Mara pupwill's Arc

Chapter 1 of 1

Mara Pupwill pressed her nose against the pet store window. Inside, a golden retriever puppy tumbled over its own feet. Her chest ached. The law said no puppies allowed as pets in Mr. Sun. Only cats, birds, and fish. But Mara wanted a puppy more than anything. She pulled out her notebook and wrote down her plan. Step one: gather signatures for a petition. Step two: speak at town hall. Step three: change the law forever. The next morning, Mara walked through town square. She stopped at a bright statue of a white puppy covered in neon paint splatters. Someone had placed flyers at its base about lost cats and bird adoption days. Mara taped her own notice to the statue's paw. "Puppies Deserve Homes Too," it read. She listed meeting times and her cause. The statue's painted grin seemed to cheer her on. By afternoon, she'd set up outside a cottage with windows shaped like puppy paws. The roof looked like floppy ears. People stopped to stare. Mara spread photos of puppies across her table. She talked to everyone who passed. Some signed her petition. Others shook their heads and walked away. But each signature filled her with hope. She packed up as the sun set. Her notebook held twenty-three names. The hospital at the edge of town would host the big vote in three weeks. Mara traced her finger over the signatures. This was just the start. She would fill pages and pages before then. The law would change. It had to.