Imbalance

A Story by spoonieboi

This story was for a school project based on Rip Van Winkle and HG Wells Science Fiction.

Hatred. It lurks in everyone, anytime in history, in 1500 or in the present, 2019. Always in a different form for each person, but for Tyler, it was hatred for the society that was full of it. They knew that it was hypocritical, but they felt they had the right, for the society that raised them forced them into situations, feelings, and outfits that they never wanted anything to do with. Situations that were virulent and excruciating, and feelings that were just façades for what wasn’t “natural” or “normal” as per society’s twisted views. Tyler spent many years suppressing who they really were. All through school, up to the very end, when one night, they were scrolling through their social media, as the daily routine was, when they stumbled upon a blog. The blog displayed a rainbow title of “LGBTQ+ love, education, and support” that illuminated Tyler’s equally bright face. That was when, the very closeted, confused, and insecure “girl” that Tyler once was, blossomed. They found terms that made them feel more like themselves than any dress, lipstick color, or hair tie ever did. They became Tyler, and abolished the “shes and hers” that were associated with them, replacing it with the beautiful, complacent, four letter words, “they” and “them.” Not a girl, not a guy, just Tyler. Just a person, a wonderful, beautiful, handsome, human being. Unfortunately, the society Tyler grew up in, was full of hate and ignorance. Anyone who wasn’t fortunate enough to carry the Y chromosome, be pale and affluent was less than a person, closer to a dog than a human being. But those who were oppressed and immorally treated banded together, attempting to rise against those who hate. They have for decades, inching closer and closer to equality. Their feet trying to dig into the slippery, uneven slopes of injustice, climbing three feet forward, falling four feet back, hardly breaking even, rarely succeeding. Tyler discovered a whole new world, an escape from their unsupportive family and friends. But a problem had arisen in Tyler, and many others like them, something dark and lonely in their brain. An imbalance mixed with years of trauma and self hatred had taken hold, the seeds having been planted long ago, and clandestinely grown, wrapping its debilitating arms through the synapses, leaching and draining

This new discovery was accompanied with a new pain, a pain that for some, was too strong. Tyler was one of the many ill fated, and one night, Tyler had decided that the Earth was falling apart just as their life. So their time had arrived, encased in orange plastic, blue in color, tasteless and abundant. So upon purchasing and swallowing Tyler’s one way ticket to the unknown, they wandered to their favorite hidden place in the forest, under the canopy, beside a gurgling creek, and they lay down, for what they thought would be the last time. Tyler’s eyes get droopy, and shapes and colors appear that weren’t there before, and soon enough, everything is gone. Floating in the darkness, their body lays, not as cold as they had thought. Distant yells of a name long forgotten and abandoned fill the air for hours, Tyler hearing none of it, despite for them. The house is filled with the weeping of a mother, and the silence of a father departed. The orange plastic bottle, now empty, discovered by a man in blue concludes what was assumed.

Years go by, and the world changes. The forest nearby is protected, being one of the last as it struggles to grow and survive the ever changing climate, contaminated by centuries of irresponsibility. Twenty years drift by, the Earth’s problems continue, but society reforms and judges no longer, just tries to fix what needed to be decades ago, and twenty years after, a wonderful, beautiful, handsome, human being stirs.

Tyler’s eyes open, confusion, panic, and pain ensuing. The confusion to waking up, the panic of the difference in surroundings, and the pain from attempting to lurch forward. Their once spry and lanky body creaks and groans, having not moved in so long. Upon stumbling to their feet, Tyler trudges towards the town, and unexpectedly staggers into a town hardly resembling what was there before. The pavement is cracking, with not a single car spotted, in fact, horses pulling wagons fill the streets. The people wandering the town are a mix of just about everyone, some almost familiar. Taking in more of the town, Tyler sees that anything that once polluted the atmosphere was gone, and people wore what they wanted, expressing themselves anyway they wished, with no painful slurs being thrown about. Exploring the town more and more, Tyler saw that on the edges of town, there stood tall, massive towers that seemed to be the only electrified structures present. Upon asking a nearby person, Tyler discovers that the towers emitted a sort of shield from the climate outside the town, and as they wandered closer to the edge they saw that there was a barren wasteland outside. Sandy winds blew, making Earth look like an alien planet. With a few more questions that seemed bizarre to everyone, Tyler is informed that two years prior, there were two things that lead to this ultimate fate of Earth. The first, was the invention and usage of vehicles and other machines that function quicker and better than any others, but produce much more pollution, and the second reason was another world war that led to the use of extreme force and weapons of mass destruction. The results were too much for the Earth to handle, so it degraded and climate fluctuated so much it caused an imbalance that killed off many species, and upset the balance of the natural world, killing seventy-five percent of the world's population. The survivors had to design shields and survival techniques to live on Earth, and that included eliminating pollution nearly entirely.

Tyler, in a shocked state, wonders how their family and friends faired, completely forgetting what happened 20 years previously. As they approach the house, they see a new family in their home, however they recognize the father as an old friend. As Tyler approaches, they recognize each other, and share a shocked embrace. With some questioning, Tyler learns that after the incident 20 years ago, their mother was so terribly wrought with grief, she had to move away, as everything reminded her of her child she thought she had lost. She moved to a place that, two years ago, was entirely destroyed with no survivors. There wasn’t always a happy ending, and Tyler had seemly traded their family and friends, who despite their lack of support and acceptance, Tyler loved, for a barren wasteland, full of sadness but acceptance that was caused from mass tragedy. With that on their mind, Tyler left to find a reason, a will to carry on, and they felt what they caused their family and friends to feel. Tyler too, could not stay in this town, for everything reminded them of what they lost and pushed away.

Hatred. It causes everyone pain, and lurks in the dark. It presents itself differently to everyone, but it will never bring about a happy ending. Every society has its vices and virtues, just as every person. The moral of this can be taken many ways, and Tyler must still learn what it is. Maybe it's to not take what you have for granted, or to push through the pain, and find support where you feel there is none, finding the light in the dark. We only see the dark because we once had light to compare it. There have been many like Tyler, and there are many who could share the same story. Love, acceptance, support, and help can be found in any situation, whether it’s in yourself, a professional, or someone else, the light is ready to be found in the dark, you just have to look. It may seem better to leave, but would you buy a new house if one light went out, or just fix the light? You can do it yourself, find a friend to help you, or pay someone, either way, it helps, and help isn’t a bad thing to get.