FF – Second Chance?
Here is my story for Friday Fictioneers, hosted by Rochelle. This week’s photo comes from – ooh, I just checked, Rochelle as well!
I’m afraid I’ve gone eco-warrior again. You know, one of those ones who pontificates from their armchair before roaring off in their 6 litre 3 miles to the gallon pimp-mobile.
Copyright Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
“Wow, Mum! This virtual reality headset you got me’s great! The sky’s all blue!”
“That’s the colour it was on Old Earth, apparently.”
“Is it like that still?”
“No. That’s one thing everyone agrees on. Nobody can live on Old Earth now. It’s all destroyed.”
“How, Mum?”
“We’re not sure. The record tapes were damaged when the first refugees arrived here and nobody remembers. It must have been quite the disaster, though. Now, come inside, quickly. It’s looking like rain and with the wind coming from the Factory District we don’t want another of your t-shirts dissolving, do we?”
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Friday Fictioneers
draliman on life 
Very well written… sort of a warning to all of us. Excellent tale Ali!
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Thanks! Let’s hope we pay heed 🙂
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Glad it’s just the t-shirt that might dissolve! How did you resist the temptation?
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Ha, yeah, I could have put “remember what happened to your brother” 🙂
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I like your eco-warrior stories, they always strike a cord. This one had a touch of horror with that dissolving t-shirt. Great writing, Ali.
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Thanks, it is a pretty grim picture. I’m glad you liked it!
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New Earth doesn’t sound great, best start taking better care of this one! Nice take.
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Yes, it’s already on the brink I think. I’m glad you liked it!
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Another serious one this week. 😉 Good thing I also enjoy your apocalyptic tales! ☺
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🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Humour will return one day…
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Looking forward to future funnies! 😁
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🙂
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Thankfully this new planet was accepting refugees.
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Yes – we’ve just got to try not to muck it up!
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At least, it seems that skin has become more resistant than fabric. Thank goodness for tiny post-apocalyptic miracles…
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It appears we’ve evolved a little bit. Getting rid of the pollution would probably be a better step forward, though 🙂
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I’m trying really hard not to go off on a rant about the current political situation in the US and my disgust over the pending destruction of our Environment Protection Agency, (I’m not a fan of the Orange Overlord) so I’ll just say – Nice story, Ali. Alas, Old Earth, I knew thee well. 😉
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Yes, I read about that and couldn’t believe it. I had to double-check the source. And at a time when all other developed countries are trying desperately to clean things up…
I’m glad you enjoyed the story, anyway!
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I did. 🙂
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Oh… I don’t like that rain! Dissolving t-shirt? No thanks! Then again, if the Old World is gone, what choice have we? Good one!
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Looks like we screwed up another planet… 😦
I’m glad you liked the story!
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Sounds like humanity hasn’t learnt a thing… another planet to be lost.
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Humanity – ravaging its way across the galaxy, one planet at a time…
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Hey, the acid washed clothing trend might come back some day!
I hope you don’t mind the shameless self promotion (since I would NEVER do that!), but it reminded me of this comic I did long before many people were reading me:..
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Streaks and holes are very “in” 🙂
Fun comic (before my time). Promote away!
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That’s what I’ve long suspected. We’ll take our destructive ways with us to ruin other planets. Good writing, Ali. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Sadly I can’t believe we’ll change our ways 😦
I’m glad you liked it!
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Dear Ali,
That’s a rain to avoid. Loved your intro this week. 😉 A great read all the way around.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
I figured labelling myself an “eco-warrior” would be a tad hypocritical (though in reality my car is only 1.6l, not 6!).
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Ali
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Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. Great story!
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For sure – they’ll make the same mistakes again 😦
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Sadly, that is true.
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History repeats itself nice job.
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Unfortunately I bet this would happen 😦
I’m glad you liked it!
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What a horrible thought!
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Yep 😦
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The last line made me laugh – I hope that’s O.K.
“Old Earth” made me cringe. Well done.
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Laugh away! It’s quite a funny image, the poor lad coming home one day with his t-shirt all burnt through 🙂
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Hm, it sounds like our descendants didn’t learn from our mistakes. I’m certainly glad we haven’t progressed to t-shirt dissolving rain here on old Earth yet!
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Give it time…
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I like the grimness mixed with humor. And yeah, good thing it’s only the t-shirt that dissolves…
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Possibly they’ve evolved tough acid-proof skin. I hope so, the way things are going on their new world.
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That would definitely be a useful adaptation. Let’s hope for nictitating membranes protecting our eyes, while we’re at it.
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Hmm, tougher skin, nictitating membranes – they’re lizard people!
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Although maybe evolving into cockroaches would be a better long-term solution. 😉
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Meep 🙂
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it looks like it’s happening again in the new planet. when will we ever learn from our mistakes?
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Not anytime soon, I fear.
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Some things will change, others disappear, But at least we’ll still be wearing tee shirts
My 100 words
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Yes, that’s the main thing. I’ve never liked the look of those unflattering sci-fi B-movie skin-tight jumpsuits.
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A story with a warning, I suppose. Well written.
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Indeed, thanks!
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The humans do not change …. they destroyed the New Earth too. Nice take.
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Once a human, always a human…
I’m glad you liked it!
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History repeats itself, that’s a reminder we all need these days. I love the humour in the horror though, and a dedicated armchair environmental warrior is 1000x better than some people who are in charge these days.
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Mentioning no names… 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I expect before long a new set of refugees will be leaving their planet in search of number three.
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Oh, that’s a goooooood one! Maybe they’re on that new planet in that new solar system they discovered a week or so ago. Heard about it on the news.
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I heard about that too. I think they said there are several planets there that they can ruin 😦
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Maybe it’s good that it would take generations to get there.
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Give us a chance to have a good long think.
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Those poor refugee fleeing to a planet that is also being destroyed. I loved the dark twist in this, although I am afraid it is all too true.
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I’m afraid of that too. Maybe it’s best if we just stay home and try to fix this planet.
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If those humans ruined the Old Earth, no doubt they will do the same with the New Earth 😦
(retreating slowly back into the ocean….)
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I’m sure they will. It’s what we do 😦
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Our future on New Earth doesn’t look too great in your little tale! T-shirts that dissolve on contact with the polluted air and a sky that isn’t blue…! Perhaps our descendants will be confined to ‘biospheres’ after all – so someone should take good care of the design plans for the Eden Project.
An excellent bit of sci-fi, as well as a reminder of the way this planet is heading.
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Biospheres sound like a good idea. Not to protect us from the environment, but to protect the environment from us…
I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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No, we try to keep the kids out of that nasty t-shirt dissolving weather! :o)
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It’s very expensive on the clothes bill. Maybe some form of acid-proof umbrella…
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I’m seeing an upstart!
There is money to be made!
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🙂
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Good God! To think it could actually come true is quite scary! Good one!
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If we survive long enough to develop interstellar travel, just think of the the planets out there we could ruin.
I’m glad you liked it!
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Sounds like they’ll need another planet soon, will we never learn?
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I may be a bit pessimistic but no, I don’t think we’ll ever learn.
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Wow, it is what happens when we don’t learn from the past ( which is usually the case with us humans). This is not only a well written story, but a powerful message.
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Yes, history is full of us not learning from other history.
I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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I always enjoy your writings xx
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🙂
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Acid and Factories- sounds bad, great story.
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Thanks. Yep, real bad.
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The dissolving T Shirt made me laugh. Great take on the prompt.
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A fun image, not so great if you’re wearing it at the time 🙂
I’m glad you liked my story!
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Such a lovely usage of picture to put that message! Greatly done.. 🙂
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Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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Loved the dissolving t-shirt!
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It’s a dangerous time to be clothing!
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Hahahaa!
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