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UTOPIA

And then there was....

Something...

Anything...

Everything....

I look across the sea to the mountains. Once again lush with greenery, and teeming with life. Standing in the water, up to my waist, I wade across to the shore.

Sharks and dolphins frolic beneath my feet. As the tide brushes over my skin and clothes. No longer is there a need to be rivals. No longer do they fight for the simple right to share a common, crowded, filthy space.

Seals and their pups bark joyously. Penguins practice their bobsledding mimicry with carefree abandon. A tired Orca yawns and chitters its frenzied language. A polar bear only gives it a casual glance, and strolls away with cubs in tow.

In the sky, kites and sparrows play fearlessly. Vultures circle without a thought of death among them. Geese practice their formations simply out of a need for continued ingenuity. Owls and hawks dive and careen in acts of daring and wit.

On the shore, insects of all shapes and sizes scurry over each other. A continuation of their hurried former lives. They were made for that, after all. There are no duels over size and prowess. They couldn't care less that such a thing had ever existed. They dig their homes, and scurry around aimlessly. Even cockroaches, which are no longer in such large numbers,

participate under the light of the sun.

Monkeys chastise the branches, as they leap from tree to tree. Parrots imitate and practice the numerous sounds around them. Mockery being their only concern. Rabbits, dogs, and cats no longer need have such large litters. It is often that they have only one, maybe two. It is not uncommon to see a playful bunny thumping the tail of a lazy kitten. Or a puppy playfully nibbling a bunny's long ears.

In the cities and towns; the sounds of progress are a little quieter than before. Cars, trucks, planes, and trains do not race indefinitely around and over the landscape. Buildings do not sit empty and dilapidated for years and decades. Their rot on display for everyone to see. Skyscrapers do not cut the horizon at weird angles; blocking out the beauty of a sunset or the stars. There is no rush-hour traffic and endless honking and blaring of horns.

Jackhammers do not cut the silence of the day at odd hours. Music is not loud, angry, and pain-driven anymore. People genuinely greet, smile, nod at, kiss, or shake each others hands; when they pass on the street. Eyes gleam with hope and promise for the future ahead. All are equal. All are accepted and accepting.

Death, and the overwhelming desire to consume, have left the building.

4/27/2022b