The Day Everything Changed.

As on every other day, the village was peaceful. At the first call to prayer and the crowing of roosters, life slowly awakened. Everyone seemed to know exactly where to go, as if their roles had been assigned by nature itself.

Women, men, elders, and children all began their daily routines. Some prepared breakfast, others milked the cows or cleaned the home square after leading the animals to the communal pasture. At the same time, teenagers walked to the communal well to fetch water. Meanwhile, the heads of families saddled their donkeys and mules, preparing for another long day in the fields.

The weather was warm, and no one could have imagined what fate had in store for them that day.

Mohamed, affectionately known as "Baa Azizi" by his children and the villagers, had performed the Fajr prayer and finished his breakfast. Before leaving, he gently kissed his two sons and his daughter, on their foreheads. He entrusted their care to his wife, Fatima, while he headed to the fields.

Of course, he never went anywhere without Ekkanaa, his loyal dog, his faithful companion and vigilant guardian.

Although the work was exhausting under the warm sun, every hardship disappeared when Mohamed returned home at the end of the day to the comfort and warmth of his family.

But this day would be different.

Around the time of the Asr prayer, several policemen arrived in the village with shocking orders. Acting on the instructions of the caïd, they had been sent to kill the village dogs. They could not return without carrying out those orders.

As expected, the villagers refused to surrender their dogs. Despite threats from the barrah—the village crier who announced official decisions—the community stood together. The mission seemed destined to fail.

Just then, Mohamed appeared, riding his donkey with Elkanaa faithfully following behind. Seeing what looked like his only chance to fulfill his orders, one of the policemen raised his rifle and aimed at the dog.

No one imagined what would happen next.

The bullet missed Elkanaa.

It struck Mohamed instead.