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ICE AGE?
We had walked for quite sometime when a buzzing sound reached my ears. Peering through the haze I could just make out a cupboard sized machine on the side of the road ( or should I say snow track?) that appeared to make that noise.
"Oh that" Vi said when I asked her about the noise, "that's a giant heater you are looking at. You'll see more of these things around here. They control the temperature. Somewhat." she shrugged.
"Well" I queried as I tried to rub out the cold from my hands, " they don't seem to be doing a good job, isn't it? I mean.. couldn't you up the temperature or something?"
Vi gave me a queer look. " That thing is set to a temperature of about 1000 degrees." Now it was my turn to look queer. True, as we passed it a few short blasts of warm air appeared to come out of it, but 1000 degrees? I wasn't ready to believe it.
" Do you have any idea how hot is 1000 degrees?" I asked through chattering teeth.
She stopped walking.
"Wait. Do you mean to tell me... I know yours is a hotter world. But tell me.. exactly how hot is it?" she asked.
" Well, generally around where I stay it is pretty hot. Around.. 40 degrees maybe.." I said thoughtfully.
Vi just stared. After a minute she let out a whistle. " Soo.. that's why they want you.." she said nodding to herself.
" I'm sorry.. you lost me there" I said hoping to catch on.
Vi started walking again but a bit slowly. I could make out the makings of a building slowly appearing out of the haze.
"You see, you belong to that time when it all started. You guys are literally experiencing what was called the global warming." she said as we walked.
" Don't tell me.. your world doesn't have it?" I asked.
Vi looked me full in the eye before answering.
" Kushal, you are a decade after your time. Global warming has done its damage. It passed. But this was created as well. Its man made."
I was numb. From cold and shock.
"You mean.. this freezing icy area was created by man?" My incredulousness must have been voiced by my words. Vi answered with more seriousness than I have heard her talk than now.
" From time immemorial man have polluted the environment. At a time when global warming was at its peak pollution too, reached its mark. From numerous industries particulate matters were produced which were ultralight and floated for a longer time than was good. More over, they rose up with the warmer air and formed a layer of its own somewhere in the stratospheric level. That had been blocking rays of the sun for more than a century. We are currently approaching the ice age. That's why its so cold. We tried everything. From blasting the layer to searching alternate energy sources.. but nothing worked. The particles floated back and could not be destroyed. Our rivers started freezing over and we couldn't get enough tidal energy. Our only hope was to stop it at its germ. That's why the scientists developed the time machine. We hoped we could find a solution if only we could interact with the past". I felt worried as she finished.
"But" I asked doubtfully, " I don't know much about that.. I mean I only know what gets out on the newspapers. And I don't know much about science! How am I supposed to help you?"
" I suppose we are soon to find out." Vi said. We had reached the building. A door opened in front of us automatically. Vi gestured, "Welcome to the R. A. D. Lab."
To be continued...
© jb
"Oh that" Vi said when I asked her about the noise, "that's a giant heater you are looking at. You'll see more of these things around here. They control the temperature. Somewhat." she shrugged.
"Well" I queried as I tried to rub out the cold from my hands, " they don't seem to be doing a good job, isn't it? I mean.. couldn't you up the temperature or something?"
Vi gave me a queer look. " That thing is set to a temperature of about 1000 degrees." Now it was my turn to look queer. True, as we passed it a few short blasts of warm air appeared to come out of it, but 1000 degrees? I wasn't ready to believe it.
" Do you have any idea how hot is 1000 degrees?" I asked through chattering teeth.
She stopped walking.
"Wait. Do you mean to tell me... I know yours is a hotter world. But tell me.. exactly how hot is it?" she asked.
" Well, generally around where I stay it is pretty hot. Around.. 40 degrees maybe.." I said thoughtfully.
Vi just stared. After a minute she let out a whistle. " Soo.. that's why they want you.." she said nodding to herself.
" I'm sorry.. you lost me there" I said hoping to catch on.
Vi started walking again but a bit slowly. I could make out the makings of a building slowly appearing out of the haze.
"You see, you belong to that time when it all started. You guys are literally experiencing what was called the global warming." she said as we walked.
" Don't tell me.. your world doesn't have it?" I asked.
Vi looked me full in the eye before answering.
" Kushal, you are a decade after your time. Global warming has done its damage. It passed. But this was created as well. Its man made."
I was numb. From cold and shock.
"You mean.. this freezing icy area was created by man?" My incredulousness must have been voiced by my words. Vi answered with more seriousness than I have heard her talk than now.
" From time immemorial man have polluted the environment. At a time when global warming was at its peak pollution too, reached its mark. From numerous industries particulate matters were produced which were ultralight and floated for a longer time than was good. More over, they rose up with the warmer air and formed a layer of its own somewhere in the stratospheric level. That had been blocking rays of the sun for more than a century. We are currently approaching the ice age. That's why its so cold. We tried everything. From blasting the layer to searching alternate energy sources.. but nothing worked. The particles floated back and could not be destroyed. Our rivers started freezing over and we couldn't get enough tidal energy. Our only hope was to stop it at its germ. That's why the scientists developed the time machine. We hoped we could find a solution if only we could interact with the past". I felt worried as she finished.
"But" I asked doubtfully, " I don't know much about that.. I mean I only know what gets out on the newspapers. And I don't know much about science! How am I supposed to help you?"
" I suppose we are soon to find out." Vi said. We had reached the building. A door opened in front of us automatically. Vi gestured, "Welcome to the R. A. D. Lab."
To be continued...
© jb
