Hubris
Roots intertwined, dancing with soil and seed; thoughts hung overhead, doubts cast over the river below, as it swayed to and fro, wanting desperately to move upstream. Dark clouds overhead foreshadowed what was to come. As humans looked on in shock, lives were cut short, dreams never fulfilled.
A grandfather sat at a bus stop with his faithful companion as shrieks and cries rang out in the distance. He closed his eyes and embraced what was to come, until only silence remained.
An asteroid clashed with a wandering star in the vastness of space. The planet was now a desolate wasteland, cities had turned to ash. Without masters, there was no hope seen among the dirt and radiation from such a cosmic force. As the dust settled, humanity was nowhere to be found. The only evidence of any such past were the giant man-made structures that were toppling over. Soon, there would be nothing left as Mother Nature took advantage of her old master’s absence and took back what was once hers. Trees bloomed once more and the toxins from old factories dissipated. The air became breathable once more.
All seemed lost for those that came before the collapse. Earth had been reduced to its former self. Animals thrived and wandered the earth freely; insects roamed and buzzed about in the background. Wind roared through once great cities, now transformed into forests. Birds soared high in the air and swirled through toppling spires and buildings, not a care in the world, the sky their playground once more. Through one of the old ruins, just out of earshot, something spooked them. The birds flew out of the way as a large, metal man dragged what appeared to be a bloodied corpse out of a hole.
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Writer: Lachlan Malden
Editors: Natalie Charlesworth and Caitlin Earle
