A Tale of New Beginnings. Title: The Midnight Box
Dev hated New Year’s Eve.
Everyone around him was excited — fireworks, resolutions, parties — but Dev felt like the year had been one long list of things he messed up.
He’d fought with his best friend.
Failed his maths exam.
And disappointed his parents more times than he could count.
So on December 31st, while his housing society laughed and danced on the terrace, Dev sat alone on the staircase, staring at the cracked tiles.
That’s when he heard it.
Tap… tap… tap.
He frowned. The sound was coming from the lobby.
When he walked in, he saw something he had never seen before:
A small wooden box.
Old. Dusty. With a golden latch.
And a note taped to the top.
“For Dev. Only open at 12:00 a.m.”
Dev’s heart jumped.
Who left it?
How did they know his name?
Was this some kind of joke?
He picked up the box — it was heavier than it looked — and ran back to his room.
He placed it on his table and stared at the clock.
11:47 p.m.
Think about it:
If YOU found a mysterious box with your name on it…
Would you open it immediately or wait?
Dev’s hands were actually shaking.
11:59 p.m.
He held the latch.
3… 2… 1.
The clock struck midnight.
He opened the box.
A soft whoosh of warm air filled the room.
Inside, there was—
Nothing.
Just one slip of paper.
Dev unfolded it.
There were only four words:
“Rewrite what you regret.”
And beneath the words…
the room began to glow.
Dev blinked.
He wasn’t in his room anymore.
He was sitting in his classroom…
during his math exam.
His math exam that he had failed.
His heart thudded.
His paper was blank — the same way it had been last time, when he’d panicked and scribbled nonsense.
But now…
He felt calm.
He took a deep breath and wrote the first answer.
Then the next.
And the next.
This time, the paper didn’t stay blank.
The glow came again.
Suddenly Dev was standing outside the school gate — the place where he’d fought with his best friend, Aarush.
The memory hit him like a punch.
He had shouted.
Aarush had shouted back.
And neither had apologized.
But this time… Dev walked up to Aarush.
“I’m sorry,” he said simply.
Aarush stared. Then smiled.
And just like that, the fight dissolved — like it was waiting for one person to be brave first.
The glow came again.
Now Dev was in his room.
The Midnight Box sat on the table, closed.
The note now had new words:
“New beginnings start with small courage.”
Dev touched the box gently.
It wasn’t magic.
Or maybe it was — but not the kind that changed the world.
It changed him.
The next morning, Dev woke up early and surprised everyone by helping with breakfast.
He apologized to his parents.
He messaged Aarush.
He cleaned his study table and opened his math book.
It felt like the box had done something impossible:
It made Dev believe he could begin again.
And sometimes, that’s all anyone needs.
That night, when he returned to his room, the Midnight Box was gone.
But on his table, there was a single new slip of paper:
“See? You didn’t need magic after all.”
Moral:
New beginnings don’t require a new year —just a new choice.
A small step.
A moment of courage.
You can rewrite your story anytime.
Reflection Questions (for kids 10–14):
- If you had a Midnight Box, what moment in your life would you want to rewrite?
- What small act of courage can you take this week?
- What does “new beginning” mean to you personally?