Have you felt the green grass?

Part 3 - The truth

"Allison!" someone called from a distance.

It was my father's voice. He rushed towards me and I asked if I was hurt. My limbs still felt intact. However, I had some bruises. I told him that.

"Oh, Allison!" my mother exclaimed and came forward to embrace me.

"Wait, how did you find me?" I asked when she pulled away and I brushed off the dirt from my skirt.

She and my father looked at each other. I got up on my feet and we walked over to the bench across from where we were standing as my father said, "It's a long story," and motioned for me to take a seat. I sat in the middle and my parents sat next to me on both sides.

My father started with saying that there was nothing wrong outside. The air was entirely breathable and non-toxic. I stared at him, listening intently to the rest of what he was saying. One of my father's good friends who was a government official had confided this in him several years ago, so he and my mother were well aware of the non-toxic air. However, it wasn't a lie - at least not at first. 

The air had become unbreathable several years ago and it forced people indoors permanently, but it became better. Due to everyone staying indoors all the time, the air became clean once more. People weren't littering outside. There was a system in place to collect trash at people's houses. Industries adopted more environment friendly methods of production as to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

"This tunnel was supposed to be a gift for your 13th birthday," my mom further explained.

Once it was safe to go outdoors, that friend of my father had helped to discover a remote place where government officials weren't surveying the area. They had made it more secluded by building the rounded walls around the area, and they had created the tunnel in secret. I just happened to discover it before they were planning to reveal it to me. They loved the outdoors as much as I did and were wanting to make it an area where we could spend time as a family. I turned to them and threw my arms around them.

"This is just so unbelievable!" I exclaimed.

For a moment, I had nothing to say. I was still trying to digest what I had just heard.

"So, why don't we tell the rest of the world? Everyone should know the truth."

"It's just not possible my darling. They are not ready for it," my mother sighed and stroked my hair.

"Maybe one day," my father winked.

I frowned again and put my head in my arms. Then I sat upright again.

"You never answered my question..." I laughed. "How did you find me?"

"Well, that's a secret." My father laughed as well.

We spent some time talking about various topics from the non-toxic air to the beauty of nature to what we would do when coming to this "secret garden" again. We switched positions from sitting on the bench, laying on the grass and me sitting on the swing while my parents sat on the grass. When it was time to head home, I retrieved my phone which I remembered I had left next to the swing. I noticed a twig next to it which must have fallen from the tree. It had 3 small green leaves on the tip. I glanced backwards to see if my parents were watching me. They were already walking towards the tunnel with their backs towards me. I picked up the small branch along with my phone and ran after them.

When we had navigated through the tunnel, had climbed through the closet and had been exposed to natural light once more, I let out a heavy breath. What a day it was! My parents returned to the task they were previously occupied with which was making a healthy meal for the family in the kitchen. After they left my room, I walked up to the windowsill and placed the twig from the garden there. I took a step back and recalled a conversation from earlier. 

"One day," I sighed and smiled. 

One day, we would make the world a better place by letting others know about the beauty of nature and that we can experience it again. One day, we could all enjoy nature as we have only seen people do in films. We would ensure that we would not repeat our past mistakes, so that the Earth can remain a beautiful place. However, my mother was right. The world isn't ready. One day, but not now...

I walked away from the window, towards my closet to put back all the clothes that still lay on my bed.