Carol and Bob

Carol and Bob were new neighbours. They enjoyed walks in the wilderness, together.

At least there was still the wilderness. Nature flourished under their watchful gaze. No one could encroach on it anymore. The wilderness business had been good, since the strangers arrived.

The strangers had come, completely undetected from another galaxy. Perhaps they had been there all-along, but when they revealed themselves, it was not long until the influence of governments, armies, and imaginary lines on maps no longer mattered to the populace of Earth.

The Stranger's Declaration

Creatures of Earth, hear us. We are The Strangers. We arrive at your planet so that you may immediately cease your conflicts and torment of one another. You are a despicable, self-hating species; and you must behave. You set a poor example for this region of the galaxy. What would less civilised species think of your behaviour?

From this moment, your so called nations are no more. A quarter of your planet's land mass will be left to become a natural wilderness, a reservation where none of your kind will be allowed to exploit. This is necessary, or you shall all perish through your mismanagement of your eco-systems.

The ordinary infrastructure of your day to day life will be governed and operated by us, The Strangers. This includes, but is not limited to the following processes:

• Water Distribution
• Energy Distribution, including Electrical, Chemical, and Liquid
• Communications Infrastructure
• Sustenance

This means that each of you will be responsible for, and personally own approximately 6900 square metres each. These parcels of land will be distributed randomly. Your so called "Family units" will not be allocated land together. If you want land together, you must trade with another.

Carol and Bob

Walking through the wilderness wasn't considered exploitation. They enjoyed it. They had come from nations now fragmented, and found common ground through their neighbouring plots.

"Funny how people can get along with one another when they want for nothing." She said to Bob.

"Well, there is something I want," He said. He bent to pick a flower. She looked on in horror.

Will this doom the planet? She asked herself. She closed her eyes and waited.

Image by @riverflows, sourced from: "Happy Days"