To Rule Over Ashes
Tia: We haven’t talked much lately. I’m beginning to suspect that you may be upset.
Mia: I’ve been telling you that I am. And why.
Tia: Ok, you have my attention now. I miss you. Can we talk?
Mia: Ok.
Tia: Hm. What’s new? Oh, you remember our old friend Lucia? She died recently… complications from a medical treatment for a burn she’d sustained.
Mia: Oh, how sad! She was wonderful.
Tia: Yes, she was. It was sad indeed.
Mia: Thank you for telling me. Hope you’re doing ok.
Tia: You’re welcome. Yes, I am, thanks. Rhea just got diagnosed with second-degree burns and Gia’s been put on oxygen due to issues caused by from long-term smoke inhalation. So many people unwell lately!
Mia: That all sounds rough. I hope they get better soon. Can you see a link between these issues?
Tia: I think that’s just what it’s like to get older. People around you get sick…
Mia: Oh! Look who just appeared across the street – it’s Steve.
Tia: Poor guy – I heard he just split from his wife.
Mia: I thought they were separated a long time ag-oh no! There he goes again with the gasoline. HEY, STOP!
Tia: I don’t think he can hear you…
Mia: Oh, he can hear me. He just doesn’t care.
Tia: He has a cute couple of kids.
Mia: (To Steve) HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! STOP!!
(To Tia) Woah… look at all those guards surrounding him. Where did he get the budget for this entourage? Is that where our community fund disappeared to last year? He’s just pouring gasoline on the neighbor’s house with impunity!
Tia: …
(Mia approaches Steve and a heavily armed guard lunges threateningly at her.)
Mia: We’d better get out of here. We are VERY outnumbered.
Tia: We probably shouldn’t have been here in the first place.
Mia: This is my own house! Or at least what’s left of it… Come on!
(Mia grabs Tia’s hand and they run together to hide behind a wall a safe distance away.)
Mia: Can you see now what’s happening? What he’s doing to our village? He’s pouring gasoline right in front of our eyes. And his pockets are overflowing with matches. Weird… Looks like he’s got a whole wheelbarrow of suspicious supplies.
Tia: I can’t really see what you’re talking about.
Mia: He’s right there, look.
Tia: I can sort of make out some shapes but it’s blurry.
Mia: Wait… is your vision ok? When was the last time you checked your eyesight?
Tia: I’ve never had it checked. But it’s ok. I get by just fine.
Mia: How do you get around?
Tia: Other people tell me what’s going on and where to go. When there are conflicting instructions, I go by the majority’s opinion. Or listen to the most reputed experts.
Mia: Have they ever led you astray?
Tia: I try not to think about it.
Mia: Dang… Well, I can help you get checked for glasses, if you like. Then you can navigate things for yourself.
Tia: I’m not sure I want to.
Mia: Why not?
Tia: (small voice) I’m scared.
Mia: Of what you might have to face?
(Tia nods, sadly.)
Mia: Ohhh. You haven’t seen them yet. Your own burns, I mean…
(Tia shakes her head and begins to cry. Mia embraces her and they sob together.
In the background, the house across the street explodes into flames.)
***
“An evil man will burn his own nation to the ground to rule over the ashes.”
– Sun Tzu (?)
***
Interesting article from the Business Insider, published in 2018: https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/aluminum-dust-from-geoengineering-fueling-super-wildfires-according-to-author-1027513869
Thinking in Stomp-Claps 