Short Story: A liveable Planet

The door was opened on the third knock. He entered as soon as possible and the door was shut behind. It was important that the air doesn’t get in. His dad was relieved to see him. He tried to smile, but he couldn’t. He has been finding it difficult to smile at the elders since his teenage, since the days he realized what the elders done to his world.

Removing the mask from his face he stepped in into the house. He walked straight to the bedroom where his mother was lying, under medical support. She was asleep. He dropped the kit of medicines which he has brought for her on the table beside him. She has been under medical support for nearly six months now. Years of inhaling polluted air has terribly weakened her lungs. He realized that he was at least lucky enough to at least earn much to buy sophisticated masks which could reduce the effects of pollutants.

His dad brought him a glass of recycled water. He took a sip. He knew that his mother can’t survive longer and his dad would follow her too. But what could he do? He wasn’t the one who made this happen.

He gazed at the headline of ‘The Hindu’ lying on the table. It read “Chennai submerged under sea”.

It was getting late. He’ll still have to travel for two more hours before he could reach his office.

He wore his mask and said to his father, “Please don’t go outside. Contact me whenever and whatever you want. Do you have enough food for the next two weeks?”

“Of course son and the air purifiers are working well too”.

“Do tell Amma that I’ll come after two days again. I don’t want to disturb her now”.

“Sure”.

He walked towards the door. His dad called to him again. “Son, have you thought about marriage?”

He stared. His dad knew the answer. He closed the door quickly when he was out. The clouds indicated that acid rain was not far away. But he had to leave. He has been working for the last seven years, working extremely hard to earn money, so that he can leave this planet. It has been several years since humans have been in Mars.  And he told himself, “Maybe, maybe if I reach Mars, and if I feel that I’m living in a planet worthy enough to live, maybe I’ll marry, I’ll have kids”.