Vicky closed his fist tighter, the sharp edges of the diamond poking into his skin.Great. He had the power to change his life…but also the power to completely destroy it if anyone found out.
AWM + Diamond + Gold Nugget =Not "superhero starter pack."More like "instant police case starter pack."
He needed a plan.Not a hero plan.A proper survivor plan.
A hiding spot so secret that even Mom during Diwali cleaning wouldn't find it.
Which basically meant… it needed to be hidden in another dimension.
But right now, sitting under the old banyan tree with magical items sizzling in his pocket, he had zero ideas.
Then—PEEEEEE-WHISTLEEEEEThe pressure cooker whistle from someone's house echoed like the siren of doom.
"Oh shit– dinner time."
He shoved the diamond and gold back into his pocket like a criminal hiding evidence and cycled home, brain running 200 tabs at once.
Under the bed? No.Flower pot? Mom will re-pot them.On the roof? Too risky.Inside shoe? Smell will kill the diamond itself.And the AWM… damn… I need to move it.
He reached home still brainstorming like a mad scientist.
As he entered the compound, one spot caught his eye—the back wall covered in Mom's beloved bougainvillea. Pink flowers, thorns, chaos.
And then he remembered something.Two summers ago…During hide-and-seek…He had stumbled, put his hand on that wall, and one brick had shifted slightly.
His eyes widened.
"Hooo… jackpot mil gaya."
Operation: Hide the AWM
He waited until the house got busy with dinner prep. The perfect cover.
Mom shouting in kitchen.Ankit whining about homework.Dad lecturing him.Didi humming while studying.
Perfect.
Vicky slipped into his room and slowly opened the cupboard drawer.There it was.The AWM wrapped in the rifle bag.
Even touching it made his heart thump.
He shoved it into a big cloth shopping bag ("Big Bazaar — Buy More Save More") and casually walked out like he was carrying old clothes.
He sneaked to the bougainvillea, checking left and right like he was diffusing a bomb.
He pushed his hand through the vine curtain — thorns instantly attacking him like small angry ninjas.
"AAh— bas yaar…"
His fingers reached the brick.He pressed it.
It moved.
"YES."
He slid the brick out, revealing a dark hollow space inside the wall.
He quickly stuffed the bag with the AWM inside.Then took out the diamond and gold nugget and placed them gently beside it.
He pushed the brick back.Perfect fit.Dust + bougainvillea petals = natural camouflage.
Done.Hidden.Safe.For now.
He stood there breathing heavily.
The impossible was now hidden in the most ordinary wall of a middle-class Indian home.
PROJECT: PIXEL PULL
Back in his room, the panic cleared a little, replaced with excitement — the scientific kind.
He pulled out an unused school notebook.On the first page he wrote in bold:
PROJECT: PIXEL PULLDO NOT TELL ANYONE. SERIOUSLY.
Then he started recording like a proper researcher:
Entry #1:Power works on Minecraft.– Diamond (real, cold, shiny)– Gold Nugget (real, heavy)– Bread (real, fresh, tasty)Conclusion: NOT limited to PUBG.
Entry #2:PUBG apple tasted fake-sweet. Minecraft bread tasted real.Hypothesis: texture quality? Pixel density? Some coding magic?Needs more tests.
He tapped the pen on the page.
What were the limits?What was the cost?Was there exhaustion?Cooldown?Durability?
He needed a new test. Something meaningful.
Right then —He heard Mom from the kitchen:
"Arey re… yeh back pain phir se…""Vikram, spray khatam ho gaya."
Vicky froze.
His brain clicked.
Goal detected.
He snapped the notebook shut, hid it under his mattress, and grabbed his phone.
He wasn't doing this for money.Or power.
He was doing it for his mom.
He opened his game library and scrolled past PUBG… Minecraft… puzzle apps…until he stopped at:
Eternal Realms
A fantasy RPG he used to play long ago.
Known for its potion system.
Perfect.
He launched it.The orchestral login music played — suddenly dramatic, like he was entering a temple.
He loaded his old warrior character and fast-traveled to the Alchemist Quarter.
The marketplace was full of NPCs and glowing potion icons.
One caught his eye:
Minor Healing Potion"Heals minor wounds. Soothes aches."
Exactly what he needed.
"This is for you, Maa…"
He equipped it in his quick-slot.The red vial icon blinked softly.
His heart hammered.
The AWM was one thing.But a liquid?What if something went wrong?What if it made things worse?
But then he remembered:The bread was fine.The apple was fine.The diamond didn't explode.
Rules were consistent.
He placed his thumb on the glowing icon.
The screen softened.His hand sank in.He felt glass — cold, smooth, real.
He pulled his hand out.
A potion vial came with it.
Glowing faintly red.Warm to touch.Alive.
He stared at it, stunned.
A miracle in a bottle.
Just then—The bedroom door creaked.
"AHHH—"He almost threw the vial.
It rolled under his pillow as he slammed the phone face-down.
Ankit stood there with a blank expression."Mom said set the table. Why do you look like you murdered someone?"
"I DID NOT! I mean… I'm contemplating!"
Ankit blinked slowly."You're weird."
He walked away.
Vicky waited 5 full seconds before sighing in relief.
He pulled the potion out.
It glowed softly in the dim room.
Now came the real problem:
How the hell was he going to convince his mom to drink a mysterious glowing red bottle without looking like he had joined Hogwarts or ISIS?
He opened his notebook again in his mind:
Entry #3:Pulled a healing potion.It's glowing.It feels… magical.Should I use it on Mom?What if it's real?What if it's dangerous?What if it WORKS?
He held the potion tight.
His first real quest had begun.
And it was scarier than any sniper fight, rooftop jump, or bridge ambush he'd ever survived.