Natures warrior, a short story by Ivana Glavonic

Ivana Glavinovic, a learner at Roosevelt High School, writes about the negative impact humans have had on nature:

I had been laying still for what felt like a millennium. My body was numb and it was hard to breathe. “Let me try open my eyes, why have I not thought of that yet?” I asked myself.

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I saw the most breath-taking sky above me, some tree branches added texture. The sun whispered through the leaves like a child beaming with joy. Warmth had consumed me. I lifted a hand above my face, I inspected it as if it weren’t mine. It was exactly like in those movies when something doesn’t feel quite right. My left hand, then my right. I know who I am but this body didn’t feel like home.

My fingers had extended, the tips were pitch black. My skin seemed to be a planet of its own. I had mushrooms on my shoulders and vines wrapping around every inch of my body. I felt flowers growing on my head and rocks stretching my earlobes. I felt like the earth in human form, the warrior of nature itself.

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The life around me, it all spoke to me. The trees hugged me, the grass kissed my feet and the birds said hello. I made eye contact with some rogue animals as I walked through a captivating forest, we really saw each other. I felt safe, I felt at home for the first time in forever.

I seemed to be the only creature that resembled a human, even though I was slightly peculiar.

I sat on the edge of the highest mountains, breathed in the crisp air and took in the ocean of green below me and the waves of blue and white above me. I swam with the dolphins and greeted the turtles. They all looked so beautiful without the contamination of humans.

I felt so honoured to experience the warmth of sleeping on the belly of a bear. I got to hold everyone’s babies. I adore the animals that no one understands. I was treated like an equal, no matter what creature I walked with.

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I will admit, I did feel a sense of loneliness at times as I didn’t really have anyone, I could have a conversation with. I communicated with the life around me but it was on a different, unexplainable level.

I saw cities covered in trees and vines and so much green. It almost seemed as if the trees were trying to take the place of the concrete jungle.

It gave me a sense of euphoria seeing Mother Nature take back what’s hers and breathe again.

Seeing this world so peaceful after so much pain and suffering was incredible.

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I walked to the edge of the last city, slowly disappearing, I took in the view in front of me. A pulsating pain overflowed my body. I looked down at my right arm, near my shoulder and saw red gushing out of me.

I let out a heart-wrenching wail. I saw what seemed to be a huge spear in front of me. Stuck at an angle, sharp, man-made. I turned my body, searched behind me where this instrument came from.

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In a tree that had covered the last building, a being stood on a thick branch. It looked like me, a creature in human form. Its chest stood proud and arms looked long. It let out a giggle that made my skin crawl.

It jumped from the highest point and became level with me. We locked eyes for a second, I grabbed the spear that injured me and ran toward this embodiment of evil. I will not let history repeat itself this time.

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