The Tree Family

Amidst a vast forest, lived a beautiful joint family, known as “The Tree Family,” who were the true guardians of the land. Oak was the head of the family. He lived there with his wife, Maple, his son, Pine, his daughter-in -law, Birch and his grandchildren—Ash and Willow. The family was the epitome of peace, harmony and selfless love. Each member was so giving that they would provide immense love to the world without expecting anything in return. The virtues could be found across all three generations. Strange, isn’t it? How could anyone be so selfless, so kind? Hard to find such beings in today’s world. But the Tree family was one of those rare species.

Unfortunately, their happiness got jinxed when the forest was invaded by an outsider. His name was Axe, a giant business tycoon. Axe was into hospitality industry and wanted to build a five star hotel on their land. He manipulated other people and formed alliances. They “plotted” against the Tree family and eventually started acquiring their land. Deforestation began. They brutally killed Oak, followed by his wife, son and daughter-in-law. Even the children were not spared. Ash was burnt alive. They were real monsters. Somehow, Willow had escaped. He ran to save his life until he found his Godsend saviour, Earth.

Earth, a woman of astonishing beauty, lived alone in a nearby village. When she first saw Willow, she couldn’t control her tears fall from her cheeks. The strong woman cried at the feeble condition of an orphan child. It took minutes for her to adopt Willow. Willow’s Mother Earth nurtured him, loved him, pampered him, took care of him till she made him a teenager. While Willow was growing up, Earth noticed that the boy is extraordinary. He had some sort of supernatural powers. When Willow grew up, he became aware of his powers. He was calm, loving and kind – traits of his biological family. He forgave but never forgot. He had continual dreams of that horrendous sight where he witnessed the demise of his family. He couldn’t overcome the childhood trauma. He decided to give Axe the taste of his own medicine.

He left home, seeking the blessings of his Mother Earth. He returned to his native land where he saw a mansion sort of hotel. It was Axe’s hotel— “The Urbanisation”. Willow fixed his camp nearby. He started using his powers. He could reduce the oxygen in the air, making it suffocating for those inside. He could rise the temperature, making it difficult for people to survive. He could release carbon dioxide, making it difficult to combat climate change. The guests started feeling choked. They raised complaints to the hotel manager about the inefficiency of the air conditioners. The manager couldn’t understand the reason for such unpleasant atmosphere. After all, they had got the best ACs.

Axe arrived when the situation was uncontrollable. Even he couldn’t fathom the root cause. He could sense the intoxicated air. He felt devastated with the rising issues. He went for a stroll to get some fresh air when he encountered Willow. He couldn’t recognise him till Willow introduced himself. Axe could never imagine what he had done years ago, will bear fruits now. Willow said, “You killed the Trees, you must die. Trees were the source of happiness, healthier lives, peacefulness, clean air and sustainable future. Trees were selfless. They loved everyone unconditionally. What was their fault? You destroyed a happy family. You must be punished. You are a murderer”. Axe begged for forgiveness. He understood the value of Trees. He understood that without Trees, the survival of mankind is impossible. He promised Willow that he will plant one million trees. On hearing this, Willow felt happiest. His angst vanished and he broke into tears. His mission was accomplished. He wanted Axe to realise the importance of Trees which he succeeded in. At last, he returned to his Mother Earth, pride shining in his eyes, wearing the invisible crown of victory. He could now live satisfactorily, continuing to love the world, selflessly and unconditionally.