A Ray of Hope - Part 2
This will help ease your pain and heal you, but rest assured, you won't be able to walk for the next few weeks, let alone go to the Tree of Life.
— But someone has to go! Otherwise, we are all doomed! — Mother, I will go!
Everyone in the room was surprised.
— What? Don't be silly! — That's what I told your mother. — Mother, you always taught me to be brave and to do everything possible to preserve nature. How can you not let me go when the time to act is now?
Linda fell silent, for she had no answer. Saint Wormwood stroked her head and pulled a map from his pocket.
— You are as brave as your mother. If you are determined to go, then take this. — What is this? — It's a magic map. It will show you the way to the Tree of Life. It also shows you how much of the island is underwater while you are on your journey.
— It will keep you energized, awake, and determined. — Thank you very much! — You're welcome! But remember, under no circumstances must you lose it, because if you do, you will never find your way back home. — My child, you don't have to do this! — Yes, I must, Mother, I must! Please take care of Zolkii while I am gone. I promise to return soon. — But, my love, you don't have to leave now, at night. You can leave in the morning. — We don't have time, Mother! I must leave now!
Hope's Departure
Hope hugged her mother and said goodbye. Saint Wormwood gave her a magic umbrella, and Mrs. Cherry gave her a bag full of fruits.
When Hope reached the ocean shore, she waved to everyone and set off on her journey. Hope and her small boat faced strong winds and huge waves, slowly approaching their destination.
She fought with all her might when the hurricane passed by her, and likewise when she went through the water whirlpools, until she could glimpse the island of the Tree of Life.
— Ah, I've finally arrived!
As she approached the island, a powerful storm began, and no matter how hard Hope tried, she couldn't resist any longer and was swept away by the water.
The Path to the Tree of Life
When Hope opened her eyes, she saw that she was on the island of the Tree of Life. And the sight of the tree filled her with hope. But getting there didn't seem easy.
She looked at the magic map and saw that her small town was almost half underwater. And on the other hand, the monster was destroying the ice caps, melting them with its heat and making the sea level rise even more.
— Oh, no! I must hurry! My town doesn't have much time left!
Determined, Hope began to walk towards the tree. A very cold wind was blowing, but Hope didn't stop.
— I won't give up! Everyone is counting on me!
She kept walking until the wind became so cold that ice began to form on her. The cold ice started to cover her completely, and she was beginning to freeze solid. Scared and shivering, Hope desperately looked for something to help her.
The Magic Umbrella
When she felt the handle of the magic umbrella that Mr. Ramsey had given her, she pulled out the umbrella, and just before she froze completely, she managed to press the button. The umbrella opened instantly, and a wave of warmth melted all the ice from her body.
She felt healed, looked up at the sky, and said:
— Thank you, Mr. Ramsey!
Using the umbrella as a shield against the cold wind, Hope walked on until she reached the Tree of Life.
Meeting the Tree of Life
The ancient tree was magnificent, untouched by the cold surrounding it. It was rich, green, and alive. She approached the tree and said:
— Oh, ancient tree, hear my plea! I have come to ask for your help to defeat the monster of global warming, the one called Glow War! — Who awakens me from my deep slumber? Who are you, child, who has braved storms and cold to reach here? — I am Hope, and I have come to ask for your help. Please, save us from the monster!
— I can help you, but I will need something in return. What is that you hold so tightly in your hand? — This? This is the map that will take me home. Without it, I am lost! — Then that is what I want. Give me the map, and I will destroy that monster. — Alright. Here you go! — What? You don't want to go home? — Yes, I do! But if I don't give it to you, I won't have a home to return to. So, here you go!
— You amaze me, child! The cold and storms are minor obstacles for those who come here, but this is the test everyone fails, when they cling to their possessions at the cost of their lives. But you gave it up very quickly, without a second thought. Yes, I will help you!
Saving the Planet
Saying this, the Tree of Life closed its eyes. Leaves rustled and a fresh wind blew as the Tree of Life touched all its children across the entire planet, bringing them back to life. Saplings became trees, and dry trees revived. The Jess friends, seeing their tree friends, rushed to greet them, leaving the sky.
At that moment, the monster's power weakened, and the world's temperature began to return to normal. Slowly, it fell into a deep sleep and became nothing more than a stone in the landscape.
Returning Home
Soon, the planet began to heal and became green and strong.
— You have nothing more to fear, my child. You can now return home safely. Take this, you will need it.
Saying this, the Tree of Life gave Hope the map back. She rejoiced.
— Oh! Thank you, my grandmother! You truly are a wonderful being! I will always help your children, wherever I go. — Thank you, child! If only everyone thought like you. Please, promise me you will make the people on the planet more aware, to take great care of nature. — I promise!
Hope and the Tree of Life said goodbye. Hope looked at the magic map and saw that her town was now emerging from the water. She happily began her journey home. By the time she arrived home, everything was well again. Hope was delighted, and people came to greet her with open arms. Hope rushed to her mother.
— Mother, you're here! I was so scared! — My child, how happy I am to hold you in my arms again! You truly saved us! — You have a very strong and brave daughter, Linda! — I inherited my courage from you! — But I'm not sure that's a good thing, though.
Everyone laughed. Hope was content because everyone was happy and smiling.
A New Mission
That evening, as Linda tucked Hope into bed, she said:
— Mother, I would like to leave this town. — Why, my dear? You just got back! — I don't want Glow War to wake up again. So I will travel around the world and spread the message of the Tree of Life. — And what is that? — To protect its children, the trees. The only way to prevent the monster from waking up again is to plant trees, not cut them down. Cities should no longer use fossil fuels, but rather our friends, the sun angels, for energy, along with strong winds and waters, but even this with moderation, to reduce the use of harmful chemicals. If we do this, we will never overheat the world again. — Oh! And you're going to do all this alone? — Marsh, Tom, Credle, Johnny, and Lindzi also want to come with me to carry on the message. — Oh! You're the best! I wish you success on your journey, but just for tonight, how about being my little Hope and sleeping with your mother? — Of course! I will always be your little Hope!
Saying this, mother and daughter slept peacefully, warming each other. Early in the morning, the golden angels of the sun descended to earth. The Jess friends embraced them, and everything was as it should be once again.
Conclusion
Through her courage and willingness to save nature, Hope fulfilled her duty and showed that all of us must participate in saving the Earth, each contributing our part.
