Important Notice: Do Not Delete

• Emily Scott, Grade 8, Riverside High School
• Short Story
• 2012

Excellence Award in the 'Legendary 2012' competition

Let me set a scene for you:

Its 2017 and The Earth is corrupt; the governments in chaos and in the middle of the largest global economic crisis known to man. Earth’s a wasteland for garbage and pollution, nothing is clean anymore.

The chemicals in the air are killing wildlife. Insects are dying out; the bees were first and with no one to pollinate our flowers the places where garden beds used to grow are now overrun with grey slabs in a cacophonic, industrial world.

Next were the flies. With the death of flies corpses were left scattered, slaughtered by uncaring cars faster than they could naturally decompose. Sprays were invented just to keep the smell out of our airways. More chemicals.

Then came the worst part: the sickness. Germs were spreading fast and one by one members of our community began withdrawing from eachother and destroying their relationships, with their wives, husbands, children and even pets, then, they vanished.

This persisted until the matter couldn’t be ignored. With what little power the government had over us they released an official statement: “everything is fine, do not panic.”

The only thing that spread faster than sickness was were rumours, in a shady bar, behind a closed door people were telling tales, our world was slowly perishing. A laboratory in Copenhagen had discovered a disease in the air. It not only killed you but stripped you of emotion. Not even on your death bed could you tell your family you loved them. When you were diagnosed, you couldn’t shed a tear. Important figures were being moved into quarantine, abandoning the people.

But really, it’s been coming for years. Even back where you are in 2012 it’s beginning. A father: too busy with work to hug his child goodnight. Kids sitting on their phones at lunch time instead of playing together. The sickness might have made it official but we’ve been losing our emotions for generations.

Let me take you to the current day. It’s 2020 and my family is dead. I have been diagnosed, I am going to die. My muscles are weak, my head hurts and I’m using all my willpower to care enough to send you this.
So why am I sending you this? Why you out of all people? Well let me tell you something:

I am you.

I’m using world breaking technology to send this to my past self. It’s illegal but there’s something I need to ask. The reason I’ve sent you this.

Tell everyone you love them. Your friends, family and those close to your heart. Tell them you love them now while you still can. Nothing’s more important than the power of love and there’s never enough time. Make time for them.

I can feel death coming, my eyes are slowly rolling back. I’m about to press send. Please believe this. Please understand. Never enough time. Goodbye.