February 6. “Should we start writing our story, Button?”

“We must.”

FRIENDS

They met in one of the by-lanes of Kolkata.

I am talking about four stray friends lying side by side fast asleep when, Redbull the rooster, arrived from nowhere, walked up to one of the strays as early as 4 in the morning and pecked him hard on his nose. B

Sugar woke up with a start and, out of sheer reflex, hit out at Redbull with his front right paw.

Redbull struck back again, this time flapping his wings and crowing loudly. B

This woke up Sandy, Mogs and Pepper and the four went for Redbull.

Redbull was a huge rooster, almost the size of Pepper who was a little smaller than his other friends. He had a huge, red crown on the top of his head which stood up as if in salute and a long beard of the same colour which almost touched the ground.  He was sparkling white and the four friends had never seen him in their neighbourhood before! B

The four friends had lived in this lane for over five years in peace and no one had ever bothered them. Who was this monster who had come in from nowhere and suddenly disturbed their peace? The chase that followed could have easily been compared with a car chase from a James Bond film.

“Button, it’s a lazy Sunday afternoon and I have a killer cold—may-be I’ve even caught the flu! I just feel liking lazing in bed even if I can’t fall asleep. Joining me?”

“Sure. We’ll take the story forward tomorrow. I just feel we can take this story a long way. Let’s give it a try.”