Our Green Friends

By Duha Zoroub from Gaza

“What a lovely flower!” That was what I said before picking up a nice, red flower from the garden. I picked it to present it to my friend Lily. I was about to leave with my friends when suddenly I heard a voice that I couldn’t recognize. It was like crying, but I couldn’t see anyone who was making that noise. I kept looking for the source of the voice without results. Then I heard a voice saying” I’m here you fool” I looked up and down and every where. I thought “who would be telling me off at this nice morning!” Then I heard “I’m down here”

I said” down where? Are you an elfin or something like that? Who are you?”

It replied “do you know that flower you have picked?” I said” yes, what about it?”

I walked away from the place I was standing on to look for the source of that strange voice.

The voice stopped. I said “thanks God. I was just imagining” I went back to pick up another flower for my friend. I heard the voice again. I said” am I going nuts or you’re real”. It replied “ofcourse you are nuts” I said ”Oh my God. I’m allusioning. I must see a doctor”.

The voice replied “you don’t have to see a doctor. I’m down here. Would you just look down?”

I said “down? Where? Under the flower or above it??

It replied “I am the flower”

I was shocked. I said “flowers can’t talk” It replied “it doesn’t matter what I can do or can’t do because you humans are killing us. You are selfish. You destroy everything around you to live and you just don’t care about anything else. Everything in nature is complaining from you. You are the murderers of mother earth and nature” I was really shocked but still I replied” What did we do to make you hate us that much?”

The flower said “still you are asking what you did? You killed my red sister. Not only you humans kill flower, you also kill our moms the big trees in forests and tropical trees for industry even though we give you a lot of food, wood, oxygen and many things that you can’t live without. You are greedy. You always want more. You are never satisfied. It is not only us you are destroying, it is all nature. You are killing your partners in the life cycle. Soon, you will be alone on earth. But sorry, I forgot you can’t live alone. You need us. I am reminding you that it is all coming against you. You created lots of problems that you will have to deal with or try to solve. Yes it is true you humans have to begin your own ending.. And you know what, it’s not just us, you are destroying seas and oceans, land and atmosphere”

I felt really ashamed and sorry. I said” you have the right to be angry. I am really sorry on the behalf of all humans. We are truly sorry ‘I will work hard to make your voice reach out to the whole world not just me. I will make sure that your message will be heard”.