Erin Cynthia

The Zerulian Society

THE ZERULIAN SOCIETY By CynthiaTravis It was my last day of Fall and Winter was already creeping its coldness into the routine. The trees had shed the last of their leaves a week ago, but snow would still need time before falling from the sky. The wind had a bitter sting that would come and go, reminding the landscape to always grow its strong roots first. Thomas moved deer into these woods a few years ago, after society labeled him “DELUSIONAL” “PLASTIC!” The voice within him said, “Our Mother earth will not tolerate mass production forever.” Thomas chuckled. Before society weaseled their doubts of surviving existence into his head, Thomas was a simple man. He labored his time and body away working for a manufacturing company located 7 miles outside of town. Mom and Dad passed away some years ago and other family members moved to different states in all different directions. The trailer his parents left him was falling apart and options for Tom were running out. All but one friend left his side, due to his “Delusional Babble”, who has teetered with the idea of following suit like the rest. “Why can’t anyone see that eventually we will be living on a layer of trash? We buy, throw away and repeat this over and over and over again. TRASH! TRASH! TRASH!” Johnny merely shrugged. “You think I’m crazy too, huh?” Thomas asked “Thomas, it seems this idea of “trash Earth”, has consumed your mind. I mean, think about it. You believe the Earth will one day have a new layer over its crust, made of plastic trash.”, Johnny replied “Earth, Mother Earth will take action before it reaches that point!” “But yes, Johnny, don’t you see how mass production of items we re-use is doing this?” “Do not get me started on milk jugs, you forget those were once glass, right?” Thomas barked with a sneer across his face. “Landfills will not be able to hide this phenomenon forever!” “Hey look”, Johnny gasped, “I’m going home, you're delusional. Next you’re going to say there are too many different types and upgrades of cell phones.” “There are!” There is no need to constantly upgrade hardware. Software maybe, but we are creating more options for no reason that leads to different chargers into a kitchen drawer, where do all those cords end up Johnny?” Thomas asked. “To the trash!” Johnny moaned with a force sense of enthusiasm. “NO, to the landfill!” Thomas erupted with spittle misting the air. Johnny wiped the spray off his face as he headed to his minivan, no longer being able to deal with his delusional babble that seethed itself into every interaction, Johnny decided to end their friendship, this would be the last time he would see Tommy. While raking the leaves off his driveway, Thomas pondered over the conversation he just had with his friend. “What does it take for one’s behavior too sway radical in conclusions? He thought to himself. Thomas’s childhood home, his parent’s trailer, was within looking distance on the counties landfill. Cities outsourced their garbage from surrounding states to Thomas’s hometown. The smell, the site, the thought of a mountain growing full of trash boggled his mind. How high can they pile the trash before it is unbearable to the citizens nearby. How many landfills and how much faster with the increase, with the rise in human population? Every night, Thomas watched the landfill with awe and fumbled through thoughts littered in his mind. Until it happened.