The flying bed: Episode 5. Annihilating the Guns

 

The flying bed: Episode 5

Annihilating the Guns

 

A bedtime story for every night is indeed a tall order. But, it must be done somehow. So, here goes the spinning yarn at work once again…

 

A small state lying in the border of two countries is literally burning. There is not a single day which passes by without the news of a village being burnt down by arsonists in the name of a communal clash between two communities. What appeared in the beginning as a communal riot between two ethnic groups has literally turned from a mole hill to a mountain in no time. Bullets are sprayed from sophisticated automatic rifles by one community sitting atop the hills surrounding the small border state on the unsuspecting villagers. When the villagers flee, their houses are burned down. The next day when the villagers come out to salvage whatever is left of their burnt property, the armed group again fires upon them. The menfolk of the other community have started forming local defence forces and have armed themselves with indigenous weapons and shotguns and guard their villages night after night. But, their arms are like children’s toys in the face of the sophisticated automatic rifles of their adversaries. Retaliatory acts of killing and arson have also occurred against the community armed with sophisticated guns. The vicious cycle goes on and there is no end in sight.

 

Schools and colleges have been converted to relief camps for the displaced people and education has come to an abrupt halt. Meanwhile, the numbers of displaced people whose houses have been burned down are increasing day by day.

 

The local TV channel is full of this news throughout the day.

 

The flying bed which has been inactive for some time must be launched again! Much as I try, I cannot take my mind away from the current issue which has put the whole state in turmoil. So, a solution is called for.

 

Desperate times call for desperate measures. So, boys, get ready! We are going on an important mission tonight.

 

Captains Columbus, Maximus and Optimus are ready. Snowman and Panther are also ready. Genie is also reluctantly awakening from his slumber. The roof of our bedroom silently opens and the flying bed swiftly ascends into the night sky. We assume the invisible mode quickly and scan the night sky with our special metal detectors designed specifically to detect the configuration of guns.

 

Almost instantly, the device is jammed with an onslaught of signals coming from all the hilltops and nearby foothills. Our breaths collectively stopped for a moment. So many arms and ammunition, enough to annihilate all the living creatures in the region! Something must be done quickly before the next sunrise.

 

We decide on the metal dissolving gas. Following the signals, we invisibly go to these locations and silently spray the gas from a vent in the flying bed. Within minutes all the guns and ammunition have melted into a dark liquid completely losing its original form. The warriors on both sides are so surprised. They rub their eyes but the reality persists. No arms, no war. As simple as that! Annihilation of arms to stop annihilation of men! Something which could not be resolved by all the dialogues has been solved almost instantly. Sometimes, the easiest solution to a problem is right under our noses. We only have to look a little closer.

 

Mission accomplished, boys! Let’s head home and catch a few winks of sleep before the sun comes up with a new dawn!

 

May peace prevail on earth again.