CHAPTER 7
THE LAST STRAW
It happens that while we were away at Inferno lands, the Say powers hold their annual meeting. In that meeting called The Money Power Club, these rich nations think of ways to get richer, and decide on the fate of the poor nations which are content to be given the crumbs that fall from their tables.
So I see the rulers of these rich nations in attendance at this meeting. Among the leaders of these Say powers are King Sunrise of Orient and King Sunset of Occident. And the security is water-tight.
The place of the meeting is one palatial building called Cash Plaza in a lonely island known as Let Them Island. When I ask for the meaning of this name they tell me that no one remembers exactly what its full name is. Because some think that it is either Let Them Die Island, or Let Them Live Island, or both. But as to who is to die or live, nobody knows.
But as the meeting is going on, large crowds of protesters called Anti-Say powers, gather also. The demonstrators, carrying several placards, say that there is no morality in war and complain that the Say powers are not doing enough to help the Yes powers. They call the leaders all sorts of names, saying that they are the cause of the underdevelopment and suffering in poor nations. They go on to say that misery, which they call the silent war, is more dangerous than Inferno and the devils, and all the weapons of mass destruction.
The noise they make is great, and the police are not able to contain them. So these kings come out in order that they might address the protesters and assuage their anger. But the protesters will not listen, and shout the more. But after they calm down, King Sunset addresses them on behalf of the other rich kings.
“Dear ladies and gentlemen:
“We thank you for letting us know your concerns. But it is wrong of you to say that war is immoral and that we are not doing enough.”
There is a murmur, which later dies down.
He continues: “As I was saying, the rich nations are doing so much for the poor nations. For instance, here at this meeting, we have decided to give some food grains, which our citizens do not need, to you people in poor lands to eat so that you do not starve to death.” Another murmur.
And the king goes on:
“We have also approved the supply of medicines to fight the spread of diseases in order that you do not perish altogether. And arrangements to make safe drinking water available to these poor lands are in the making.
“So you can see that we are doing so much. The problem is that you have bad rulers who oppress you people and mismanage what we give to them. But the most important thing to us at this very moment is the war on Inferno so that the world can breathe the air of freedom. That is what matters to us now. Nothing else. All other things must wait. You know that Inferno is attacking us, yet you do not have pity for us. Nevertheless, we still support your corrupt rulers. Let us win this war first, and then all of your problems will be solved. We have already invested huge sums to prosecute this war against Inferno. Or do you want us to give you all of the money and forget about this all important war?” All of them shout “Yes!”
King Sunrise now replies them: “Then you are making a big mistake. Inferno is coming to eat you and your children, together with your wicked kings!”
The angry crowds are beyond control now. They stone the kings, shout at them, and chase them away. The police in turn shoot at the demonstrators, and before long, thousands of dead bodies are lying in the streets.
When we return and the arms inspectors tell the kings how we saw “hell fire” in Inferno lands, they are baffled. Not all the Say powers, however, believe the report. Those of the Old World or the Axis of Weasels believe the report and still say that war is unnecessary. But those in the New World or members of the coalition of the willing do not believe that Inferno has no weapons of mass destruction. They say that Inferno lands or the so-called Axis of Evil poses a grave and imminent danger.
In fact, kings Sunrise and Sunset say that they actually saw Inferno in a dream about to unleash a world of fire-spitting dragons with bombs in their mouths within the next 45 minutes. According to them, this onslaught will make the previous attacks in their lands, look like a picnic in the park.
They further say that they would have shown the world a copy of the weapon program had it not disappeared in the dream. The kings, therefore, rejoice that they have found the smoking gun that they have been looking for. They prepare for an all-out war against Inferno with a new code name, Operation Finish the Devil, in defiance of world opinion. They call all the army reservists and war veterans. And the weapons that destroy both spirits and dragons are made available in large quantities.
The winged-man in white arrives again and asks Kings Sunrise and Sunset why they have not destroyed the seven devils: Hatred, Oppression, Frustration, Injustice, Mistrust, Fear, and Enmity.
Then the kings tell him how these seven devils stole their weapons, how their soldiers died fighting as human-dragons, and how they are now prepared with the deadliest weapons ever made, to wipe out the devils and their weapons of mass destruction, which they think is hidden somewhere in the belly of a devilish fish in the sea. They say that this time, there will be no flinching and no retreat, for they have reached the central front of the war on Inferno. The man sympathizes with them and encourages them to stamp out these monsters in this final war. And disappears.
Having therefore been so encouraged, the kings lead the combined troops of the coalition of the willing—armed with weapons that destroy devils and dragons—and go in search of Inferno and the seven devils. They reach the place that is called Dead End Passage at night, and decide to set up an ambush for the enemies. But they see neither Inferno, nor his deadly parents, nor the seven-headed dragons with mouths spitting fire, nor the weapons of mass destruction.
So they sleep there for the night in order that they might resume their search the next day. But in the morning, the soldiers start narrating strange dreams.
One says that the sun fell down to the Earth and burnt everything to ashes. Another says that a large object fell from Heaven and broke the Earth to pieces. Yet another says that the Earth opened up and swallowed all humans alive. The dreams make me fearful. But the kings, not wanting to believe the dreams, begin to say that the soldiers have had a bad overnight headache.
Now they prepare for another day of search for the seven deadly spirits. So they take all their destructive weapons of war and begin to search through the deadly passage. But before long, the spirits show their ugly faces. The kings waste no time. They immediately command their multitude of armed soldiers to open fire on Hatred, Oppression, Frustration, Injustice, Mistrust, Fear, and Enmity.
And they fire!