things flew here and there.

When standing outside we couldn't see the next person standing. So everyone plans to stay at the office until the storm calms down. But Sumathi needs to pick her daughter up.

Her co-workers tell her to stay calm and call the school and inform her of the situation. She tries to call the school but there is no signal on the phone.

She panicked thinking of her daughter waiting for her. She walks out, takes her cycle, and pedals it in the heavy storm.

She loses balance at times. But her daughter's thought makes her move forward.

She reaches the school but finds the gate has been closed. She looks everywhere, calling her daughter's name. Watchmen comes and tells her that the school has announced the leave by afternoon. He also says that their relatives took Kayal in their car to their home.

She in panic, starts to pedal fast towards their house. On her way, the only thought was the final moments of her husband burning. She cries thinking her dreams are coming true. She pedals faster than the storm, reaches the house, drops the cycle, falls down in mud, rolls down, and runs crying calling her daughter's name.

Seeing the door locked. She runs outside, cries to her throat calling her daughter's name. She sits on the watery, muddy land, and starts crying. A car comes and parks in front of their house. The door opens Kayal walks out, runs to her mom, and hugs her.

Sundari recognizes her daughter's touch, hugs her, kisses her, and holds her tight when she looks at the car. The car stays there with the headlight on and wipers hitting.

Door opens. A man walks outside. She recognizes him. She stands up. Walks towards him.

She looks at her. He looks at her. He looks at her eyes and tells, her that he is looking for her

everywhere. He hands over a box.

 She hesitates.

 She looks at the box and remembers it.

 It was the mystery box that haunted her childhood.

 She would get these gift boxes with no name.

She would think that "ponnuthai" their family god would send her these for good behavior.

 In her teens, she finds that it was some boy. In her late teens. She falls for a person she thinks is the sender of the mystery box.

Even while she was running from her village, her bag had the same box which had money and a jewel in it.

 She looks at him in tears which rain takes it away.

 She bends down and opens it.