Just another sunrise, how come everyone acted like it was normal? How could everyone buzz off to work in their gasoline-powered cars and act like it is ok? Why do people have to be so selfish? Everything that we take for granted today we might be longing for the next day. These were the kind of questions and thoughts I filled my leafy brain with every single day.

My name is Oakley and I am one of the only Ash trees left on our planet, Neptune. I have been in this very spot since the day I was planted exactly 74 years ago. I once looked out on the vast landscape all the mounds of dirt piled up into neat hills, and the beds of flowers with the dirt scattered around the roots, this is what life is supposed to look like. For a moment it seemed like everything was going to be okay, even if it was just for a second. I was the tallest tree in that park, I could see the city lights flicker in the distance and the leaves swirl around the road like a tornado. I could feel a cold gust of wind drift through my leafs I could tell it was mid fall, and already I could see the park maintenance start to buy large bulky packages filled to the brim with road salt.

Winter was a time when all our problems would be coated with a thick layer of snow and in the spring time they would float off in the streams made by melted snow that was collected over winter. But this year would be different, no amount of snow or water could drown these problems, after all, the more time we waste the worse it will get. After seeing 74 years of development in the city the year it was now, the year 3014 and things were drastically different since that day that the soil was packed snug around me and warm rainwater soaked through the cracks in the dirt and hit my seed sending my roots sprawling into the ground.

Today was going to be different though, I had told myself this every day since our governor decided that our park needed to be torn down and built a secret building using our dead tree limbs as supplies.

Morbid, I thought, no one seems to care anymore, “Why?”

Hundreds of years ago people were perfectly happy with the simple things, in those day people used trees so much we were a basic necessity. But now things are different. When did someone decide that we should use harmful resources such as gasoline every day, or use salt on the roads, or even watching fireworks? People go to see a bright display knowing that it will pollute our air, but they still go to see it, for fun! Unbelievable.

In those days there were trees everywhere, in those days people wanted trees. But now people mask their mistakes with technology, where there was once an ocean filled with trash is now an ocean filled with man-made islands everywhere. Where there was once a depleted ozone is now a huge electronic sky controlling the day from night and the sun from the rain.

This was the human dream a 1000 years ago, people back then only talked about how good this seemed. And now it was here, and it was terrifying. I always thought the world would end while the birds were still singing, the long grass swaying and a gorgeous bright sunset, not with trees dying, animals extinct, and an animated sunset.

Later that day there were contractors and salesmen everywhere scoping out the last inch of green land in the world.

Was this really it? Was I going to spend the rest of eternity inside the walls of a secret building?

No, it can't be, there is supposed to be a happy ending, or at least a hope to keep me going.

“Uh oh." One of the contractors was headed my way, it is hard being a tree. I can’t duck or try to hide. The man was short with auburn hair and stubble on his face, he looked upon me and shook his head, the man swiftly turned around and proclaimed, “We cannot do this”. The other men looked confused and a little perplexed at him, the taller man spoke up:

“Why not?"

This building had been the dream for, well centuries.

“This is an ash tree.” he said

“So what” another man chimed in.

How stupid and ignorant can these people be, I thought to myself irritatedly.

“It’s just a tree,” he said as he kicked me, pain throbbing all the way down in my roots, the emotional pain hurt worse than the physical pain.

“So what?! This is a very rare tree and it symbolizes everything we had on this earth, and everything we could have if we protect it. That being said, I will not be a part of this if it means hurting this last bit of hope,” the short man looked ticked off while proclaiming this to the tree and other men in front of him.

“Many years ago this very land was cluttered with roaming animals, green grass, tall trees and little insects that would land softly on your skin. Don’t you see what we are missing?” He said this in a quieter voice reminiscing on what could have been.

The men left shortly after but my emotions did not. I was almost drowning with the kindness from that man's heart, I could not believe that this man was sacrificing his job for a plain old tree like me. I just had a feeling for the rest of the day that things were going to change, and in a good way, maybe people would change, well at least I could always hope.

The next few weeks were uneventful, I filled my hours with worry and fear I didn't think they were going to do anything major until springtime. The seasons were turning and the first snowfall brought light fluffy wisps of flakes and blew off the last few of my yellow and red swirling leaves. This peaceful time of the year seemed to resolve conflict by itself, but I couldn’t keep the peace--not with this heavy burden lingering in my mind and weighing me down.

Winter passed by and now it was the season I had been dreading, Spring. This was the time of year my fate would be tested. The men came back to the park and stood right in front of me, they decided that the only option was to take this to court. The court session actually happened in the park right in front of me. There was a lot of arguing and they started off by "swearing to tell the truth and nothing but the truth" and then it began.

Turns out the short man's name was Brent and the tall guy was Greg, both of them came equipped with a lawyer and both of the lawyers thought they were right all the time. I found the whole event quite amusing with all the people shouting, the hammer, and all of the people calling the guy with the robe on “your honor”. That was the funniest part of all. But in the end, they had made a decision, they shook hands, signed a document and looked pleased. I was so anxious until I heard the booming voice of the Judge declare “This building is vital to our country, and trees are just as important, with that being said we will clear out some of the land but make it as nature-accommodating as possible”.

And with that being said all the people dispersed and left me to my thoughts. I wanted to know so badly what was that important that they needed this land for something secret. But once I found out about the secret I was actually glad they were clearing out our last bits of land. Over the course of the summer and fall seasons, the massive building was made being as careful as possible to not harm my branches.

It wasn’t until the year 3016 that president Charles Adely made a public announcement. In this, he said:

“Over the past 1,000 years we have improved our world with technology, this has always made our lives easier and better but not for some. All nature around has had to suffer, we have taken away some of their basic necessities such as the sun, we have replaced that with a remote-controlled sun so we can have the weather to our desire. This is very selfish of us humans, and we are going to put a stop to this. Astronomers have discovered a near planet it has water, direct sunlight, air and soil we will replant trees there and populate that vast expanse of land with nature. This new planet we have discovered is called Earth”.