Writer Unblocked

A Future Garden

By Rachel H Grant

The trees moved in time to the music of the city. The moan of car engines, the shriek of seagulls, and anonymous voices on the wind, laughing, crying, the teasing tone of life.

They held hands in silence. It felt so good to breathe in the pure vitality of nature, the kiss of the sun on their cheeks.

Finally Mark spoke. “They will never destroy this park. It is our heritage.”

Gilly squeezed his hand tighter. “You haven’t heard of the plans then …”

“Oh, I’ve heard of them all right,” scoffed Mark with a humourless grin. “But it will not happen. No, this park will survive us all.”

They rose as one. Leaving the park, they did not notice the rot at the foot of the trees, their lower leaves yellow, their life force slowly leaking away …

A cold wind rustled through their branches, snatching the dying leaves, whispering of cruel decay.

**

Mark and Gilly, their wrinkled hands closely entwined, surveyed the scene with amusement.

“Didn’t I say, all those decades ago, that the park would survive us all?” Mark had a twinkle in his eye.

“Yes, but you hardly meant like this…” Gilly gestured at the scene before them.

In the twilight chill a large crowd had gathered on Union Street, facing Aberdeen’s civic square in eager anticipation. Before them, on a makeshift platform at the edge of the square, the City Provost smiled down. “Tonight,” he proclaimed with fire in his voice, “we see the resurrection of a piece of this great city’s history. This will be a night to remember – I assure you all that you will not be disappointed. As many of you know, 50 years ago we built a civic square on the site of a former city garden. Today we have a world class civic square to be proud of. A unique design featuring a variety of innovative features, our civic space quickly became the envy of the world. During the first five years following its completion, Aberdeen’s tourist trade increased one hundred fold. Internationally acclaimed, our civic square acted as a magnet to the world. No state visit to the UK was complete without a day in Aberdeen. And this continues to this current day, although now our country is covered with replica civic squares. As city trees began to die of an infamous but as yet unidentified disease, it was a natural and easy decision to replace urban green spaces with concrete public areas. Yes, Aberdeen became the pioneer of our times…

“But enough of history. Why are we here this crisp Autumn evening? Of course you all know … But humour me, because I like the sound of my own voice, and I want to tell you anyway! When we decided to mark the occasion of the Square’s fiftieth anniversary, we thought long and hard, but slowly the answer became obvious. We looked through our archives and were enthralled by the beauty of the former Union Terrace Gardens. With cutting technology on our side, we decided to recreate Union Terrace Gardens in all its glory. Yes in 3D technicolour, computer graphic imagery of the majestic trees and the bowl shape of the garden, will reign supreme each night in Aberdeen. So we will have a civic square by day, and a city garden by night … I am so excited, so without further ado I now switch on the new Aberdeen city gardens!”

A sigh rose from the crowd as a magical silver night-time garden appeared before them. “Is this what you hoped it would be?” murmured Gilly.

“Better,” said Mark with his eyes transfixed. “It is so long since there has been a tree anywhere in this city … I had almost forgotten what they looked like. But this … although not real, so so beautiful. Yes, in the end, the gardens lived on. As I always said they would.”

Behind the couple two men slid away.

“So what do you make of it?” asked the taller, hooded man.

“Very impressive. Everyone will want one. A virtual garden. All the countless planets that have no trees … they will pay very good money for something like this.”

“Yes,” agreed the first man. “Aberdeen never fails to deliver. I first visited this city fifty years ago, when they created the civic square, which is now my best-selling product of all time. There are some galaxies which still haven’t heard of it, of course … but with the right sales pitch, eventually I am certain Aberdeen Civic Square will have been exported to the whole universe. If only these poor human fools knew! Fortunately intergalactic law does not recognise human intellectual property rights. No, Earth will not see a penny out of the trillions they have made for us … and , to be honest, very soon they will see nothing at all, ever again, the way this planet is going. More trees dying every day, soon there will be none, and that, my friend, will cause the extinction of the entire human race. Trees are inextricably linked to human biology and to oxygen, in ways which even the greatest scientists of this world do not comprehend. Yes, one day, another ten years even, they will all be gone. But there’s no time for sentiment in business. A de-populated Earth will become a top tourist destination. To see the pyramids, the wondrous architecture, the real Aberdeen Civic Square … yes, there is a whole holiday industry just waiting to happen.

“But the civic square. We must come back in daylight so you can fully appreciate its greatness. From the crystal caves, little rooms filled with magnificent crystals, the perfect meditation chambers, to their giant Harry Potter chessboard complete with life size characters, to the children’s wall where the latest primary school art is displayed, to the underground restaurant with a secure glass roof (yes you can see people walking above!), and every table features a different menu from a specific period of history … Education meets culture meets art meets inspiration, the civic square is truly unique. Which is why, of course, I am a rich man. So many worlds want their replica square. I have a lot to thank Aberdeen for.”

**

Another fifty years on, and Earth was a changed planet. The souls of the trees had departed in despair, their centuries long mistreatment taken its toll. With all trees gone, the human race gradually died of incurable lung disease.

Now all that was left … was a multi-galactic theme park. And pride of the tour was, no less, Aberdeen Civic Square.

The virtual Union Terrace Gardens, as predicted, became a universal best-seller. The largest 3D version of the Gardens was on Planet Zantana. Tourists from all neighbouring planets came to appreciate its beauty, many never having seen a real live tree in the flesh.

And they wept tears as they contemplated the fate of the trees on Planet Earth.

**

Mark and Gilly walked through Union Terrace Gardens holding hands.

“I once said,” mused Mark, “that these gardens would never die. And I was right.”

“But darling,” said Gilly softly. “Have you forgotten? These gardens are not real. They were created by our minds. Nothing we see has any substance…”

“Of course,” agreed Mark. “We are in heaven, and through the love in our hearts Union Terrace Gardens will live forever. In the end, we won.”

Eternity embraced them, in a world that could never die.

Mark squeezed Gilly’s hand more tightly. They continued to walk, as the spirits of long deceased birds sang in the trees. In the perfect world of dreams, all of nature was at peace.

**

On Planet Zantana, a breeze whispered in the computer generated Union Terrace Gardens. Slowly, raindrops began to fall. But there was no rain on this planet. The water was tears, the tears of the soul of Earth’s rainforests, crying for peace, and for a paradise lost forever.