The Prospect of Mass Annihilation and Destruction - Essay Example

Essay, English Topic: Satire-Animal Forum (Backgrounder information: This satire relates to the awakening of the animals and human beings those who live in animal-like conditions. A united front emerges of these categories to challenge the atrocities and cruelties on them by human beings. When awakened, their power is awesome. The humankind is facing the prospect of mass annihilation and destruction with the challenge of Animal Forum. Will the leadership of humankind brace up to face this challenge? How and when? Time is running out. Fifteen days’ time has been given by Animal Forum to the leadership of humankind to sort out the issue.) Fifteen days rolled by. The Boy-animal brought the news from his spies posted in Washington that shocked Fox and Lion. America planned to destroy a forest area of about 100 sq. miles within its own country, which was known for its flora and fauna and habituated by a rich variety of animals, birds and rare insects. It planned to burn the entire forest to make its intentions clear and to give a crushing blow to the fighting will of the Animal Forum. The forest area was at a distance of about 5-6 miles from one of the important industrial and commercial hub of America with a population of more than a million. The forest was guarded by security and had many observation posts. On orders, all of them vacated their quarters and moved out of the forest area with apprehensions that something unusual was going to happen. The confirmed information was that the attack would take place after 72 hours at 18.00 hrs. The boy-animal reported, “Army personnel in plainclothes have encircled the area, for every 50 meters, one armed soldier has been posted and all of them at a specified time, will pour gallons of petrol on the borders of the forest and set it on fire. “Not a fly should escape and not a blade of grass should be left. If any animal tries to escape, open fire! The orders on “protected species,” are suspended forthwith. I would like to see a heap of ash in this forest area.” This was the order of the Commanding Officer. The fox and the lion huddled together for consultations. The time for resolute action was in the offing. “Let this country have the taste of the power of our counter-attack.” Fox and the Lion constituted a special task force of animals, and birds to launch an attack on the city a day before the action intended by the American Forces. The orders were “Each one of you will be given a specified task and the action plan will be delivered to you personally by the Boy-animal at the Forest Guard Resort, which has been vacated by the security personnel. Your responsibilities have been defined and they are in tune with your nature. In addition, the impact of devastation that will happen with your combined and varied attacks would be so horrifying that no human being will ever think of attacking you. On conclusion of the war, await instructions to move to another forest. You will be escorted by bats at night.” The American Operation was codenamed as “Turn All and Burn All.” The Area Commander of the force had established his temporary headquarters in a Community, a distance of about 1000 meters from the forest. He was assisted by 4 commissioned officers and a platoon of dare-devil commandoes. The soldiers were devils by disposition as compared to their daring! These men had specialized in the art of inflicting cruelty on animals. Everything was ready twenty-four hours before the action would commence. Each soldier was provided with a sealed can of petrol to be emptied on the forest border on getting the signal for action. He would also remain battle-ready to shoot any creature that would try to escape from the forest. Fox had designated the Tiger to attack the commander and his force assisted by four big identical looking wild cats, to confuse the ranks, whether they are being attacked by one tiger or five. With a day to go for the operation, the commander and the soldiers were in a relaxed mood at 21.00 hrs, when the Tiger pounced on them from the rear door. The Boy-animal force had ensured that all the latches of the windows and doors would go missing. The wild cats purred viciously and with superhero sense and determination, the tiger attacked one after another as the commissioned officers and ranks ran for their lives to different rooms. The main door of the house was latched from outside by a giant monkey and he stood guard outside as the soldiers shouted wildly like lunatics. Some of them rushed to pick up their guns, but were surprised to see the serpents coiled to each gun and they hissed malignantly and spit poison. All communication lines were disrupted by the rodents. Each one of the officers and soldiers faced certain death. The Bear and the Brigadier The sudden collapse of the communication system with just one day left for the operation to commence, the War Room controllers at the Divisional Headquarters of the Army were a worried lot. They reported the matter to the Brigadier. He contemplated immediate personal visit to the war-front, just then, the guards on duty brought the news about the arrival of a giant bear, flanked by two foxes, all carrying the white flags indicating surrender. The Brigadier was pleased with this development. He had chalked out plans to break the animal ranks and create disunity amongst them but didn’t expect that it would happen so soon, with initiative from the side of the Animal Forum before the commencement of the intended plan to attack the forest area. He had some knowledge about the animal psychology, and the wise amongst the lot must have used their sixth sense to persuade the bear to submit the proposal of surrender to prevent mass annihilation of the animal/bird/insect fraternity – he articulated. The bear was ushered in before the Brigadier with all dignity and discipline by a dozen gun-trotting soldiers. The ‘shaken’ bear and the foxes saluted and bowed to the Brigadier and continued to wave the white flags vigorously. “Stop it,” ordered the Brigadier. The waving of white flags froze. The soldiers moved into action and made a thorough search of the person of the Bear and the Foxes, and reported, “Nothing Sir!” “What brought you here?” Brigadier questioned authoritatively. “Surrender,” said the bear, as the foxes sunk their bodies like obedient servants. “What is the force under your command?” “All that I am going to submit before you is highly confidential information and I request you to provide me with an opportunity to speak to you alone.” The Brigadier signaled to his forces. The two foxes also trooped out to an adjacent room. The reluctant personal security officer of the Brigadier was persuaded to go at the instance of the bear, as it insisted for total confidentiality. The bear quickly moved and latched the door to the amazement of the Brigadier and gave a broad smile providing him with an opportunity to see his razor-sharp claws and killer jaws. The bear wiped his body with the white flag — the token of surrender! The Brigadier shifted on his seat, stood up and stepped aside, came forward and sought the hand of friendship with the bear, though he didn’t like the fate of the white flag. “Will you have some fruits?” asked the Brigadier, offering the bear an apple from the basket of fruits on the side-table.” His sixth sense began to trouble him. He felt uncomfortable alone in the company of the bear. “Oh, No!” said the bear, “Unfortunately, bears have given up vegetarianism a long time ago. I personally like meat, and I like it raw!” The bear came close to the Brigadier and hugged him affectionately. In the embrace of 8 ft. tall and burly bear, the less than 6 ft. wiry Brigadier looked like a puppet. Bear loosened the grip of the hug for a while to say, “So, you are the commander in overall charge to destroy the forest, eh?” With a loud grunt, he hugged the Brigadier, without waiting for his reply and this time the hug blocked the breath of the Brigadier. Outside the latched door, he heard lots of commotion, running around, wild shrieks and gunshots. The confused Brigadier desperately sought freedom but the two hundred pounds weight hug of the bear provided no scope to escape. He pressed harder and harder, deliberately with the specific purpose. He tried to get to his service revolver, but bear’s prompt kick knocked it and the revolver fell down at the feet of the bear. Brigadier heard the sound of his bones cracking as the bear tightened the grip and soon the Brigadier turned late-Brigadier, with his tongue hanging and eyeballs peeping out of the socket. Blood oozed out his body from many outlets. It began to drip from the pores of the punctuated veins/skin of the Brigadier’s body just like drops of bile from the glands of bear undergoing torture in the cage in which it was imprisoned. The bear loosened the grip and the body of the Brigadier tumbled in a lump of flesh. The bear began stomping the body repeatedly, with loud grunts cursing humankind heartily for the cruelties inflicted on the fraternity of bears. “This one for lowering us alive onto beds of hot coals for cooking our paws — a delicacy for the palate of you progeny of demons” ……Outside the room, on being signaled by the two foxes with their characteristic yelps, a host of serpents began to attack the soldiers. Human-size monkeys threw stones at them to make sure about their death. A few succeeded in running away, only to be attacked by stones by eagles; some woodpeckers pecked the heads of the escapees so severely sending jets of blood from their punctured skulls. Thousands of pamphlets were air-dropped all over the city warning people that the selected targets were under attack and advising them to stay indoors. Monkeys were seen emptying the cans of petrol on important installations, the residential premises of marked politicians, slaughterhouses, marts selling meat and soon fire engulfed many areas of the city. Herds of elephants roamed freely in the streets uprooting electric poles and wireless towers. Their trumpets were awesome and terrified people blinked through the windows to watch the ferocity of the targeted attacks. The monkeys brought the road traffic to a halt by placing boulders at strategic points. The rodents deflated wheels from airplanes to the small cars. The bus shelters, lounges at the airports were swarmed by the scorpions. Sporadic stone throwing by eagles at important areas continued. The entire communication system collapsed. Milk and vegetable supplies were disrupted. All educational institutions, government offices remained closed, without actually declaring a holiday. Even within the four walls of the house, people spoke in whispers and no one knew what would happen next. They lived by moments. The news reached the top brass of the party at the capital city and an emergency meeting of the senate was summoned. “Reach Washington by this evening 7.00 p.m. no matter how you reach but reach in time,” was the message sent to all the senators and top military generals. In the meantime, the Animal Forum sent a communication to President Obama. “Agree for surrender by 07.00 hrs. tomorrow or else face attack on another city.” Read More