"You grew these?" he asked, his voice quieter now.
Bani nodded again, her throat tight.
Silence filled the room, thick with the weight of the moment.
Her father looked at her, his eyes searching for something—doubt, fear, uncertainty. But Bani met his gaze with unwavering determination.
"Tell me everything," he finally said
"Father, it's like this... When I was in the hospital, something... happened. Suddenly, I—I got this land. A vast, endless space, unlike anything in the real world. And there's a guardian there. He can talk to me, guide me. He told me this land is inside me, and I can cultivate it."
She paused, watching his face for a reaction. He frowned slightly, his eyes narrowing in thought, but he didn't interrupt. Encouraged, she continued.
Father, "I wanted to tell you earlier, but how could I? I had nothing to show. If I told you out of nowhere, you would think I had lost my mind. So I waited. I ordered seeds and planted them. I watched them grow, faster than they should have. And now, I can finally prove to you that I'm telling the truth."
Her father leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "This land… inside you?" he repeated slowly, his tone unreadable.
Bani nodded. She reached under her bed, pulling out a small woven basket. She placed it between them and carefully lifted the cloth covering it. Inside were fresh, vibrant tomatoes and crisp, green spinach—harvested from a place that shouldn't exist.
Her father's breath hitched. His hands trembled slightly as he picked up a tomato, turning it over as if expecting to find something unnatural about it. But it was just a tomato—real, firm, fragrant.
She swallowed, hesitating before speaking, her voice barely above a whisper, as if she were still coming to terms with the truth herself. "They... they come from a place. A magical land that exists inside me."
Her father's brows knitted together, disbelief flickering in his eyes. He didn't respond immediately, letting the weight of her words settle between them. But beneath his confusion, there was something else—something softer. He was trying to understand.
"A magical land... inside you?" he repeated, his voice tinged with quiet incredulity. "Bani, I… I need you to explain this more clearly. How can there be a land inside you? What do you mean?"
Bani took a steady breath, feeling the burden of her secret shift slightly now that it was spoken aloud. "It's not something I can explain in a way that makes sense. It's… a space that belongs to me. Only I can access it. It changes depending on my thoughts, my emotions. I never asked for this, but it's real. This land—it's alive in its own way."
"Father, this land is truly a miracle. The crops here grow in just a few days! As the guardian explained, time moves differently in this place—one day in our world equals thirty days there. That's why the produce is of such exceptional quality compared to what we grow outside."
Her father's eyes widened as he examined the vegetables, his fingers tracing the thick, sturdy stalks. "This is beyond anything I've ever seen," he murmured, unable to hide his astonishment.