The Planet Magazine

A very short story

So this is probably really bad, but read it because, why not?

***

If the world was right, I wouldn't be here. If the planet was fine, I would be in school. If I didn't care, I wouldn't make the effort. But the world isn't right, the planet isn't fine, and I do care, more than you might think possible. So I'm here, and I'm not in school, and I have made the effort.

Some people tell me I should be in school, and some people tell me I should be proud of myself. Some people tell me I can't make a difference, and some people tell me I've at least got to try.

Well, I don't believe in any of that. I believe in one thing: that life is not worth living if I don't have a voice. And this is my voice. I may be one among thousands, millions even, doing exactly the same thing, and no one hears me specifically, but if I wasn't here, I would be ashamed of myself, and too depressed for words.

Nothing is worth it if not this.

Because we won't have anything soon.

And then nothing will exist.

How can people not see that I believe in this because it's the only thing that gives me hope?

Their words and promises don't make me feel relief, only sickness at their lies. Only despair that they still don't understand.

They are murderers. We all are, but they are the worst. The people who don't care, who ignore the climate crisis, who forget that they are killing human beings and animals alike.

My mum told me, "don't get arrested today. If anything goes wrong, just get out."

These are strange things for my mum to say to me. Words I never thought I'd hear. Because I never go out apart from school. I sit at home or in the garden and read, mostly. I hate being in big crowds or around people. I hate the feeling of no escape. So to be told not to get arrested is strange considering I'm most likely to go hide away somewhere safe, where the police would never view me as anything more than an innocent little girl.

Except, that feeling of no escape is what I feel every single day. I wake up, and my body is overtaken by anxiety and a lump rises in my throat, as something deep in my stomach causes me to feel sick.

So here I am. Trying not to get arrested, whilst losing my voice I'm yelling so hard.

"What do we want?"
"Climate action!"
"When do we want it?"
"Now!"

"Tell me what democracy looks like!"
"This is what democracy looks like!"

"When our planet's under attack, what do we do?"
"Fight back!"

"Whose planet?"
"Our planet!"
"Whose streets?"
"Our streets!"

And so on.

The crowd rises around me. I am small, but together we are bigger. The noise is music to my ears. Passionate people united. United and making a difference. Because they can't ignore us forever. Climate change is real. And it kills.

Written by landoC13