When she thought of this, she lost all her energy. Why does she struggle so hard? The future won’t change no matter what she does. She was tied to him. For a time, Alicia stared forward absent-mindedly ‘till a sudden flick of wings buzzed in her ear.

Chirp, chirp!

A shrill cry of the bird rang out. The bird, who earlier fought with the snake, circled around her. It sought Alicia’s help after seeing her familiar figure.

Rihanann turned around and looked at the bird’s nest. Only two baby birds were left, the rest swallowed by the snake.

Chirp, chirp!

The bird chirped again, hurriedly and anxiously. Understanding its intent,...