Shamika Nair Roll no.2231 SyBa – divA (psy.spl) Thea and the greatest weapon A few light years away, there is a planet like earth which NASA or ISRO can never find. But the “Earth-II” is a little different. This was a planet where humans and dogs co-existed with each other. Not as each other’s pets, more like each other’s friends. Long time ago, dogs of Earth-II learnt the human language and started adopting methods of living from the human lifestyle. After numerous researches, it became evident that dogs are as smart as humans and co-exist with them. Soon, there were “canine-skill building institutes” where adult dogs would learn a skill based on which human career path they want to take. They constructed new buildings in hospitals which was only for dogs. schools started accepting puppies and so that puppies and kids could learn how to co- exist together. However, dogs took up the bad qualities from humans too like discrimination among other dogs, envy and arrogance. In a city named Hodu, there lived a dog named Thea, Thea was from the stray breed. Stray breeds were never treated well, they were mostly never given any kind of support. Since the time dogs and humans started co-existing, very few donated financially for stray dogs’ education, for building common shelter, etc. although they had basic facilities it was not that great. But there are dogs from the stray breed who are well-known. For example, Destiny was the first female dog to travel to space, Moti was the first dog to become a canine police commissioner and Thea’s role model Kyra, she was the first female dog journalist. Thea loved to write. She used to write about every minor inconvenience she has had or sometimes every little thing that made her happy. She wrote about atrocities happening with her, the discrimination against female dogs too. She was taught how to write by her beloved elder sister “ Lola” . Lola used to always tell her that “make your pen your greatest weapon”. But the only drawback was she never published her stories. Whenever she went to her local newspapers published her articles some said coming from stray breed, she shouldn’t be writing such liberal thoughts while the others were just scared of the government. Thea was so heartbroken that she started thinking her sister was wrong and she should probably just stop writing. Then one day she saw a poster which said that Kyra’s news company was organising a contest where all dogs and humans can participate in. Thea howled with joy but the only drawback was that it was in the most expensive area of the city, where most dogs and humans looked down upon people coming from the underprivileged part of the city. As much as she saw in the newspapers the pictures of strays and all the privileged dogs or humans playing and learning together, she knew that in reality most people are just pretending so that they can get validity and thought highly of in the society. So, Thea decided to participate in the competition anyway. Thea took the homo and canine public transport to other part of the city. She dressed herself in her most costly dress, that was bought by her father on her birthday. she thought she looked the prettiest in that dress however when the crowd started staring at her in a judgemental way, she began to feel inferior and a little isolated from the society. She somehow managed to reach Kyra’s company and sat with the other dogs and humans . Each one of the participants was called in a room where renowned writers working with Kyra and Kyra herself were evaluating the stories. Soon it was Thea’s chance, Thea went inside the room and she saw her role-model for the first time. Thea was in Awe with after seeing her inspiration. While she stood there being mesmerized, all the writers were handed out her story. Kyra read the different stories of stray dogs being ill-treated. Some were shooed away from their houses so that the government could build new buildings for co-operate companies. She read about how a stray dog with a tumour in his leg was not allowed to get treated at a hospital because of the breed he belonged to. She read about how a stray puppy lost her father to euthanasia(a kind of injection that puts dogs to sleep forever) because her family could not afford other expensive surgeries for his stomach. Kyra was disheartened after seeing the tragic but realistic incidences happening on the other side of the city. She had forgotten what she once used to grow up with. She had forgotten that her dream was not only to make her self successful but also to pave the way for the breed that she belongs to. On the other hand, Thea seemed quite nervous, she could not understand that if the writers liked her writing or were disapprove her stories. Then something unpredicted happened , Kyra got up and stood in front of Thea. What she said next was something unexpected by Thea. She told her that they absolutely loved Thea’s stories and wanted to start a column named “the other side” that featured all the discrimination that the stray dogs have to go through. Thea’s column was very popular among the dogs belonging to all breed and humans too. She was even featured in the woof magazine as the youngest famous canine writer. The column became so popular that the newspaper company decided to start a charity named “The other side” where humans and dogs could donate some money for new schools, healthcare centres and other basic necessities required in the area where stray dogs lived. Thea was delighted to see the changes she could make with her weapon.