Fiction: Group 3
I believe that it would be a wise move to evacuate them away from the highly chemically exposed areas. My
wife was one unlucky ones to be affected.” He just shrugged as if he didn’t even care. “Nonsense! I doubt it
was because of that. My people are all fine. Your wife must’ve been affected by cancer or some other
sickness.” Mr Zhang said disregarding my claims.
I urgently to rush back to my village to warn them since the mayor himself didn’t trust a single word I said.
Soon I walked past the streets, I realised I was already too late. Residents had turned into mindless and
disoriented beings like they were walking like headless chickens around the village. What I saw was far more
unexpected than I thought. Believe me no one could have anticipated this happening. The thought that
everyone I knew and grew up was gone in a sense was surreal. Parts of my life were disappearing before me.
However, I knew this was just the beginning.
Soon later the mysterious disease had affected a factory nearby already. The workers inside roamed aimlessly
and mindlessly in the entire factory. Their actions were similar to those zombies from horror movies.
However, their intentions were near impossible to guess and predict. It quickly spread and the news went to
all of China. Hunan was known as the Zombie Province. Many journalists soon asked the general of the
military to see what they would do about it. They also asked the president his opinion on this matter.
“General Tse how will you solve this outbreak in Hunan?” A reporter asked. “We might have to close out
the entire province of Hunan.” General Tse answered gravely. “I suppose it would be better to leave the
province alone.” General Tse added. “President Xi do you know what’s happening to Hunan?” A journalist
asked. “This is in fact a sign of success in China. Do not worry about it too much.” President Xi replied
with a great deal of confidence. But President Xi’s thoughts on this were very wrong…
Soon Hunan’s pollution began to worsen. It wasn’t that the pollution level got higher but it started to affect
people amongst the provinces in the Pearl River Delta. Soon chemical filled clouds billowed out of factory
pipes closing in on the other healthier provinces. The clear skies were soon filled with dark clouds creating a
gloomy environment which was in Guang Zhou; the first province to develop the disease. Gradually more
and more innocent civilians were affected until the entire Pearl River Delta became a no man’s land.
Guards from the provinces ushered the remaining survivors. I was forced to leave my affectionate wife and
my entire life in order to survive. Out of the fifty seven million people in the Pearl River Delta only one
thousand had survived. One contributing factor that a few had survived was their superb immune system.
We had to walk through multiple body sensors and get checked to see if we were infected. A few were and
they were dragged back. The infected victims were incurable and there was no chance of recovering.
Majority of them had to go through the bitterness of death and some were captured for research purposes.
As for my wife I never saw again. I hoped she rests in peace despite the most dreadful tragedy in history.
China also suffered from the massive loss of the Pearl River Delta. For me it was a miracle to be alive;
however the costs were detrimental. 31st of January is a day that scarred me forever.
It was another wonderful day in Guilin where I lived after the outbreak occurred 30 years ago and it has all
been simple with tranquil rivers and fresh air. I never forgot my wife whom I value the more than anything.
I wondered from time to time if it was really worth it at all. Did China know how much was enough and
when they should stop. The lives of millions of people for a better economy or a better home for the people
of China?
People around the world saw this as a warning for them to respect the world and its resources
instead of exploiting it all for the gain of their own greed. It is time we apply the value of balance between
nature and our own needs.
