Project Eden

It was the middle of the afternoon when the bell rang to lure the students into their classrooms. Donald Gorvick meandered in, filling the last empty chair. His long legs spread to fill the space under his desk, and he relaxed into a slouch preparing for another boring class.

It was clear that Donald was out of place. It wasn't because of his poor etiquette, though most of the other boys made it a point to maintain proper posture. It wasn't because of his disheveled appearance either, which garnered insults and other unworthy attention. It was because Donald's frame mocked everyone else's. He was a lanky, cardboard cut-out of a boy who none of the other boys could comfortably compare themselves to. In fact, it could be said that most people on the continent, if not the globe, could not achieve his BMI even if they wanted to, which they didn't. They looked at Donald like an out-of-place, out-of-style fashion. Their scorn only satisfied Donald's pride. When asked why he was so skinny, he would simply reply "its in the genes".

His physique would not be so out of place to the world from decades before. Back then everyone was skinny, or stout, or oblong, or stocky, or lanky, or petite, or pear-shaped; the list goes on.

The teacher was a large man who wore a flannel buttoned down shirt, and a pair of gray slacks. His bushy brown beard hid the double chin beneath it, and instead drew attention to his benevolent brown eyes. His voice was like an echo from the deepest cave. He spoke to the children with great confidence.

"Being as this weekend is the anniversary of the Great Meltdown, I thought we would like to go over a brief history lesson of how it all came to be."

The students moaned with disinterest. "But Foxy, we already know all of that".

"Repetition Reveals Relevance. Now...who can tell me how it began?" Foxy replied.

All of the students replied in unison "Nuclear Reactors around the world leaked nuclear waste into the ground."

"Good. Can someone tell me what happened next?...Mac?"

One of the heavier set kids smiled at the professor. "The nuclear waste spilled into most of the agricultural farmlands on the planet, making them useless for growing crops. Thanks to people like my father, we can still eat."

"Slow down, Mac. We'll get there. Could someone tell me the cause of the disaster?"

One of the students threw a balled up piece of paper at Donald's head. Donald hadn't seen the perpetrator so he felt obliged to threaten the whole class. "Whoever threw that can meet me outside!".

"Donald, please settle down and take your seat. If I catch who threw that they will be sent to the headmaster's office. I will not tolerate any disrespect in my class. That includes towards each other. Now, someone please answer my question."

Mac raised his flabby arm and stood up as if giving a sermon. "It was the fault of the Government for a lack of attention to their malfunctioning system. By the time they noticed the leaky pipes it was too late, the nuclear waste seeped into the ground and destroyed any nutrients the soil had to offer."

Donald raised his voice accusingly "You don't have any idea what happened. You're just reciting the lies your daddy told you."

"My "daddy" and his friends are the reason you're still alive. Show some respect."

The two boys locked eyes in an unspoken "en garde".

"That's enough you two. Please sit down, Mac. If I hear one more outburst out of either of you, you are both going to the headmaster's office. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir" replied Mac promptly. He turned to look at Donald who had not been so quick to respond.

"Fine. Whatever." Donald said begrudgingly.