Episode 2: 2040
With few more seconds to go, the earth will turn 2040. There are many changes throughout the years. However, life has not gotten any better. I decide not to do anything tonight. I just want to lay back, relax and enjoy my glass of 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon and also a touch of fusion music. Tomorrow is going to be a tough day. A good and sweet night sleep is all I want tonight. I have not had any great sleeps since last few weeks. I suffered to the point that I had to take sleeping pills. It seems everything is physically and mentally haunting me. Good night.
“We only have short dreams in our sleeps, but real dreams are long way gone”
1/1/2040
My microtech watch suddenly wakes me up with an update on the breaking news at 7:50am in the early morning. It’s an update on the current breaking news. Usually, I won’t bother reading the text message on my watch but this time, something very important arises. With a glance on the text on my watch, I see something “…lia is in a turmoil”. With a great curiosity, I switch on my OLEMX and start watching the breaking news. Southeastern Australia suffers a major blow on water shortage crisis. Most lands have turned into deserts. With a slightest wind blown on the area, most buildings and houses will be covered with dust. Today, farmers and business people have gathered around in Adelaide city area to demonstrate the lack of water shortage in the city. Australian government is facing a major blow of water distribution.
Well, it's going to get really terrible. If they can’t fix it, they will just face another major problem of food shortage. In fact, food is scarce in everywhere. Major trading is very limited nowadays. So, the idea of Adam Smith’s free trade is rather irrelevant nowadays. Nations that suffer from staple output will eventually face a devastating indirect consequence.
Five minutes past 8:30am, another breaking news happens in the states. The state of California suffers a major forest wildfire. With multiple areas being affected, firefighters are struggling to control the fire. 100,000 residential homes are going to be burnt down. California has multiple sites with high risk of getting another fire outcomes. Massive evacuation is in placed.
I quickly switch off the screen of my OLEMX and prepare to check out on a rally outside today. It’s just 3 blocks down the road. I can’t wait to go out and make a voice. It is a rally that against on the issues of food and water distribution. Most immigrants, jobless people and also different class of citizen are being treated unfairly. The distribution of food and drink vouchers is unequally distributed in favor to local or native people and not to mention, rich business representatives. Today is the day where thousands of people from different background and culture are coming out to make a stand to destroy the food and drink distribution quota. Enough is enough. A fair food allocation must be re-considered by the government. However, there is another side of this story.
From my apartment house, I hear demonstrators shouting “Food and Drink For Everyone”. It’s going to be a big crowd. I can’t wait to get there. I quickly rush to Karl’s apartment and impatiently knock on his door. With a drained look on his face, he opens the door gently. This is how our conversation goes.
Me: Hey, Let’s go! The demo is going to start.
Karl: Yea..h I know, but I’m hungry and got no more vouchers.
Me: It’s okay. I got some. Let’s go. Hurry up. I’ll wait you outside. Be quick!
Karl: Yeah! Thanks
10:11am
We both arrives the food bank distribution center. Well, as usual, the line-up is insanely long. We talk a bit and the time goes by quite fast. Luckily, most people are heading to the demonstration today. It makes us a lot easier to grab our food. As far as I am concerned everything seems fine. In fact, we grab our hot coffees and some bread that is freshly baked from the oven. We will be able to get to the demonstration in time. Karl realizes that he has to get a daily newspaper from a newspaper stand just outside the center. Reading newspaper is just his daily routine activity. Well, I guess he prefers reading than watching.
Karl: Hey I gotta get a newspaper.
Me: Okayy, I’ll walk first.
Karl: ya! I’ll catch you later.
10:31am
Out of nowhere, a sudden blast hits me from behind. It violently shakes the streets. A gust of explosion pushes me on the ground. A sound-like buzz is jamming my ears, and my body is covered with black dusk. I can’t hear anything. I am in shock for 10 seconds before I could realize that Karl is behind me. I turn back and run all the way back to look for Karl. The environment is so intense that I see people with burnt faces coming out from the center. They shout for helps. I can’t see things clearly. My vision is very blur. Smokes are everywhere. Canned food and broken glasses are scattered all over the place. Finally, I manage to find Karl outside the newspaper stand. Karl is …… (to be continued)
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