Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Christmas Tree (10/09/08)
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TITLE: A Quest for Christmas Tree | Previous Challenge Entry
By Karuna Barla
10/16/08 -
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Ethan got up and started to leave when his hi-def flat screen television slid out from behind the chrome cabinets. Looking at his watch, Ethan realized he had signed up for “Strange Finds” television feeds. A program on Geo-survey channel. The program documented uncommon and unusual phenomenon .
“It is incredible, where this kid could have found it”. The speakers boomed the narrator’s voice.
The image of a twelve year old boy with a live Christmas tree, filled the giant screen, as the camera panned the live event. Ethan’s curiosity quickened. Being a renowned geologist and naturalist, this was something he had been studying for nearly two decades, since the specimen had mysteriously disappeared from earth. Everyone blamed global warming, but Ethan knew it was something else. He had studied it over and over again. Gone through almost a billion literature on geology and nature, to study the effects of global warming on earth. But nothing explained the fact that, the Christmas tree was the only tree missing. He had mulled on it every year, as Christmas drew near and he posted his graphic Christmas tree on the webpage. He had placed his theory of “divine intervention“ before the International Environmental Action Group and they had laughed out , discarding it saying, “Are you saying the Christmas trees had a rapture?”.
The phone rang. It was Emily, she had been his partner throughout this project, and the object of the call was, the tree.
“Sure, I’d like to check that out myself, do you wanna come?” said Ethan.
Time and place for his rendezvous with Emily was decided. Ethan made a few more phone calls to the broadcasting station and his travel desk. Soon they were on an hour’s flight by his private jet, to where the specimen had been found. Remote, Montana.
Cold winter breeze couldn’t penetrate their temperature-adaptive jackets as they parked the car and walked toward the house. The boy had finished decorating the tree and the crowd of enthusiastic journalists had dwindled away. It was strange that there’d be such a short interest in a magnificent subject like this, Ethan thought, though he was pleased that he’d get some quiet time to chat with the boy and get some information.
The tree looked magnificent in real-life. Luscious, looming and alive. Ethan mused momentarily, on his graphic tree, that was nowhere as beautiful as this one. “Hi Allen, I’m Ethan and this is Emily.” Ethan said extending his hand. “We’d like to know more about your tree .”
“Sure”, said Allen excitedly. He was thrilled with the attention he was getting from these tech-dwelling people, he always admired. He lived in a modest home with his grandparents since his parents died and the only hi-tech gadget he had was his high speed internet connection from Speedblast.
The smell of fresh baked cookies filled the kitchen as Allen’s grandmother worked busily at her manual kitchen. They exchanged a pleasant conversation with Allen and his grandfather, a pastor. Ethan loaded up his knowledge on the tree while they relished the delicious pies and cookies grandmother had prepared.
Ethan’s quest was over. The tree, Ethan learned, was just a seed, when the rapture (as Ethan termed it and finally Allen’s grandparents agreed) had taken place. It was a Christmas gift from Allen’s parents to him for his first and only Christmas he ever celebrated with them. Now it had gotten a chance to grow and become a gorgeous Christmas tree, exactly as it was designed to become, Allen’s grandfather had explained.
Ethan had found more than the answer he was looking for. His theory, satisfied by a simple pastor. His deceased parents' prayer for his salvation, fulfilled. The truth, Ethan had known all along, but only played with, had found him and won. Ethan had picked up God’s hint for him - the disappearance of the Christmas tree a pre-cursor to the impending return of Jesus Christ and the taking away of His people with Him. He had made it just in time. Now his project is, to convince others.
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