I don’t really know what I’d do if today were my last day.
But I’m sure of one thing—I definitely wouldn’t spend it half-asleep during the school’s morning assembly.
Maybe I’d travel somewhere, do something exciting, or just hang out with my family and friends.

But honestly, does anyone really know what they’d do if they found out they had just one day left?

Some people might say they’d spend the day in prayer, chanting the name of God, seeking nirvana or Buddhahood. Maybe that makes sense—for those who’ve lived life to the fullest.
But I know peace like that doesn’t come overnight.

I don’t know why that thought struck me today, right in the middle of assembly. Or maybe I do. I was dreaming—again. Drooling, half-asleep, probably even snoring.

I snapped out of it when Ms. Ritika, our science teacher, walked up to me and said, loud enough for the entire school to hear,
“As usual, Priyanka, drooling during morning assembly. Try sleeping properly at night. Your marks are drooling too, just like you.”

Laughter erupted all around me.

Except for two people—my best friends. They just stared at me like they’d seen this way too many times before.

Let me introduce them.

Kai – Jet black hair, piercing black eyes. The Quiet Rebel. Stoic and mysterious. He barely speaks in class, but he’s fiercely loyal and always has our backs.

Riku – Snow-white hair, electric blue eyes. The Charismatic Athlete. Confident, charming, and loved by everyone. He makes everything look effortless.

Even though the three of us have been inseparable since childhood, there’s always been a low-key rivalry between Kai and Riku. But of course, I’m the one who always comes out on top. Not in academics, mind you—we all suck at that—but in games, sports, and general awesomeness, we shine.

Oh! I almost forgot—me.

I’m Priyanka, but everyone calls me Priya or Piyu. My name means sweet, lovable, someone whose presence lights up a place. (And yes, it also means “the one with lovely eyes.” Just saying.)

I was mid-self-brag when I felt two sharp kicks from behind—Kai and Riku.

“As if you’re better than us,” they both said, grinning.

Okay, okay. So maybe there’s rivalry between all three of us. But I’m still the unofficial leader. Obviously.

As usual, the kicking turned into playful fighting right in class. No one dared to stop us. Not until Ms. Anuradha, our English teacher, arrived.

“You three again?” she sighed. “Starting your WWE match before first period? Should I call your parents this time?”

We knew that tone. We were in trouble.

Our punishment: clean the classroom during recess.

While sweeping near the blackboard, something strange happened.

The rest of the class had already left. Only the three of us remained. The blackboard had been empty just minutes ago, but now… something was there.

A small note.

Plain white. Neat handwriting. No name.

Just one sentence:

“What would you do if today was your last day?”

We stared at it. No one moved.

“I was literally thinking about this during assembly,” I whispered.

Kai looked at me sharply. “Me too.”

Riku added, “Same here.”

We didn’t laugh. We didn’t even blink.

Something about it felt real… and weird. Like it wasn’t just a coincidence.

Later that day, we casually brought up the question to our classmates. Their responses were all jokes—traveling, skydiving, even blowing up the Earth with an atomic bomb. Typical.
But none of them had felt it like we did.

We live in the Western Himalayas, near the serene Kais Dhar in Lug Valley—a place known as the Valley of Gods. People here believe the divine exists in every stone, every gust of wind. The villagers are deeply spiritual, peaceful, and protective of nature. They use traditional methods for farming and living—avoiding modernization to preserve the purity of the land.

It’s heaven on Earth, honestly.

Our homes are close, so we grow up playing together, walking through misty forests, and racing across mountain trails. We’re all pretty athletic, thanks to our lifestyle. And deeply rooted in our culture—we’re seen as the future of our families.

Some even call us the famous trio of the village.
Soon, we might just be the most talked about in the entire district.

But after today...
That note, those thoughts, the feeling we all shared—something tells me,
everything is about to change.