Outstanding Stories » Right To Live

“Right To Live” is one of the outstanding stories (sub-junior) of the second biannual International Short Story Contest 2018 written by Prapti Gireesh, Global Indian International School, Pungool, Singapore.

Right To Live

It was a rainy day, the weather outside was cool. Raindrops on the window glass of our house were like love bites. Early morning everybody at home were enjoying hot cup of tea. I was still on my bed. Cold feet under a warm blanket were the best feeling ever. It was a Sunday.

Soon, I heard my mother calling me. I just woke up, did my routine and came out with a fresh face. I then greeted grandmother, mother and father. Enjoyed my breakfast and started to play the puzzles.

Soon, I could feel a pain on my foot, when looked I found an ant on my foot. I hit it hard. Surprisingly, I saw a line of ants at the corner of my room. I started hitting them one by one. I killed six-seven ants. Hearing the sound, my grandmother peeped in my room.

Grandmother: Dear, what was that sound?

Me: Nothing grandma, I am giving ants sugar to eat. I think my grandmother sensed that I am lying. She asked me to open my palm. I couldn’t escape but be caught. Seeing dead ants in my palm she felt sad. She called me and we both sat on the bed.

Grandmother: Why did you kill the ants?

Me: It was disturbing me by biting me grandma.

Grandmother: You could have cleared the ants rather than killing it.

Me: This is our house and my room, why should the ant enter here.

Grandmother: See dear, ant has built its house in our room, it doesn’t know whose place this is, “Every living thing on this earth has a right to live”

Grandmother thought of explaining to me further. She asked me, if there was a demon who would eat a human being, would you be happy to see him

Me: No grandma

Grandmother: Then in that case you look like a demon to the ants as you harmed them. Better let them live happily.

Me: (Sad face) Understood grandma, I am sorry for my act today. I promise that henceforth will not harm any living things.

Grandmother: (patting my back) proud of you dear…

I just ran to the kitchen to get some sugar for feeding ants now. Once I fed the ants with sugar my grandmother also insisted me to share this message with my friends too but I had a doubt in my mind, thought to get this checked with my grandma.

Me: Grandma, we are vegetarians, many of my friends are not, and they need meat for their food, is this not unfair?

Grandmother: I agree, this is unfair but not one living thing on this planet exists without harming the other and this is the lifecycle. However, we being humans can always reduce harming others. Nowadays people are making changes in their lifestyle; going vegan is also helping them to improve their health. Endorsed by the vegetarian society, events are held across the world to illustrate the recipes of vegetarian food. National vegetarian week in 2018 was celebrated between May 14 to 20 which highlighted the benefits and pleasure of meat free diet.

Me: Thanks grandmother, now I have cleared all the doubts. I understand that “Every living thing on this earth has a right to live”

Moral: Every living thing has a right to live.