2020

00.00 hrs 2020

"Welcome and yes Happy New Year Dear human!

I am the year which you are welcoming with zeal and fervor. You have all set out varied resolutions, happy for you all dearies out there, but I too hold on a spectrum of surprises for you. Like a clairvoyant, I bring forth a bleak unsettling future for all my loved ones, I set out a platter full of destruction, hatred, malice, death, containment and death. I will creep into your fears and feed upon your strengths and weakness, I long to see you suffer, for I am the year 2020."

The whole world was set out on fire, as the TV channels and newspapers were broadcasting this as headlines. "It was a day before, on 31st December, 2019, a famous TV NEWS channel was taking interview of the year 2020 to know what it had store for the human. The interview snippets are here for us to know more." The voice of the TV anchor shook, and was lost, as she announced..

Interviewer: Hello, 2020 we the human race welcome you to take over and lead us to a wonderful future of progress and glory. (with pride on his face)

2020: (laughs loudly) Thank you, Human, it's lovely to be welcomed by you all. I am looking forward to lead you. (with a smirk on face)

Interviewer: So tell us Mr. 2020, what have you in store for us. Our Audience and viewers would like to hear it out from you. (confident and staring straight into his eyes)

2020: Well, it would be a wonderful year for most of you. I will be granting you progression and put forward challenges to which you all would possibly understand your might and place in nature.

Interviewer: Well, we are ready to face any challenges, after all as you must have witnessed and heard from your predecessors that we have made remarkable scientific progression and we are ruling nature.(a mix of pride and confidence curtains his face)

2020: Oh, don't bother about your place now, I will foresee, that you know your worth, Mankind is very precious to all, but we would like to see how you cope up to the challenges and constraints. (snickering throughout the answer)

Interviewer: Mr. 2020, what challenges are you trying to tell us, would you throw some light on it and share some snippets of it. (anxious now)

2020: Oh, it would be a year, (looking strangely at the void, then giving a smirk, again zoning out, a wicked smile) you will all remember forever, I am here to rewrite the history of human domination and arrogance. You shall all witness soon.

Interviewer: ( with an alarm and sweat forming on his face, a worried look thrown jn the studio, a complete silence rules the room) Wha..What do you mm..mean Mr. 2020, do you mean we are going face grave danger??

2020: You shall reap what you sow, my dear human race. Just sit back on your pure leather recliners and in those pure animal hides and wonder how well you have maintained your world, the air is so clear and pure, the water crystal clear and land fertile, isn't it. I am at awe with your progression, no other race, I repeat no other race had plundered their house, as you. But why are we even discussing this? (a sad sigh, now, looking straight at the camera)

Interviewer: Sir, please let us know, we are not that bad, we just are trying to improve our lifestyle sir, is progressing bad? Should we still remain ignorant of our powers and not use them for our benefits. Its nature's law isn't it, Survival of the fittest.

2020: My dear child, yes it is, a wonderful quote, " survival of the fittest", wish you understood that and tighten your safeguard, but now what's the use of saving a half sunk ship? Let's talk something else. So hows everything back home? What are your plans for new year? How are you celebrating me?

Interviewer: (now moping the sweat, and swallowing the fear, pale faced, so the others in the room; the viewers and the audience in the hall) Sir, we would celebrate it like every year, wish you could just let us know, what is it our future holds for us? ( he tried putting the question in different frame)

2020: Child, wish you do not ask the same question again for I am trying to waver it, but now as you all want to know (he looks at all sharply, anger raising and clearly vibrating through his eyes) he answers, "I set out a platter full of destruction, hatred, malice, death, containment and death".

He looked at the camera straight, there was something about his stare, that made everyone look down, hanging theif heads in shame, knowing what was the mistake and fearing the puzzled answer. He rose from the chair, with the others following him in haste, answering none, he boarded the time machine and set forth the program for new year.

It was only in the month of March, people came to know the answer to those riddles, the reality bites of 2020, and somewhere in his time machine, 2020 has a hearty laugh, and satisfaction on his face, to show the human race their worth and their place on this Earth.

ISD