At the old ruined temple, the three friends sat with eyes closed.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0qR89BFcI
Arjuna’s face was filled with absolute peace. His breathing was slow, deep. A multi-colored aura danced softly around him.
He felt it—he was in the world of plants. The vibration of every leaf, the touch of every root, the fragrance of every flower—everything resonated within him.
He was one with the plants. Their breath was his breath. Their life was his life.
Bliss. Peace. Completeness.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKFmG0ETNr
Vikram’s face was different. There was tension on his forehead. Even though his eyes were closed, his pupils moved rapidly.
He saw...
A dense forest. Ancient, sacred. Centuries-old trees touching the sky. Green, lush, alive.
Then... sound. A terrible, mechanical noise.
Huge machines. Bulldozers. Cranes. They were tearing into the forest.
Trees were falling. Centuries of life, destroyed in a moment. The forest was vanishing. Destruction. Destruction. Destruction.
Vikram’s body began to tremble. Agony was etched on his face.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRJPr8BDXX
Kiran was experiencing something else entirely.
Heat in his chest. Fire in his head. Even in the cool morning air, he felt feverish.
Sweat trickled down his forehead like beads. He touched his chest. Hot. Burning.
What is happening? What is this?
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigmrtVXssh
Arjuna opened his eyes first. The lingering effect of peace was still on his face. "That... that was amazing."
Vikram opened his eyes, but his face was worried. "I saw forests being destroyed. Trees falling..."
Kiran opened his eyes and immediately wiped his forehead. "I felt so hot. Like a fever, but different."
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgt3wwW8P9
They stood up and walked towards their homes, dismissing the profound experience as something ordinary. They didn't realize—they had successfully established 'Vanaspati Samvad' (Plant Communication). Their powers had awakened.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBMuKNp03L
---
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDTViRBdOy
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNqIdAwSOH
The school ground was bustling with noise. The Annual Day was next week—everyone was busy with preparations.
The three friends—Arjun, Kiran, Vikram—stood in a corner, watching.
They walked towards the open-air theatre behind the school. A natural stage—shaded by trees, open to the sky.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVeANMbASQ
But there was a problem.
Mallappa Sir and a few other teachers were discussing something under a large tree.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwdIbJdD9S
"Look at that branch," Mallappa Sir pointed up. "It completely obstructs the stage view. The parents sitting here won't see anything."
"So, that branch must be cut," Mallappa Sir decided.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1TlUdhe2h
The three boys looked at the tree. It was a massive, ancient Mango tree. Centuries old. Its branches spread wide, offering cool shade.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2yE25sUuT
A while later, a man arrived. Muniyappa, the village woodcutter. He carried a chainsaw, ropes, and a ladder.
"Where to cut, Master-ji?"
"That big branch," Sir pointed. "Cut it completely."
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1I7MTdoUb
Muniyappa placed his ladder against the trunk and checked his chainsaw.
"That's a huge branch," Kiran muttered.
"Yeah," Vikram felt uneasy. "Cutting that much doesn't feel right."
Arjuna watched the tree silently. He felt something. A pull towards the tree. But he didn't understand why.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxbmSriUy8
Muniyappa started his chainsaw. The mechanical roar filled the school ground.
He began to climb the ladder.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3pi9W2MQw
Arjuna’s heart started pounding. Something was wrong. Something terrible was about to happen.
But what?
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0lsQ6uilD
Muniyappa reached the branch. He touched the chainsaw to the bark, marking the cut.
"Careful!" Mallappa Sir shouted. "Stand back, children!"
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgNs4LXNnF
Muniyappa pressed the sharp teeth of the chainsaw against the wood.
All three boys felt it at the same time.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHlFYFUB7x
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVonJTpvd7t
Not a scream of words. Not a scream of sound. But a scream nonetheless.
A scream of agony. Of pain. Of fear.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9aaZYLB1g
Arjuna clutched his head. "Can you hear that?"
Vikram flinched, his face turning pale. "It... It's screaming!"
Kiran panicked, his eyes widening. "The tree is in pain!"
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJhBr5B81h
The tree’s agony echoed in their minds. Every touch of the chainsaw felt like a wound on their own bodies.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCgGrxX6ft
"Stop! Stop!" Arjuna screamed, running towards Muniyappa.
"Please stop!" Vikram joined in, raising his hands.
"You are hurting the tree!" Kiran yelled.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGn02r5h8R
Muniyappa stopped the saw and looked down. "What happened, kids?"
"You are hurting it!" Arjuna said desperately.
Muniyappa looked confused. "It's just a tree, son. It doesn't feel pain."
"No! It does!" Vikram said. "We can hear it!"
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Nk172EsZn
Mallappa Sir intervened. "Go to your classes. This is work for adults."
The scream in their minds wasn't fading. Instead, it was intensifying.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6GU3jL7fV
---
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbhygvCP2l
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWpfgooSMO
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprmjF3zuGR
Vikram pulled the other two aside.
"Mallappa Sir won't believe us," he said quickly. "But the Biology Sir might listen. I'll run and get him."
Vikram sprinted towards the school building.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQgmamk5HS
Arjuna and Kiran turned back to the tree. Muniyappa was preparing to climb again.
The tree's agony intensified. It knew—its death was near.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfU7aoAoi4
Arjuna suddenly remembered. The Appiko Movement. He had read about it in school—in Karnataka, people hugged trees to save them. Like the Chipko movement.
"The adults won't listen," he said softly. "So I will stop them myself."
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gLQJyJUor
Arjuna ran. Straight towards the tree trunk. Directly under that massive branch.
"Arjun! What are you doing?" Kiran shouted.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFA0EoIyVD
Arjuna didn't stop. He reached the base of the tree and lay down on the ground. Exactly where the branch would fall.
He wrapped his arms around the tree trunk.
A Human Shield. A boy protecting a tree.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUSOklHc9Z
"Arjun, this is dangerous!" Kiran rushed to him.
"I won't move," Arjuna said firmly. "I won't let this tree die."
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJ8Qbjt3db
Kiran looked at his best friend. Torn between fear and loyalty. But he knew—he couldn't leave Arjuna alone.
He stood right next to the tree. He didn't leave.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4QLbltjdT
"He is serious!" Kiran shouted at Muniyappa. "Please stop!"
A crowd began to gather. Muniyappa climbed down. "What are you doing, boy? Get up! It's dangerous!"
"I won't let you kill this tree," Arjuna said, hugging the tree tighter.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyHjjXMfnE
Mallappa Sir arrived, angry. "Arjun! Get up right now! This is indiscipline!"
But Arjuna didn't move. The tree's agony echoed in his mind. Its fear, its pain. He felt it was his duty to protect it.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVe39lKIIYS
Muniyappa got frustrated. "I have to finish the work. Get up, or I'll start the machine!"
Arjuna didn't move. Determination on his face, but fear in his eyes.
Muniyappa raised his chainsaw in anger, thinking the noise would scare the boy away.
He started the chainsaw.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyK5VbyQHP
The mechanical roar filled the air.
Arjuna—clinging to the tree trunk. Right in the drop zone.
Kiran—screaming "Stop!", his voice lost in the noise.
Muniyappa’s hand—on the trigger.
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplgLCZRcQu
Time seemed to stand still
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Df0kQZmnt
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu66JBA8oEf
83Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSI248dBMkC
and then Add to home screen.