ଦୁଇଟି ଶେଷ / The Two Endings

PANEL 1
Village courtyard, one leafy tree, plain low bench. Madhab sits on the right reading a brown borrowed book. Benu sits close on the left. Two younger listeners on the mat: girl with one braid and ochre dress, boy with blue shirt. Bag and closed umbrella rest beside the bench. Establish the four people and simple setting.
ODIA CAPTION: ରବିବାର ଅପରାହ୍ଣ। ଗାଁର ଅଗଣାରେ ଗପ ଆସର।
ENGLISH CAPTION: Sunday afternoon. A story gathering in the village courtyard.
ମାଧବ କକା: ମାଳୀ ତା’ର ହଜିଥିବା ଟୋପି ଖୋଜିବାକୁ ବାହାରିଲା…
Madhab Kaka: The gardener set off to find his missing hat…

PANEL 2
Closer view of Madhab on right and Benu left. The brown book is open near its back cover, with a visible torn final-page stub. Madhab looks surprised. Benu leans in, curious. No literal words inside the drawn book.
ମାଧବ କକା: ଆରେ! ଶେଷ ପୃଷ୍ଠାଟା ନାହିଁ!
Madhab Kaka: Oh! The last page is missing!
ବେଣୁ: ତା’ପରେ କ’ଣ ହେଲା?
Benu: What happened next?

PANEL 3
Same bench. Madhab offers a tentative open-hand gesture; Benu raises one questioning finger. Madhab's face is sheepish and honest, not superior. The missing-page book remains visible.
ମାଧବ କକା: ବୋଧହୁଏ ଟୋପିଟା ଗଛରେ…
Madhab Kaka: Perhaps the hat was in a tree…
ବେଣୁ: ବହିରେ ସେଇଆ ଲେଖା ଅଛି?
Benu: Is that what the book says?
ମାଧବ କକା: ନା, ମୋର ମନେ ନାହିଁ। ଏଇଟା ମୋ ଅନୁମାନ।
Madhab Kaka: No. I can’t remember. I’m guessing.

PANEL 4
Focus on the two listeners on the mat; each proposes an ending with excited hands. Above the girl, a small cloud-shaped imagined scene shows a bird nesting in a straw hat. Above the boy, a separate cloud-shaped imagined scene shows a straw hat on a scarecrow. These are imaginary, not events happening in the courtyard. Kaka's inviting hand can enter at edge; no written words.
ମାଧବ କକା: ତୁମେ ହେଲେ ଗପଟା କେମିତି ସାରିବ?
Madhab Kaka: How would you end the story?
ଝିଅଟି: ଟୋପି ଭିତରେ ଚଢ଼େଇ ବସା କରିଥିଲା!
Girl: A bird had made a nest in the hat!
ପୁଅଟି: ମୋ ଗପରେ ପବନ ଟୋପିଟା ନେଇ କାକତାଡ଼ୁଆକୁ ପିନ୍ଧାଇଦେଲା!
Boy: In mine, the wind blew it onto a scarecrow!

PANEL 5
Benu writes in his one cream notebook; his shirt pocket is now empty. Kaka watches warmly with the borrowed brown book in his lap. The two younger listeners look pleased. Book and notebook are clearly distinct. Both invented endings are being recorded, not passed off as the missing original.
ବେଣୁ: ଏ ଦୁଇଟା ଆମ ଶେଷ। ବହିର ଶେଷଟା ତ ଏବେ ବି ଜଣାନାହିଁ!
Benu: These are our two endings. We still don’t know the book’s!
ମାଧବ କକା: ଯାହାଙ୍କଠୁ ବହି ଆଣିଛି, ତାଙ୍କୁ ପଚାରିବା।
Madhab Kaka: We’ll ask the person who lent me the book.

PANEL 6
Wide final scene of Benu and Madhab leaving the courtyard together. Madhab carries the red bag at his left hip and folded blue umbrella in his right hand. Benu holds his open notebook, empty shirt pocket, grinning up at his uncle. Both walk at ease; same warm afternoon light.
ମାଧବ କକା: ଆଜି ଗପଟା ଟିକେ ଲମ୍ବା ହୋଇଗଲା!
Madhab Kaka: Our story grew a little today!
ବେଣୁ: ମୋ ପ୍ରଶ୍ନର ତାଲିକା ବି!
Benu: So did my list of questions!