Bharat and the special feather

In a story by Rachna Chhabria , the mystical powers of an eagle feather make a young boy’s day magical

Bharat walked towards his school, with a heaviness in his steps. He had lost his biology notebook, in which he had completed his homework and assignment. His teacher Miss Ramika assuming that he was lying, would punish him. 

As he crossed the park near his house, he found an eagle feather on the ground. He picked up the glossy, brown feather.

“If only something magical happens today and the biology class is cancelled,” Bharat muttered. He knew that it was wishful thinking, Miss Ramika was never absent from school.

 Shaking the feather, he tucked it inside his school bag, to add it to his collection of bird feathers.

All through the morning assembly, he was anxious and distracted. Therefore, he didn’t hear  the principal announcing, that today all the post lunch classes would be cancelled, as the staff had a meeting with the school directors. Bharat didn’t realise that today was his lucky day, as the biology class was scheduled after the lunch break. As he turned around to walk towards his classroom, he overheard his classmates talking.

“I hadn’t completed my assignments, so this news of no afternoon classes is a huge relief,” Shivansh grinned.

Bharat’s eyes widened. So, his wishful thinking had borne fruit. His thoughts were on the eagle feather he had found. Was it a magical one that had brought him luck? Well, he would test it. 

He walked towards one of the pillars outside the auditorium and ducked behind it. Opening his school bag, he pulled the feather out. 

“Let me get a treat today,” he said holding the feather in his hand. Tucking the feather safely inside his bag, he zipped it.  

As he emerged from behind the pillar, he bumped into his best friend Raunak. 

“I was searching for you,” Raunak said. “I’m treating you to lunch in the canteen today, as my dadi gave me some money.”

Bharat’s eyes widened in surprise. Could this be a coincidence? Whatever it was he was in for a yummy treat. He spent the entire morning dreaming of pizzas, French fires, momos, egg puffs and banana muffins.

Lunch break couldn’t come sooner. The moment the lunch bell rang, Raunak dragged him out of the classroom. They gorged on all the yummy food he had been dreaming of since morning. Raunak even got him a choco chip ice-cream.

“You are the best Raun,” Bharat said, licking his ice-cream cone. “I promise you that I’ll also give you a treat whenever my grandparents give me some money.”

“You better,” Raunak joked.

“It’s too sunny to play outdoors in the free periods, let’s play carrom in the carrom room,” Raunak suggested.

“Great idea, after eating so much, I won’t be able to walk, forget about running around,” Bharat said. 

While Raunak was talking to a classmate, Bharat removed the feather and held it under the table, making a wish that the carrom room should be empty, so that they could play undisturbed. 

They walked towards the carrom room and much to their surprise found it empty. Exchanging delighted looks, they grabbed their spots and enjoyed themselves for an hour. 

Raunak won one game and Bharat one. 

While Raunak went to the restroom, Bharat once again lifted the feather and said, “I want some chocolates and I want a lift home today.”

After Raunak returned, they continued the game. 

“How are you going home today?” Raunak asked.

“As usual I’ll be walking home,” Bharat groaned.

“My dad is coming to pick me up today, I’ll request papa to drop you, as we will be passing your house on our way home.”

“Thanks bro, that will be super,” Bharat said. 

A few girls entered the carrom room. “Will you boys allow us to play for some time?” a girl asked.

“We are done,” Bharat said, standing up. 

“That’s so sweet of you,” one of the girls smiled. “Here are some chocolates for you both.” She removed a handful of chocolates from her school bag. “These are all the chocolates left over, after I distributed them to my classmates today as a belated birthday treat. I don’t want to take them back home.”

Thanking the girls, the boys walked towards the school gate, gorging on the chocolates, 

Raunak’s dad was waiting outside the gate for them. He agreed to drop Bharat home.

As the car stopped outside his gate, Bharat stepped out of the car, thanking Raunak and his father. 

He stood at the gate, waving to them. The moment the car whizzed past, he removed the feather from his bag and kissed it. “You are my lucky feather.”

A strong gust of wind, swept the feather from his hand. As Bharat chased the feather, he groaned. The feather had served its purpose. It was now lying in the gutter, soaked in a pool of dirty water.