Page 19 - ADU Voice

As planned, the workers started to cut down the "What are you doing?" Eric pulled his daughter
tress on one acre of that forest, Eric watched closer to him before she could reach where the
the land being cleared with mixed feelings fire was coming from. "Leave me, Dad!. Leave
arousing in his heart, but he was selfish enough me, please. I cannot let my horses die. Leave
to think only about his daughter's smile, not the me." Maria wriggled in his arms, and that is
rainforest, was people around. when he realized his farm would have been all
burnt by now.
"I love you, Dad." Maria flung in her father's
arms on seeing the horses in their new farm, "Enough!" Nancy yelled at Maria. "It’s all because
and that was all Eric needed to let go of the guilt of your wish this is happening! Had your father
of cutting down the trees. not cut those trees down to build a farm for
you, this would not have happened! Had these
It had been a year since Eric started this new people not followed your father's path, the
farm, and every day Maria confessed how much animals which lived inside would have been
she loved him for fulfilling that wish of hers. saved!"

But what nobody noticed was, after seeing Eric "This forest would not have been burnt. Respect
building a farm in the forest for cattle ranching, what you have and crave for something good
he started to have so many followers that more for everyone, not just yourself." Nancy scolded
than half of the forest now was a barren land her daughter. That was a reality check for both
filled with flocks of sheep and stables of horses. Eric and Maria.
That created not just rich farmers, but less
rainfall and an increase in drought. Indeed, they were selfish. Maybe Maria was a
kid, and she did not know what her wish would
Animals living in the forest started to lose their cost them, but Eric surely had knowledge. Yet,
lives due to extreme heat and a decrease in the he chose his daughter's wishes, and that cost
level of oxygen. him his farm, and maybe, his daughter. Had he
not caught her on the right time, he would have
"Oh, my God!" It was one random day when Eric lost his daughter, too.
heard people shouting. He stormed out of his
home only to see a few people running towards That thought shuddered him to no extent!
his house.
Written by Fathimathul Afrah Nisar
"Eric! The forest is on fire, Eric! It's burning!." Eric ID: 1067508
widened his eyes and started to run towards the
forest, his family following him.

"Oh God!" Nancy stared at the burning forest in
shock, while standing far from there. Soon, they
noticed Maria running inside the forest.
"Maria!" Eric and Nancy shouted, and rushed
behind her.