#blindworld

Under the night sky, two people sat, marveling at the visible aurora. The setting sun illuminated their entire valley, which was surrounded by mountains, above which the glow became even more pronounced. The moon was already high, preparing to take over as soon as the sun dipped below the horizon.

The first person was dressed impeccably. Their clothes weren't new, but they still looked harmonious. It was evident that they were chosen with taste. The second was dressed haphazardly, throwing on whatever felt comfortable at home. Their appearance was jarring, a clash of mismatched items.

The duo sat on a veranda filled with greenery and various trinkets. There was a sense of comfort around them, a feeling of protection and freedom.

The general landscape around them was quite bleak, with an oddly placed house having bedroom windows facing their garden. On the other side was another house, where the neighbors had been a bit wiser, positioning the windows of their bathrooms. Opposite them lay a field of sunflowers, and in the distance, mountains loomed. The sky had a dusty hue.

"It's all because of the Temnodumov law," one said, "which states that the standard for emissions is based on the number of complaints. And since no complaints are coming in, they keep raising the limits to save resources."

"Can we not talk about your conspiracy theories?" The other sighed. "Evolution is a process. We're turning into a toxic world. Why change anything? Mother Earth does everything for us; we just need to adapt."

"But what about those who don't like the direction we're heading?"

"Just look at our neighbors. There's your answer."

Only a few houses in the area had their terraces. Most of the space was built up with rooms. The view was decent but tainted by smog and the lack of forests. Only the distant mountains hinted that somewhere out there were forests.

"Why are people so nosy? Why can't they respect privacy?" The owner lamented, pointing to the neighbor's bedroom window overlooking his garden. "Always peeking into other's plates. It's infuriating."

"Don't get worked up," the guest tried to soothe. "People are curious. Maybe they find comfort in watching your garden."

"But some watch with envy, or worse. I've had to treat my plants for fungi because of them!"

The guest looked around puzzled. "Your plants look fine to me."

"That's because you don't see them as they should be. They should be green and lush."

"Well, I perceive things differently. Your garden is still a cave, but with good ventilation."

"There's always beauty in the sky... why not on Earth?"

"Why bother? People are content. Why waste resources on something that won't profit?"

"Aurora..."