THE BROKEN WING

Novi, from New Gate, was headed to Bell City to inaugurate the Independent Editorial Company (IEC), which started as a blog. The blog gained popularity after continuous political victories and stirred social issues such as caste, religious politics, financial biases, and unfair justice. It remained unnoticed for a year until a controversial tweet by her mother, Helen Novina, went viral. The tweet put the blog in the spotlight, making Helen the movement's catalyst, though she was tragically killed later.

Upon arriving in Bell City, Novi took an auto ride with a familiar driver—their silent exchange speaking volumes. He was once an advocate who had resigned after failing to get justice for a woman and her daughter. And here she was, attending the conference with a bold face and her chin held high. At the IEC, Novi was greeted and proceeded to deliver her speech.

“Never hide your passion or honesty. In your journey, your audience may be risking their lives to support you. Think about them, for your hopeless situation could turn hopeful, like changing seasons.”

The room erupted in applause. Every guest shook her hand, including Shobha, who, after the handshake, questioned Novi about the meaning behind her speech. She asked Novi directly about its true intent, but Novi hesitated, unsure whether to explain the deeper truth. Her assistant, who was also a friend of her mother, quickly escorted her to the car, mentioning that she had an urgent online meeting in two minutes. As they reached the car, the assistant reminded Novi that her mother, Shobha’s mother, had made her promise not to reveal certain things to Shobha. Novi, now torn between the truth and her promise, understood the gravity of the situation.

Past Events

Lizzy witnessed an injustice but was silenced when she tried to speak the truth. She had seen a wealthy man cause an accident that left an elderly woman severely injured. The woman was hoping to have Lizzy’s family as witnesses for her trial. However, her father, driven by the desire for a peaceful life, chose not to support the case. Though the elderly woman hoped that Lizzy’s family would stand by her, they didn’t, and the case was lost.

The woman, Yashi, suffered not only from the injury but also from public ridicule. The worst part was that her granddaughter, Ruby, who had been her world after her son died in a workplace accident, didn't believe her. Ruby was influenced by her mother’s refusal to help Yashi with money for surgery. In her mind, Yashi might have been seeking money from the rich man involved. 

Yashi’s life became harder with every passing day as she faced insults from her family and society. Her daughter-in-law would constantly berate her.Yashi felt crushed under the weight of these injustices and often wondered how much longer she could bear it. With no place to go and no means to support herself, she would cry out to God for relief, but there was none.

Simultaneously, Lizzy lived with the guilt of abandoning Yashi. Though she buried it under her busy schedule, the guilt never truly went away.

One day, on a family outing, Lizzy saw an elderly woman who resembled Yashi. She was selling pens and drawing books at a tea shop. The woman asked her to buy something, but Lizzy refused, uncomfortable in front of her family. As the woman left, she smiled and said, “Even today, you didn’t change, little girl.” It took Lizzy a moment, but then she realized—it was Yashi.

Tears filled her eyes, but she kept them hidden. The next day, alone in her hotel room, Lizzy couldn’t stop thinking about the incident. She was upset and felt torn. As the day passed, she came to a decision. That evening, Lizzy started her blog, naming it “The Independent Company”. She chose this name because, in her journey to witness and speak the truth, she wanted to be independent of the forces that silenced people like Yashi.

At just 19, Lizzy posted her first blog, sharing stories of injustice, raising her voice for those who couldn’t speak. It was a whistleblower’s call to action, and her words began to spread.

The Tragedy

But Lizzy's journey was soon to take a darker turn. One of her earliest followers, Lizzie, a woman who had been supporting her blog's cause, was killed under mysterious circumstances. The tragedy rocked the blog's community, but it didn't stop there. Lizzie’s death was suspected to be the work of political influence. Lizzie had been raising her voice against the corrupt practices of a major political party, exposing their involvement in the exploitation of vulnerable people.

But the political pressure was too much for Lizzie to withstand. She was blackmailed, forced to retract her statements, and ultimately silenced. The very people who had initially supported her cause turned against her, all under the shadow of political power. Lizzie had once been fearless, but in the end, the fear of losing everything—her family, her livelihood, her safety—forced her to step back.

It was a harsh reminder of how powerful forces can manipulate the truth, suppress justice, and silence the voices of those who dare to speak out..

Climax: The Truth Breaks Out

One day , protests erupted across the city. A young girl—just an intern—was found dead in a hospital under mysterious circumstances. Social media exploded. Rage spread like wildfire. But amidst the noise, one tweet went viral: a blog authored by Lizzy.

A girl, Rekha , saw that tweet and froze. It was her elder sister—Lizzy—who had written it. The post twisted the facts and spread rumors, igniting even more outrage. The girl, trembling with shock and betrayal, realized the person behind this misinformation was the very one she admired.

Fueled by anger and sorrow, she ran down to the city and found Lizzy. Her voice broke through:

Sister: “How could you, Lizzy? You LIED! You twisted the truth for views! She was my friend, and you turned her death into a tool!”

Lizzy: “You think I wanted this? You think I planned for a girl to die? I was only doing what I’ve always done—speak out! I didn’t know—”

Sister: “NO! You used to speak for justice. Now you speak for fame. You built this empire on trust, and now you're just throwing dirt on people’s graves!”

Lizzy (voice cracking): “I didn’t mean to... They are controlling me….I didn’t know how deep I’d sunk...”

Her sister stormed off, leaving Lizzy speechless.

That night, Lizzy couldn’t sleep. Her sister’s words rang in her ears like a curse. Guilt gnawed at her. She scrolled through old blog posts and tweets—the ones where she fought for the voiceless, the ones that made people believe in her. But now? She was the reason that someone dead, is still dead in justice.

At 3 AM, she recorded a video. Her face pale, voice shaky:

 “This is Lizzy. I lied. I twisted facts. I chased peace over fighting for justice. I’ve made mistakes that can’t be undone. But I want to own up to it. I’m sorry. I’m sorry to the girl, to my sister, to everyone who once trusted me. Forgive me.”

She uploaded it to her blog and Twitter. Within hours, the video went viral. Some showered her with hate, others praised her for finally telling the truth.

The next morning, Lizzy and her husband were en route to another city for a conference. On the drive, she got a call from Novi.

Novi (on speaker): “You did the right thing, Lizzy. But don’t expect the world to forget. My mother was murdered fighting for justice, and now you’ve told the world you became a tool in injustice,doesn't make my mom return back to life.”

Lizzy (sighing): "I know... it's so unfair. I made you grow up with broken wings, with my friend as your assistant and guardian, instead of living a life with your mother... and memories of your father, who died a brave death for justice as a journalist. I have so much respect for your family... And now, I want to return to the trial. The damage is done, but I promi—”

Suddenly, a truck rammed into their car.

Tires screeched. Glass shattered. Screams.

Lizzy lay motionless, blood trailing down her lips. Her phone was still on speaker.

Lizzy (gasping, to Novi and her assistant): “Promise me... Shobha must never know... not this side of me... not even if I die...”

And those were her last words.

The Rebirth of the Blog

Years later, Shobha was told that her mother and father had died in an accident while fighting for justice. She believed her mother, Lizzy, was a brave soul who stood for truth and was silenced too soon. Her mother’s blogs were unread, her pages silenced, the company closed down under mysterious pressure.

But Shobha couldn’t let it end there. She reopened the blog—naming it just as her mother did. The Independent IEC Company rose again, this time under Shobha’s voice. What the world didn’t know was that it wasn’t just the resurrection of a blog. It was the resurrection of a legacy.