1 What If?

What if the land on which you stand can no longer be cultivated? Or the flow of water that only leaves puddles of poison? Pollutants? Until you have to risk your life for a drop of freshness?

What if nature is no longer friendly? Not only to you but also to the plants that are dried, to the animals that are one by one extinct?

What if Earth is no longer habitable? Not an inch of land to live in?

No hope?

What if the Earth can no longer provide life?

In the future. The world population spike is reaching its limit. Every inch of land is a struggle. Your neighbors, gangs in the name of brotherhood, your government, even superpower countries.

There are no more moral and otherworldly laws, there is only the power of arms and alliances.

You like it, you take it.

Social problems become a daily sight. You'd think to ignore what's in front of you. Well, maybe. Unless what's in front of you is something you really need. Mostly, without bothering for asking.

You see, you take. End the story. And your life will add another day. Of course, if you don't have any significant problems.

Know what I mean?

Violence. A barrage of blows that whacked your head, your back, your chest, your stomach, your whole body. Or a barrage of hot lead that will take your life as you step on a sewer rat. Yes, you–all of us, not worth it at all. A homemade explosive boom that will pulverize and turn your body into minced meat.

Do you think it's not worth it?

No kidding!

You don't live in the time I was born.

If you were, I think, you will also be happy to rob the property of defenseless people.

Don't be a hypocrite!

I am pretty sure, you will not hesitate to enjoy your own brother's flesh or sleep with your sister.

I'm not joking.

Of course, you'll probably go crazy, and become a cannibal as well as those with the outcasts. Discarded by those in power.

There are almost no more trees that you can see, a place for you to take shelter from the hot sun, or just close your eyes enjoying the breeze.

Read romance novels. Uh-huh, White Horse Prince? Sleeping Beauty? Cinderella? Do you think you'll be able to enjoy that?

There is not a single tree that you can lean on to relax. Not even a small stalk of weeds, grass. There is only dryness everywhere. A barren land that will blow away thick fogs when the hot wind blows.

There is nothing left in the ocean. Only the garbages that have piled up into small islands, gradually interlocking so that you can freely run around or play ball on the surface.

The sea is nothing more than a pile of poison.

The need for a place to live, to eat, to sustain life makes everyone no longer care about the ecosystem, the environment.

The only reason you can still breathe while standing on this arid earth is due to the contribution of marine algae and their brothers and sisters who are still faithful to providing oxygen.

And even then, you can't expect too much.

In crowded areas, every ten steps, you will meet people suffering from respiratory problems due to depleted oxygen. They rolled in the corners of the old buildings. Or lying on the roads. Ironically, no one would care, they were left lying to death in such a miserable state.

Well, there are still some places on Earth that are still beautiful green.

But the beautiful green area is protected by thick and high walls, complete with sycophants and lickers. They guarded the area against behind barricades of sharp spikes, heavily guarded with rifles.

The area is called the palace or castle of the rulers, protected by a giant dome, thick bulletproof glass. An elite area that is equipped with state-of-the-art devices, which will trap oxygen only for its inhabitants, and release its carbon dioxide to those who are wasted, to you.

And now, you want to wait for the rain to fall to moisten your dry throat? Your tormenting thirst?

I'm telling you, don't get your hopes up!

Throughout the hemisphere, the rain is no more than ten times a year.

Can you imagine that?

All right, I assume you can. I'll tell you again, the rain will never be the same.

The water you are holding has been contaminated with sulfur, fossil fuels, and nitrogen which will produce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

Do you think you can still survive?

Okay!

What if I say that nature provides resistance? Earth is angry and strikes back at humanity?

You don't believe what I said?

I tell you, Earth commands the atmosphere to mix poison with rain and the two substances. And now, the rainwater you've been waiting for contains sulfuric acid and nitric acid.

You're still going to wait for the outpouring of water which is nothing more than acid rain? To quench your thirst?

I think you're crazier than us.

Now, what do you think?

Of course, I think you'd expect to live in an age where philosophical and intellectual views coalesce into one. Sanātana-dharma. Learn about the morality of everyday life which is based on karma, dharma, and norms.

Do you know what I mean?

Hindu.

Or you'll hope that living in the days of Confucius still standing valiantly. Listen to every teaching he brings. Learn about the philosophy of life. Personal morality and government system. Or just listen to the melodious and beautiful poetry.

Perhaps, you wished to hear the voice of Siddhartha Gautama who taught you that life is interdependence, needing each other. Complete complement. Teaching you the Eight Paths of Truth, Samsara, sharing love in the name of goodness.

Or maybe you want to sit down with the others to listen to Jesus son of Maryam preach. Leads you to the path of goodness. Sharing love with fellow creatures of God's creation.

Maybe you also hope to live in an era where Muhammad son of Abdullah preached the message of God.

I'll tell you…

You're late mate, too late. They've gone too far for you to leave. You may wish that the world would end.

Equally, those who were cast out also hoped for the same.

Like me…

TO BE CONTINUED ...