Short Story: Water Water

Short Story: Water Water

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‘This is no trifling matter we have to decide what our priorities are and who it that is going to benefit from the proposals and decisions of this meeting’

There was sense of foreboding as bristling animosity started to fill the room.

Nobody there could remember the last time so many countries had come together in the circular chamber to discuss a matter of such global importance.

With just one item on the agenda there was much and nothing else to discuss. Who was going to get the water. That was the bottom line, the crux of the matter, but in true UN langobabble the item upon the agenda read;

To agree and identify the individual merits of application, distribution and logistical viability of sourcing, transporting and distribution of Thermo-created Aquatic Liquid around the Globe’

In other words; Who gets the water?

‘Our lands are dry, our crops perished, there is famine, wars and social unrest’ announced the representative from the East Africa Confederation.

A whir of inter-continental translators sped the statement around the room. There was no response of any merit from the one hundred and eighty seven other member states represented there.

‘But the cost per capita is far too great, we in the South Americas would oppose such a proposal. Whereas our nations are far more populous, they produce goods that trade around the world and yet we suffer from desertification due to the lack of rain’

‘Are you not zee cause of zis whole global catastrophe, since it was you who undertook deforestation of the rain forests in zee first place thereby stifling zee lungs of zee world and its ability to produce zee carbon dioxide needed to produce zee water droplets in zee atmosphere’ echoed a deep voice from the German delegate.

Uncomfortable silence smothered the meeting as most people understood the Germanic English that now filled the chamber.

‘Look we in the United States of America developed this laser guiding technology to transport these clouds around the world and although we’re not saying we as a nation wish to benefit wholeheartedly by receiving the rain we would certainly be opposed to any of the middle east dessert countries from receiving it. We in the United States of America did not develop the technology just so that those who support, finance or covertly train international terrorists would benefit through the supply of water. The bottom line is we are not in this to sanction benefits to those who threaten world peace, nuclear proliferation or terrorism.’

A series of uncomfortable throat clearing coughs with some serious paper shuffling for accompaniment rippled around the chamber. Silence.

‘Ladies and Gentlemen under the authority bestowed upon me the time has come to vote. Those in favour of the East Africa Confederation proposal’

Silence and stillness filled the room. No one moved, no one voted.

Meanwhile west of Africa above the vast Atlantic Ocean a storm raged and water poured and no one stood beneath it.