THE RACE Saturday, June 13, 2009 |
MARCH 29,3009:
Today,the loo blowing through this tiny town is hotter than usual.though to call this place a town would not be exactly correct but Haripur is the only place left habitable on the surface of the earth which itself has changed into a huge boundles desert.
The increased pollution levels had caused such drastic changes in the environment that very few forms of life had survived.This was mainly because the ozone layer had depleted so much that it had led to a phenomenon commonly called "Burnout" in which the sun's direct rays had caused the death of many life forms by burning them to death.Haripur survived because it was situated in such a region where the killer rays had not been able to reach as of yet.
But the hide and seek game has ended.The Climate Monitoring Headquarters had informed the residents that the ozone layer above them had started degrading and within a few hours they would meet the same fate met by others.
That is why even in such a hot day everyone is digging a small area in order to make a shelter to save themselves from the killer rays.A Race between time, nature and life has started.
Watching all these through his binoculars from the balcony of his house at the outskirts of Haripur Vikrant sadly shakes his head. He knows this are futile efforts.The damage has been done.
Vikrant is an environmentalist.He had come and settled in Haripur with Ayesha,his wife when it had been a beautiful place full of flora n fauna.But despite his best efforts he had watched it transform into a desert town before his eyes.He had lost his parents in "The Burnout" and knew that even they had tried many methods to survive but had failed.He himself had tried to restore some greenery in Haripur by planting some plants but was forced to be a mere spectator as the trees slowly died due to lack of proper growth conditions.
As the light decreased the flurry of activities in the town also went down.Finally all decided to call it aday and go to their homes.Vikrant also removed the binoculars from his eyes and went inside their house.Ayesha had already laid out the table for dinner.There was an unusual gloom in the air as they silently had their dinner.
After retiring to bed they held each other's hands and assured each other not to worry and be brave.
At around 5 in the morning Vikrant is pulled awake by aloud beep on the radio. Something important was being transmitted.He rubbed his eyes and switched on the receiver.A clear voice was saying,"Fellow mates out there.With great regret in my heart I have to inform you that we have entered the last hour of our lives.Brace up yourselves and make yourselves ready to face the punishment of all our sins together."
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