'Flag': Sehri Tales selections, Day 22

I. 

Bijoy found it intriguing how she was named after her mother's birthday and not her own. Her mother was born on 16th December 1971. Her birthday was 1998 August--nowhere near Victory Day. Moreover everyone thought she was a guy from her name. Very annoying. But apparently her nanu and her ma had insisted on this name. 

Bijoy wished they had managed a girly name for her. She also wondered why victory and freedom has to be guy's name.  

She finally asked her ma, the reasoning behind her name. 

Her Ma sighed and said, "My baba learned of my ma's pregnancy a couple of days before he joined muktibahini, leaving my pregnant mom with his parents. For years I thought he chose freedom over us. A few months before your birth we received a blood-stained old flag of Bangladesh, with some writing in ink on the red." 

At this she opened her wardrobe and returned with a faded old flag. The inscription read "Name her Bijoy . I know I won't get to see her but I know my daughter will appreciate our gift to her. Freedom is beautiful." 

He passed away during war. 

By the time his message was delivered her mum had lived years as Fatima Khondokar. The letter came just when the baby name hunt started. So they took this as a sign and named her Bijoy. 

Bijoy caressed the soft faded flag. It almost felt like a warm wrinkled grandfather hand.

by Wahida Mashrura Shukh 

II.

One night in the refugee camp, Nabi kept his story book under the pillow. The next morning it turned into hard cash, the exact amount the book was bought for. 
Turns out, the Tooth Fairy accepts more than just teeth.
The next morning Nabi woke up earlier than usual. Worked harder, did some overtime to get some extra money. 
The next week when he had an adequate amount of money, he decided to test it. 

At 12 am, when everyone was asleep, Nabi carefully brought out the flag of his country and put it under the pillow. 

by Maruf Ahsan Niloy 

III. 

''He uses Snapchat, how red do you want the red flag to be?'' A reality check from Shisie.
I block him from everywhere else but Snapchat. Sorry, I can't break the streak. 

by Nusayba Nafisa