Tevun-Krus #49 - Best of 2K17

The Earth Is a Dead Rock - @AE_Kirk - Dying Earth

The Earth Is a Dead Rock

A Dying Earth Story by AE_KIrk

The day after I graduated with my Primitive Cultivation degree, which I passed with 100% might I add, I was sitting in my parent's living room eating my mother's famous sardine, cucumber and pickle sandwich. I turned my nose up at it when she passed me a plate and gave her a wan smile.

'Hmm my favourite,' I lied, placing the plate on the white coffee table in front. 'So what is dad doing?'

'Still growing his vegetables,' she smiled. 'They'll only take a few weeks to fully mature. Science ey?'

Nodding I frowned at the repercussions of dad's vegetables. Taking so little time to grow, the vegetables have decreased in nutrients. I was annoyed my folks didn't know this.

As I thought to myself, I was unaware my mother was watching me. After a little cough, I glanced up to see her nodding at my plate of death. With another wan smile, I picked up the sandwiches and shoved one in my mouth. The cucumbers were tasteless, like cold soggy pasta and the pickles were like wet mouldy dog biscuits. The taste of food had clearly been thrown out of the window, run over by a bus and then pissed on by a homeless person.

Only being able to stomach two bites, I placed the plate back on the table and decided to ask my mother what the matter was. It's not often your parent's call for a "chat" and when they do it's usually because they miss you, but with my parent's they probably want something.

'You rang?' I asked her. She fumbled with her hands and gave a heavy sigh. 'Well are you going to tell me what's wrong?'

'It's your brother. He's run out of money, again.'

Trying hard not to roll my eyes at how typical my brother, Edrick, was I rested my head on my hands. 'Ok, and?'

She frowned. 'I would like you to do something about that.' She flattened her dress and sat up, staring at me. 'You have a stable income Harrison, I expect you to help out your family.'

My ears burned from regret and guilt. If only she knew what I had done.

'Helping out Edrick will do no good,' I told her firmly. 'He is twenty-two. He has a degree; he is able to find a job himself.'

She snorted. 'Do you know, your brother thought it would be a great benefit for us if he went on to become an Origin Hunter?' she tittered. 'Hardly beneficial for him. It's more stupid if you don't mind me saying so.'

I could understand why Edrick would want to do that, his morals were in the right place. He had always dreamed of finding a new planet. For the last seven generations, earth's smartest and bravest had ventured into the void of space to find a new earth as this one wasn't going to last much longer.

'If truth be told, love we thought you would want to become an Origin Hunter. It must be nice, leaving space for a few months at a time.'

My blood boiled and I stood up abruptly, trying to calm my temper. 'Mother, our planet needs saving not abandoning. All those idiots who have tried and failed to find us a new home, we need to pool our last meagre resources into replenishing the planet. It's why I'm applying for the FS Campaign, I truly think that we might be able to find it, somewhere.'

'Are you mad?' She shrieked. 'Harrison, the First Seed Campaign is a load of tripe! You are not going to waste your degree on finding something that doesn't exist!'

I glared at her. 'Alright then,' I shouted. 'So if we do happen to find a new planet, where the hell are we going to find various seeds to plant? As they no longer exist now and everything is made in a fecking lab, are we going to eat the plants and vegetables of a new planet that may be poisonous, instead of healthy?' She looked flustered and straightened her dress. 'Think! We need the first seed to help our plants to grow. Yes, our planet is on its last legs. China, Russia, India, South America and parts of Europe are completely covered in thick yellow polluted air that nearly 2 billion people contracted lung cancer and have died. Nearly all the animals have been wiped out in those countries and the rest of us are clinging to the last shreds of hope that we are still able to save our planet, I may be one of them, but at least I'm sure as hell trying!'