Its better to run than curse the road.
And that's exactly what Chevalier did. A French survivor of the nuclear war that ravaged the Earth, he now marvels at a new Earth, where plants are the dominant species.
Maybe, you can teach an old dog new tr...
It's hard to pinpoint when things began to go wrong. There was no mad scientist, bomb explosion or flesh eating virus. There were only the common people. The kind of people whom you would pass by without a second thought. However, years of negative propaganda and insensitivity had changed the masses.
The change was very subtle, brought about the power crazy ones who under the guise of concern for their citizens spread lies and rumours.
Talks about solving a problem that never really was there came about. Beneath the veneer of "Good morning" and "Isn't she so smart!" opinions such as "Well, they are putting a strain on the public services" and "They don't deserve to live here" came about.
The fifth attack on Paris in 2024 was the point that historians would eventually consider to be the turning point. Hatred that was earlier confined to exclusive circles now became commonplace. Borders closed down. Families were broken. Livelihoods destroyed in pogroms. However, this time around pictures of dead children and weeping mothers were not enough to convince the masses. France became the rallying point and hotspot for the thinkers of such ideologue. A living hell for anybody who was "against the people".
Rumours had always existed. Rumours about a massive French undertaking that would change the course of history forever. The world was in the state of turmoil with the members of the newly formed "Fourth Reich" leading rebellions in almost all countries of the world. Strangely, the governments seemed not too keen to stop them.
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The first bomb dropped on 24th August, 2024. I remember waking up and looking at my television screen with horror. France had launched an all out hydrogen bomb attack on Iraq. This set off a chain reaction. When faced with our own mortality, one's true self becomes apparent. Countries began nuking each other as if there was no tomorrow. They were probably right. War never changes and people never change. Such is the weakness of flesh.
Massive evacuation efforts began. My entire locality shifted into one of the newly constructed vaults set up across the entire country. I trusted no one so I moved into a bomb shelter of my own construction. My paranoia was unfortunately justified.
The screams still echo in my mind. The screams of the poor children as their souls were sundered by bombs of magnitudes equalling God. The acrid smell of smoke and the metallic stench of blood permeated my surroundings. My sensors displayed a post-apocalyptic world populated by nothing but death, chaos, pain and destruction. Entire cities were levelled with heartlessness-not giving a damn about the people living in them. The essential cruelty required to kill a human being was in full display as the metal birds rained poisonous death on the enemies of their countries.
I watched this macabre drama of the agents of chaos play out with absolutely no emotion. It essentially dissolved me into nothing. Weeks of loneliness had taken away my ability to feel. Hunger, pain, love, anger- all were foreign to me. The bombing eventually stopped but not before the entire world was levelled. A year after the last bomb was dropped-a year of misery-a soft metallic ting caught my attention. My eyes grew to the size of saucers.
My sensors were reporting that the environment outside was free from radioactive contamination. Disbelieving, I donned my very own fallout suit-designed to protect me from radioactivity- and walked out.
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My sensors were correct.
Nothing could however, prepare me for the scenery outside my home. My cameras had broken down long ago and I was unable to replace them. My last visual image of outside was just after bombing started. Tears pricked my eyes as I took in the breathtaking scene in front of me.
Plants had seemingly taken over. The former urban neighbourhood had been converted into a jungle. With delight I approached one of the massive trees that had sprung up on the remains of my home. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. Massive and bulky, it radiated power. Trees of every sort had crowded the landscape and I could do nothing but marvel.
My musings were disturbed by a soft voice. A chill spread down my spine; the voice was melodious and most importantly, undeniably human. I spin around with trepidation. In front of me was standing a young woman in her mid twenties.
I stared dumbly as she spoke, "Welcome to the new world, Watcher in the Darkness. We have been trying to contact you for weeks but we never got any reply. It is breathtaking to see you in person!"
I was shocked, not only by the name she had referred to me as but also the fact that there people on the surface.-people who had detected my presence deep underground. I fumbled, "H-h-hello. I am-"
"I am sure you have a lot of questions that would be soon answered. Your resourcefulness has impressed my superiors over at the farm. Walk with me and all shall be explained" , she cut me off and began walking towards the old town square.
I followed her unbelievingly and listened-something I had become quite good at over the years.
"After the first bombs were dropped in 2024, the Third World War had broken out between the Fourth Reich and the federations of nations known as the Earth federation. The fighting was bloody and both sides lost a good amount of men. Fighting in a nuclear-irridated wasteland as your skin melted off your face and a miasma of death and destruction engulfed you was nobody's idea of dying. Both sides witnessed several coups and leadership changes to no avail. The terrible war dragged on with leaders on both sides screaming propoganda with the grace of a rabid chihuahua.
The war continued for four terrible years but on 17th July, 2028 a peculiar phenomenon was observed by scientists on both sides. A completely new plant species was thriving which through means yet unknown, removed all traces of radioactivity from the area. It also thrived on it.
"That must have been the turning point in the war"
"You are correct Watcher. The plants spread through the world, growing on the resident fallout. It alone ended the war. Its destructive force was first observed in 2029 as it destroyed the headquarters of the Fourth Reich as well as the Earth Federation. From that day onwards, humanity has been rebuilding slowly but steadily. You see the proof in front of yourself."
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I had become so engrossed in the story that I hardly paid attention to the massive settlement in front of me. It was a picture of efficiency as young, healthy people went about their business. Children were playing, birds singing, flowers blooming as something arose in my heart. It was hope! After six years of pain and agony, a better future was still possible. Hope that bought a happy tear to an old man's eye. Hope that filled my blackened heart with a beautiful light.
