Once upon a time there was a guy named Ram. He lived on a small cottage across the river with his wife and a son. Ram has the only source of income for his family. He has a dream to be an owner of his own timber company; he works for that day and night to save money to accomplish his dream. One day while Ram was cutting the trees, Ram heard a voice.

“Don’t cut trees. If there is no rain, future is not there,” a crying voice came from the forest.

Ram didn’t care about it and continued on his work again. After few hours, everyone left the woods and went to their home because their work time was over for the day. While he was leaving, again a voice came from the forest.

“Don’t cut trees. If there is no rain, future is not there.”

Ram followed that voice and went inside the forest. He felt that intensity of the light decreased, as he went deeper into the forest, and the chirping of birds surrounded him. It was just filled with trees and the ground filled with dead leaves, which covers his ankle completely. While he was searching for the voice, he was estimating an approximate amount of money for each tree in the forest. He heard the voice again,

“Our future is going to die because of these humans,” and the voice continues,

“Humans are evil! They are killing themselves by killing us,” the tree yelled to other trees.

Ram followed the voice and reached that place, but he saw no humans’ just plants and trees.

“Hey Destroyer, why are you here? Are you going to kill us?” the tree asked casually.

“Who are you? I came here to see —you, but I see only plants and trees,” Ram said.

“Ha-ha,” the tree laughed and said “I’m not human.”

Ram was searching for this mysterious voice, but he can’t find that mysterious guy and finally he gave up.

“I can’t find you, if you are hidden,” he cried. “Please come in front of me?” Ram said, little harshly.

“Am I hidden? Poor boy, I’m not hidden; I am in front of you —and you are seeing me with confusion, am I right, boy” the tree said. Ram was again searching for the voice and yelled “How do you know?”  but no response. Suddenly, Ram looked up and down at a tree which looked abnormal than others, it was the largest tree in that forest and came close to him “what is your name? Are you the only talking tree in this world?” he asked in undefinable surprise.

“Yes boy, I think I’m the only tree who can talk to humans. All trees will talk to humans but they won’t understand —by the way, I’m Vaali. What about you?” he replied.

“I’m Ram,” he said without reaction.

“Nice to meet you! Ram,” he replied with a smile, then Ram spent some time there by watching other trees and came out from the forest with a cunning smile.

Their friendship went well until Vaali saw him and some of his friends who came to the forest with many axes on the midnight. Vaali was scared; he started begging them not to cut them, but those guys didn’t listen to Vaali’s words. After few minutes, even more members came and joined with Ram and started to cut trees. Nearly one-third of the forest have been cut down by these men and finally everyone came near Vaali with their axes. Vaali didn’t know what to do and just shouted.

“Don’t cut trees. The future generation will suffer. Please don’t cut us,” and started crying.

Ram didn’t bother about the tree and cuts him slowly, painfully without showing any courtesy.

“Hey Ram, you have done a big mistake in your life. Note this you will suffer in the future not only you, the world will suffer without us and we will grow again,” his last sentence said boastfully and died.

Within several years, he built his dream company and soon he became a millionaire by destroying an entire forest, but his happiness came to an end soon.

After thirty years, Ram was in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) because of kidney failure. All over the world were suffering with kidney failure due to a disastrous attack of drought all over the world. Ram realizes his mistake and the words said by Vaali striking him while dying. He also felt so sad for losing very good friend and his friendship.

The doctors said to Ram’s family “He is counting his days; he will live for about ten days or three weeks and we have shifted him to ICU and only, a few can see him at once.”

Ram’s son ran to ICU to see his father; when he came inside the ICU, he smelt hygienic scent all across the room and he saw his father right at the center of the room with oxygen mask and machine which purifies his blood. He came near him and sat on a chair which was next to Ram’s bed.

Ram requested his son lethargically, “Son, I am going to live for few days. Before I go to hell do me a favour, please!”

“Tell me dad, I will accomplish your wish,” Ram’s son said by crying.

“Grow as many trees as you can with the help of your friends, and others within ten days and don’t stop it.”

“Okay dad —I will meet after planting lakh (one hundred thousand in Indian Number System) trees first,” said warmly to Ram and left the room. Ram’s son started planting trees from his home by seeing him their neighbours’ started planting trees. It became viral all over the world through social media and media, then all over the world people started planting the trees and within ten days they planted more than a crore (ten million in INS). He went happily to see his father with that great news very happily.

He said “Dad I planted more than you wished, are you happy now?” Ram just gave a smile with watery eyes and said, “thank you.”

Ram closed his eyes and thought about Vaali and said to himself happily,

“Vaali, future is there because your spices have taken rebirth.  After few years, the drought will vanish, air pollution will come to an end and the world will become green like I saw in my childhood. Thank you Vaali because —you opened my eyes —thank you.” 

He closed his eyes with a smile. The pulse monitor beeped a horizontal line.

The End.