Its almost that time of year again! Time to hide away for a month, attempt to write a story, inevitably fail, and then feel accomplished at what you did write. Thats right folks, its time for National Novel Writing Month! Unfortunately, this year I am studying abroad in England so finding time to write out 50,000 words in a story will prove difficult, but I will give it my best shot. I have a new idea for a story that I want to write so we shall see if that will take my focus or if my other story will continue to take my focus, which it probably won’t because all of my other drafts and papers and research I need for it are at home.
This year I want to try and write a sci-fi, end of the world story dealing with climate change. I have written a sort of prologue/ background chapter already, which I will put at the end of this blog, and I hope to continue with this idea. It started awhile ago when I wrote a visual short story about a world underwater, but it wasn’t a story as much as a writing exercise, but I liked the idea of the ocean covering most of the world so its one that I am going to go with.
So, here is my outline thingy. Enjoy!
Through the years the ice in the northern and southern poles melted. Slowly, at first, but gradually picking up speed as the seasons grew warmer. Drop by drop the glaciers sweat, their thousands of years being frozen coming to an end.
At first, no one noticed this phenomenon. Sure, summers lasted longer, winters steadily grew warmer; but no one was complaining. People went about their day ignoring the news of the rising temperatures and recurring natural disasters.
No one cared until the last wild emperor penguin died, unable to live in the frozen wonderland anymore. No one cared until the polar bears migrate so far south that they had started living in Michigan and North Dakota. No one cared until Manhattan started flooding more and more every year and with every rainfall.
No one cared, until it was too late.
People said they cared, but they didn’t do anything about it. They were too concerned with finding life on other planets to stop and think about the one they lived on. Politicians were too concerned with becoming senator or president; big businesses knew what was happening but were more concerned about how they would do in the next quarter.
People started to move inland, not wanting to live near the ocean for fear of the tsunamis and hurricanes that decimated New Orleans, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, and so many more that the newscasters lost count. Thousands died from disease, thousands more from starvation, and thousands more from dehydration. Those who survived lived in fear, unable to sleep without one eye open. Children no longer knew about iPads, television, or even cell phones. These were luxuries no one could afford anymore.
It wasn’t long before the government’s collapsed. Once the islands in the world disappeared, politicians and the rich alike fled. Some speculated that they went underground, others say they finally finished the space ships and fled to the space stations in orbit.
All the while, the earth continued flooding. Once the ice was melted there was hardly any land left. Parts of North America and Europe stayed intact with its few remaining citizens trying to rebuild societies. Asia and Africa were better off land wise and Australia was nothing more than a coral reef.
Humans persevere. Through disease, war, and disasters. Human beings have the innate urge to survive just like any other animal, but this urge doesn’t kick in until their lives are truly at stake. The heat may be unbearable at times, water may be scarce, food may be lacking, yet they survive. The earth isn’t going to kill us. Nor does it want to. The only thing that can erase the human race is the human race.
We’re going to kill us.
writersblocq 